Part 10 (1/2)

”My dear, sir, I never believed in ghosts until within the last two nights; but now, with such evidence before me, I should be the most unbelieving of infidels to refuse credence,” said my brother, with a mixture of gravity and banter in his tone, that made it impossible to think him in earnest.

”Will you be so kind, Mr. Howard, as to enlighten us?” inquired Mr.

Legare, turning toward that gentleman.

”Since you desire me to do so, my dear sir. Well, then, for the two nights we have pa.s.sed beneath your very hospitable and delightful roof, our rest has been somewhat disturbed----”

”Somewhat disturbed! It has been altogether broken up!” interrupted my brother.

”Be silent, John,” I whispered, pinching him.

Mr. Howard went on:

”By an inexplicable circ.u.mstance, namely, the flying open of the doors, after we had carefully and securely locked them.”

”We haven't slept a wink since we have been in the house. We have spent the nights in jumping up out of bed to lock the doors, and only to have them unlocked and fly open in our faces,” said John.

”I thank you, gentlemen, for the information you have given me. Agnes, my dear, have you been disturbed?”

”Yes, sir.”

”How?”

”In the same manner, sir, by the unaccountable flying open of the door after I had locked it,” said I, suppressing the fact, or fancy, of the mysterious midnight visitant.

”My dear, you have never complained of this before.”

”No, sir.”

”Why?”

”Because it was more an affair of interest than of complaint. I wished first to investigate alone.”

”And have you done so?”

”As far as was possible.”

”With what result, my dear Agnes?”

”With no satisfactory one, sir.”

”Friends,” said the old gentleman, turning toward the a.s.sembled guests, ”it is vain to deny that a mystery does exist, and for the whole term of my residence here, if not before, has existed in this house, that has, heretofore, defied all investigation. Many of you have heard of the circ.u.mstances under which the transfer of property was made. You have heard that Madeleine Van Der Vaughan, the last inheritrix of this estate, was a high-spirited, haughty, self-willed woman, with one idea--the regeneration of her patrimonial estate; that everything--money, health, peace, conscience, life itself, was sacrificed to her monomania; that at last she died a victim to her own ruling pa.s.sion; that her husband married again, sold the estate, even unto the very graveyard where her body lay, and left the neighborhood; that I became the purchaser; and, finally, that since I have lived in the house not one chamber door has been secure from a seemingly supernatural opening.

”The superst.i.tious among my servants, and poor, ignorant neighbors, ascribe all these mysteries to the presence of Madeleine Van Der Vaughan's restless ghost, still haunting the scene of her toils, ambitions and disappointments. Modern spiritualists would, without doubt, ascribe it to the agency of spirits. I believe in none of these absurdities. But the annoying mystery remains unexplained, and I would give 'the half of my kingdom' to him who should elucidate it.”

The old gentleman, at the conclusion of his speech, looked around for an answer among his audience.

”Do you not think that there may be a defect in the locks, sir?”

inquired Mr. Howard.

”Oh, 'I cry you, mercy,' sir! Such a possibility did not in the very first instance escape us. The locks have been taken off and examined, and no perceptible defect could be discovered. The half--'the half of my kingdom' to the knight who shall rid me of this mysterious key-bearer.”