The Room with the Tassels
k As
etch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion. The sun set early behind the Green
, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty. Beneath them a tangled underbrush
imly outlined against the dark, clouded sky. Once in the grove, the shadows were dense, and the quivering sounds seemed intensi
lowed the margin of a small lake or pond, sinister in its
repelling. It seemed to have a personality, defiant and forbidding, that warned of mystery and disaster. Aspen trees, tall and gaun
erns of the windows, but one faint gl
n the stone terrace, "I won't go through that woods again
uivering, tearful voice. "Oh,
y these confounded shadows make it impossible to know just where
the old ivy-grown stone, "this is the marble country, you know
nie. "It isn't as much fun
ented into the building, and which stood within the main wall. Though the walls of the house were of marble, those of this vestibule were of panelle
ch though worn and blackened by time, were of antique grandeur. "These bro
lly. "You can examine the house t
cker or bell, when one of the big bronz
, a bit unnecessarily. "B
assured him, "and we want
epped out of the door to
ndon's nerves were on edge. "Open t
you?" and the indifferent h
ded after. At first they could see only a gloomy cavernous
them came in and closed the door. "I'm Stebbins, and here's the keys. This i
f this place. You stay till I dismiss you. I want a whole lot of inform
at accompanied these words struck terror to most of his hearers.
ng point. "Where's that woman with the lamps?
e's goin' to be a sort of butteler for you, he can't come till to-morrow. Bu
d New England woman, who looked utterly de
ect. His small blue eyes roved from one face to another, and though he looked sull
he'll take the ladies to their rooms, and then after you get your supper, I'll tell you all you
intly, "but don't you get away till I see y
and then a glance up the da
ere you, Hester, I'll relieve you of that lamp you're holding
d the woman looked at him with that sublime s
ave and to-morrow you manage to raise a
, I t
y of nine! Well,
a do
ng them in, and if you're shy of candle
s nephew on the shoulder. "I'm glad I don't believe in ghosts, for every last one of you peo
rnie, cuddling into her uncle's arm. "I l-like it,-
cal colour is about the murkiest I ever
fter another trip to the kitchen brought six ca
ur women, and Norma politely selecte
, "you goin' to use that candlestick? That
dropped it and no one
oared Landon, "you que
ss affair; "I'm not afraid of such things. Here, Miss Cam
rockery thing, and shortly they all followed Hest
as soon as he realized its enormous sound in those empty halls. A multitude of doors led to rooms in all directions, there
midway of the
want?" she asked
iled Milly. "Oh, Wynne, let
santest room in the house? Give that to Mr. and Mrs. Landon! And then
l to-morrow," suggested the Professor. "
he rooms, and some I ai
get out!" burst forth Landon. "I wish we'd brought our
less inhabitable bedrooms, and as quickly as possible,
e, was not half bad, after all the available
ctrics," said Braye to Eve,
ue and all that; and kerosene gives a good soft light, but-well, some
ha
rough my mind,-and that wa
a little querulously, and everybody laughed. Al
llogism, or what it is! It just rang in my ears. And I te
s just beginning to pull myself toge
Mil
let up! You're enough to give anybod
for the moment, and to-morrow we'll make this the house of a thousand candles and a hundred l
in Vernie. "I've eaten six
ut seven doughnuts are enough to make you
ed Tracy, who was determined to keep c
ery one felt more at ease, Landon had reco
, as they left the table, "shall
n Black Aspens! Let's turn on the Victrola and dance, or let's play poker or sing glees, or anything
o have it out with Steb, because I want to know some several Laws for Beginners. But, don't let me interfere with your pl
, "what an awful sugg
ry of the house to-nigh
of, as usual, over her mouth, and cried, "No!
w your own minds! You want a ha'nted house, then when you
ut somehow, a ha'nt sounds so much w
ye. "A ha'nt is concrete,
y of the house and then all go to bed early. A good night's sleep will put our nerves and muscles i
ere just starting for home," murmu
ce too, Professor, and I'm going to in
they were all standing about, and paused at the closed door
n't do, Mr. Stebbins! This whole domain is
V'd neck fell away from her long, slender throat. Her hand on the door knob, she suddenly turned he
thed, and her hand slowly fell from t
ed Stebbins, stolid
Eve's voice rang out like a cl
ll trembling on a settee. Tracy f
h, brace up! We're all right
" muttered Stebbins. "Yo
ly stirred Lan
up here, and your confounded negligence in the matter of lights and servants and general good will, has got on the ladies' nerves. Bea
lders, the man disappeared among t
ficient for illumination. There seemed to be innumerable doors and openi
racy, stepping through some old, faded draperies to th
llroom of the old mansion. The furniture was of old, carved rosewood, its upholstery worn, but fairly decent. Oil portraits were o
d the windows were hung with heavy rep curt
y!" cri
astly?" began the Profe
r decorations here and draw your own conclusions as to my meaning. But though not to be called ?sthetic, this furniture is fairly comfy. The springs of
n beside him. "You're a real comfort,
needn't carry one's pulp
hing that a man of your calling ough
I do think a clergyman with a sense
Landon suggested they all retire, it was a compos
lock in the upper hall, the men beneath the roof of
shudders, slumbered in Landon's arms. Vernie
wide awake, and unabl
oor ajar, they could hear one another t
r the strange surroundings in which she found herself, and
d; her nerves alert, her thoughts darting from material things to
k, and at last dawn began to creep in at
rush of fear. Then curiosity conquered, and she came to the surface again, and looked about. The light, growing gradually stronger, showed the appointments of the room, the ugly old four-poster bedstead,
through the gloom Vernie saw something that made her eyes stare and her flesh creep. Clenching her