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'But, Sir,' said he, hesitating, they say the house is haunted.' 'Supposing they

whoever they are- do, does that make it so ?' was my

reply. 'I shall remain until the storm is over.'

We had brought lights, as I did not wish the trouble of unbarring all the doors and windows for the purpose of examining the apartments.

Oh! please come, Sir,' cried William. I really dare not stay all night;

I have heard fearful noises already.'

Well, William, returned I, 'you have been a good servant to me for many years; but you must either obey me now or leave my employ.'

'But, Sir,' continued he, ‘you will not certainly sit in that dreadful library ?' There are books which I wish to look over,' observed I coolly, and I most certainly shall.'

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It was now quite dark, and the rain was pouring heavily; while the thunder grumbling roughly, and the lightning flashing around, added greatly to William's fears.

*. I am sorry to disobey you, Sir,' said he at last; but mortal man can't stay in a haunted house during such a storm as this, and I am going. Do come, Sir?' (appealingly.)

'Do as you please,' said I, and returned to the deserted library. A moment after I heard a tremendous clap of thunder which shook the whole house, and then the clattering of horse's hoofs galloping away. I began to feel a trifle nervous. I was entirely alone. Perhaps with

Confound such thoughts; am I a fool?' quoth I. But the thoughts would come. I took down a book from one of the shelves 'Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy.' I opened it, but could not read. I turned to the fly-leaf, on which, in a bold hand, was written FRANCIS RETZCAR, and beneath some scribblings in pencil, which appeared to have been erased with rubber, I could only distinguish a few words dear Clara,' and 'if he dare again. I turned to the fly-leaves at the end of the book, and there, in the same clear, bold hand, was this one word: 'Murder.' My hair stood on end. I closed the book with a tremulous motion, and sprang up; as I did so a clear ringing voice cried out : 'Why do you meddle with my books?'

A strange terror overcame me. Cold shivers ran through my veins. My limbs refused to sustain me, and, trembling from head to foot, I sank back on the chair. I heard no more.

'Pooh!' thought I, 'it was fantasy. I heard no voice; it was my fevered imagination. I'll speak aloud and dispel this foolish terror.'. In a clear voice I exclaimed:

'Who are you?'

My words rang in echoes through the house, and, merciful heavens! what horror crept over me as this answer came, I could not tell from where.

'Ha! ha! I'm coming!'

I heard a rushing sound behind the book-case, and gathering my remaining strength I breathed a word of prayer and arose. I am not, I think, a coward, but my situation was extraordinary. The book-case, books and all, pushed forward, and a face, swarthy and black-bearded, with white, glistening teeth,

and sparkling eyes, peered from the aperture. The figure, whatever it was, made a spring toward me, and grasping a heavy candlestick I struck it a powerful blow, heard a heavy sound, and fainted.

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The shutters in the library had been opened in the evening, and when I awoke, the merry sunshine was looking in at the window, and I heard the birds singing in the trees. I tried to collect myself, and bring to mind my situation. Then suddenly recalling the scene of the night before, I arose slowly and looked out of the window, not daring to glance toward the bookcase for fear of that hideous face peering at me. My nerves were utterly unstrung. I took out my watch-it was half-past four- - the sun had just risen. 'Ah!' thought I, 'I will leave this place and never return.' I stepped toward the door, and stumbled over something in my path. Imagine my horror it was the body of a man. I rushed frantically from the room.

--

After standing in the breeze for a moment, and looking on the gay face of nature without, my fears were dispelled. I went back and examined the prostrate form; it was the vision of the previous night, but no spirit. Clothed in tattered garments, covered with filth, and with a beard of two or three years' growth, there lay the wreck of what had once been a handsome man. 'Can it be the murderer?' I thought, ‘still haunting the scene of his crime? I placed my hand on his heart; it was beating regularly; there was a deep cut on his cheek, which had bled copiously, and beside him lay the candlestick. I moved him gently; he groaned deeply, but did not open his eyes. After procuring water and bathing his forehead for a moment, he seemed to revive and slowly unclosed them. Such wild eyes I never saw before. He raised himself in sitting posture, and addressed me in a language I could not understand. I shook my head. He seemed to recollect himself, and said in English : 'Who are you?'

