LITMIR.BIZ

      "Such is the case."

      "You surprise me."

      "I am very sorry to have disturbed you, because, upon such a ground, I do not feel that I ought to have done so; and, when I called out in the corridor, I assure you it was with no such intention."

      "Do not regret it for a moment," said Henry; "you were quite justified in making an alarm on such an occasion."

      "It's strange enough, but still it may arise from some accidental cause; admitting, if we did but know it, of some ready enough explanation."

      "It may, certainly, but, after what has happened already, we may well suppose a mysterious connexion between any unusual sight or sound, and the fearful ones we have already seen."

      "Certainly we may."

      "How earnestly that strange portrait seems to look upon us, Charles."

      "It does, and I have been examining it carefully. It seems to have been removed lately."

      "Removed!"

      "Yes, I think, as far as I can judge, that it has been taken from its frame; I mean, that the panel on which it is painted has been taken out."

      "Indeed!"

      "If you touch it you will find it loose, and, upon a close examination, you will perceive that a piece of the moulding which holds it in its place has been chipped off, which is done in such a place that I think it could only have arisen during the removal of the picture."

      "You must be mistaken."

      "I cannot, of course, take upon myself, Henry, to say precisely such is the case," said Charles.

      "But there is no one here to do so."

      "That I cannot say. Will you permit me and assist me to remove it? I have a great curiosity to know what is behind it."

      "If you have, I certainly will do so. We thought of taking it away altogether, but when Flora left this room the idea was given up as useless. Remain here a few moments, and I will endeavour to find something which shall assist us in its removal."

      Henry left the mysterious chamber in order to search in his own for some means of removing the frame-work of the picture, so that the panel would slip easily out, and while he was gone, Charles Holland continued gazing upon it with greater interest, if possible, than before.

      In a few minutes Henry returned, and although what he had succeeded in finding were very inefficient implements for the purpose, yet with this aid the two young men set about the task.

      It is said, and said truly enough, that "where there is a will there is a way," and although the young men had no tools at all adapted for the purpose, they did succeed in removing the moulding from the sides of the panel, and then by a little tapping at one end of it, and using a knife at a lever at the other end of the panel, they got it fairly out.

      Disappointment was all they got for their pains. On the other side there was nothing but a rough wooden wall, against which the finer and more nicely finished oak panelling of the chamber rested.

      "There is no mystery here," said Henry.

      "None whatever," said Charles, as he tapped the wall with his knuckles, and found it all hard and sound. "We are foiled."

      "We are indeed."

      "I had a strange presentiment, now," added Charles, "that we should make some discovery that would repay us for our trouble. It appears, however, that such is not to be the case; for you see nothing presents itself to us but the most ordinary appearances."

      "I perceive as much; and the panel itself, although of more than ordinary thickness, is, after all, but a bit of planed oak, and apparently fashioned for no other object than to paint the portrait on."

      "True. Shall we replace it?"

      Charles reluctantly assented, and the picture was replaced in its original position. We say Charles reluctantly assented, because, although he had now had ocular demonstration that there was really nothing behind the panel but the ordinary woodwork which might have been expected from the construction of the old house, yet he could not, even with such a fact staring him in the face, get rid entirely of the feeling that had come across him, to the effect that the picture had some mystery or another.

      "You are not yet satisfied," said Henry, as he observed the doubtful look of Charles Holland's face.

      "My dear friend," said Charles, "I will not deceive you. I am much disappointed that we have made no discovery behind that picture."

      "Heaven knows we have mysteries enough in our family," said Henry.

      Even as he spoke they were both startled by a strange clattering noise at the window, which was accompanied by a shrill, odd kind of shriek, which sounded fearful and preternatural on the night air.

      "What is that?" said Charles.

      "God only knows," said Henry.

      The two young men naturally turned their earnest gaze in the direction of the window, which we have before remarked was one unprovided with shutters, and there, to their intense surprise, they saw, slowly rising up from the lower part of it, what appeared to be a human form. Henry would have dashed forward, but Charles restrained him, and drawing quickly from its case a large holster pistol, he levelled it carefully at the figure, saying in a whisper—

      "Henry, if I don't hit it, I will consent to forfeit my head."

      He pulled the trigger—a loud report followed—the room was filled with smoke, and then all was still. A circumstance, however, had occurred, as a consequence of the concussion of air produced by the discharge of the pistol, which neither of the young men had for the moment calculated upon, and that was the putting out of the only light they there had.

      In spite of this circumstance, Charles, the moment he had discharged the pistol, dropped it and sprung forward to the window. But here he was perplexed, for he could not find the old fashioned, intricate fastening which held it shut, and he had to call to Henry—

      "Henry! For God's sake open the window for me, Henry! The fastening of the window is known to you, but not to me. Open it for me."

      Thus called upon, Henry sprung forward, and by this time the report of the pistol had effectually alarmed the whole household. The flashing of lights from the corridor came into the room, and in another minute, just as Henry succeeded in getting the window wide open, and Charles Holland had made his way on to the balcony, both George Bannerworth and Mr. Marchdale entered the chamber, eager to know what had occurred. To their eager questions Henry replied—

      "Ask me not now;" and then calling to Charles, he said—"Remain where you are, Charles, while I run down to the garden immediately beneath the balcony."

      "Yes—yes," said Charles.

      Henry made prodigious haste, and was in the garden immediately below the bay window in a wonderfully short space of time. He spoke to Charles, saying—

      "Will you now descend? I can see nothing here; but we will both make a search."

      George and Mr. Marchdale were both now in the balcony, and they would have descended likewise, but Henry said—

      "Do not all leave the house. God only knows, now, situated as we are, what might happen."

      "I will remain, then," said George. "I have been sitting up to-night as the guard, and, therefore, may as well continue to do so."

      Marchdale and Charles Holland clambered over the balcony, and easily, from its insignificant height, dropped into the garden. The night was beautiful, and profoundly still. There was not a breath of air sufficient to stir a leaf on a tree, and the very flame of the candle which Charles had left burning in the balcony burnt clearly and steadily, being perfectly unruffled by any wind.

      It

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