I gave him my name, and briefly repeated the circumstances of our encounter the night before. He looked at me steadily with his piercing eyes.

'I think, Sir,' said he, in one of the clearest voices I ever remember hearing, 'that you will help me, and not betray me.'

In reply, I asked: 'Who are you?'

He glanced around the apartment and shuddered.

"This accursed room! A murderer!'

I had suspected it; this was the long sought-for Argent. Feeling an involuntary sympathy, I said:

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'Then you shall hear my story, and condemn or not as you please. I have lived in this house alone for four years, as nearly as I can calculate. I swore that one whom I hated I would slay. I have done so. I have wished to die but could not. Often was my crime repented of, until I went mad.

once I have none now.

For some time since I have known nothing. Why I am in my senses now, I know not: probably GOD designs more punishment for me. I had a name Friends! I have none; hopes! none. I am a murplace of security. I will tell you the tale, and then, if you judge that I am worthy of death, I will release you from your oath.' So saying, this man arose; he was very haggard, weak, and emaciated. 'Shall we go to the village?' inquired I.

derer-take me to some

'No! no! no!'

'To the city?'

'Yes; there I am probably forgotten.'

My servant will be here soon,' said I, 'and it were best he should not see you in your present habiliments.'

'Come up-stairs,' said he.

He slowly walked to the stair-case, ascended with feeble steps, and I followed him. We entered a room where, underneath a corner of the carpet, he asked me to search for a key. I did so and found it. He opened, with this key, a drawer concealed behind a bureau, in which, to my astonishment, were a quantity of excellent clothes,

'Get me water.'

Overcome with amazement I obeyed him. Without thanking me, he said: 'Leave me until I am dressed.'

In a few moments he called me. He was completely attired, neatly washed, his long hair arranged, his heavy beard combed out, and, in appearance, instead of a woe-begone tatterdemalion, he seemed a well-looking though somewhat ghostly gentleman.

'Go to the library,' said he- 'I cannot-and close those shelves as they first were. Then we will depart for the city. I leave this place, thank God,

forever!'

I closed the shelves, and leaving where it could easily be seen, a note to my servant, stating that I should ride directly to the city, returned. We walked out.

'Have you horses?' said my strange acquaintance.

'Unluckily only one.'

'We will buy one.'

I mounted, and he walked on beside me, refusing my offer to allow him to

ride in my stead, for about a mile, when we came to a farm-house.

'Buy me a horse here,' said he, 'handing me a roll of bank-notes.

They were of country banks which had failed during the past three years.

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'I regret to say that these are worthless.'

Gold, then,' said he, handing me a heavy purse.

I purchased the best horse in the farm-stable, at an almost fabulous price, and returned him his purse still nearly filled.

'Now to the city,' said he.

His steed curveted and reared, but he was a splendid horseman. We rode on in silence for some miles, when his horse leaped and pranced so furiously that I feared he would lose his seat from very weakness.

'Had we not better exchange?' asked I.

teeth.

Basta!" said he, I could sit a horse once,' and showed a splendid set of

'But,' exclaimed I inadvertently, Mr. Argent, you are
Such a fierce look as he gave me I hope never to meet again.
'By the splendor of hell, Sir, my name is FRANCIS RETZCAR !!'

Comfortably seated in a hotel, the evening Mr. Retzcar intended taking passage for the East-Indies, he made me the following narration:

'My father was wealthy. He and my mother were both married twice. I had a half-brother on my mother's side, Mr. John Bylenne, with whom you are slightly acquainted. I was my father's only child, and inherited his property; and, being under little restraint from my guardian, indulged my fitful passions to the uttermost. My temper was quick, but my anger easily appeased, and, unless I was in some way reminded continually of its cause, I bore little or no malice.

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'I was sent to school by my guardian, and a few days after my arrival there, a new scholar, of my own age, made his appearance. His name was Thomas Argent. There was an extraordinary resemblance between us; I was often addressed as Argent, and he as Retzcar; and every day this peculiarity became more embarrassing.

A little incident soon turned the whole course of my life. I was a wild boy, and in company with some comrades went out one night on an applestealing expedition. Tom Argent was not of the party. We filled our pockets and were about to return, when our sentinel cried out that we were discovered. I was the last of the party, but succeeded in arriving safely at home with the stolen fruit. The next morning I was attacked violently with the scarlet-fever, and unable to leave my bed. The master, judging, from past experience, that the discovered culprit of the previous evening was as likely to be Tom Argent as myself, called him before the school to answer to the charge. Now this man delighted in threshing boys. Tom Argent gave a confused account of himself, and was severely flogged. He swore he would have revenge both on me and the master. So one morning he entered the room where I lay, just convalescent from the fever. He had in his hand a large carving-knife,

"What are you going to do with that knife, Tom?' inquired I.

"Mark you so that we can be distinguished,' he said, with a bitter smile, advancing toward the bed.

"Oh! wait, Tom, until I get well, and if I have injured you, I will fight you, square and honest, but for God's sake don't murder me!'

'Do you see this scar under my long hair, Sir? He struck me that blow with the knife, and would have repeated it, but for a noise in the passage which alarmed him, and he ffed.

'I continued many weeks in a stupor, and physicians said that the blow would derange my intellect for life. It did so partially. When I recovered, I refused to inform against Argent, but on my first day in the play-ground walked up to him, and extended my hand-great GoD, how I hated him! 'Let by-gones be by-gones,' said I.

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I was rich-Argent poor. After our school-days were over, we were very intimate. I determined to travel, and, taking him with me, went to the continent, and in fact, all over the world. I knew Argent hated me, but my enmity to him was far better concealed. You seem to wonder why I had him perpetually with me. I will tell you. For revenge; I wished him in my power, so that I could repay him for the injury of which I was ever reminded. My breast was a hell of passions.

'We lived a wild, reckless, dissipated life. Money was nothing to me-I had a fortune. But although I paid Argent's expenses from my own purse, he desired more than he could readily obtain for his private dissipations. I tempted him, and he fell. He forged my acceptance. It placed him in my power, and he knew it.

'We lived a roving life until we went to the city to reside. There I chanced to become acquainted with a lady of the name of Lorrain-Miss Clara Lorrain. I loved her and proffered marriage. After a long deliberation, she acknowledged that I was not indifferent to her, but that she had heard such terrible tales of my extravagance and vices, that she dare not unite herself with me. I loved her very much, and promised reformation.

"Wait one year, and write me as often as you please, but do not visit me for that length of time, excepting, perhaps, once or twice; and if, at the end of that period, I conclude you love me sufficiently to give up your evil habits and associations, I am yours.'.

She had never seen my shadow, Tom Argent. As time passed on, my wildness became subdued, and, after building the dwelling where you found me, the hour rapidly approached for the consummation of my happiness. As I have mentioned, I had occasional fits of derangement, and, in one of these, altered my former plans, and confided the building of the library to three workmen well bribed to keep it secret. Under the triangular sides of that room are two vaults, well aired and finished. 'For,' said I, in my half-madness, 'some day I shall murder Tom Argent, and then hide here;' so I stored away, when the fit was upon me, a quantity of biscuit and other provisions, such as one might take on a long voyage. The day on which my probation ended, I was taken sick with giddiness and spasms. I asked my housekeeper of the whereabouts of Argent, and she replied that he had gone to the city. The next day, feeling better, I came down-stairs, and was joined by him in the library. I felt in excellent humor.

"I am going to the city to-day, Tom,' cried I, 'and shall probably be married immediately.'

''Indeed!' answered he, with a sneer. 'To whom??

"To Miss Lorrain,' said I, wondering at the question, as we had often

talked the subject over together.

"I know of no such person at present,' said he coldly,

"What do you mean?' cried I, astonished.

hate me

"Look you,' said Argent, rising from his seat and striding across the room; 'look you, Frank Retzcar, you - GOD knows I return it with interest. You hold my forged paper in terror over me. I have trembled be

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