The Ghost of Guir House

Paul lifted his eyes. The roof was gone, and the stars shone down

upon him through the open space. About him were rough walls of

crumbling stone, rapidly falling to decay; there were no pictures,

there were no stairs with their uncanny portraits, there was no great

open fire-place with the blazing logs, nor hanging lamp, nor cheery

pew--all--all was gone--and nothing but ruin and decay remained, save

some bunches of ivy which had climbed above the edge of the tottering

wall, outlined dimly in the moonlight. The floor had rotted away, and

dank grass and bushes and heaps of stone had filled its place. A pool

of water in a distant corner reflected the sky and a star or two, and

the dismal croaking of a frog was the only sound he heard. Through

the open casements wild vines and stunted trees had thrust their

boughs, and beyond were the pines and hemlocks. Paul stood erect, and

stared around him in blank amazement. Where was Ah Ben? He too had

departed with the rest. Dazed and wondering, Henley sauntered toward

the door, or rather to where the door had once stood, now only an

open portal of crumbling stone, from the crevices of which grew

bushes and a tangled network of vines. Climbing down over a mass of

fallen bricks, he wandered out into the grounds. The lawn was buried

beneath a confused jumble of rubbish and weeds, and the forest

encroached upon its rights. The graveled road was no longer visible,

wild grass, moss, and piles of fallen stone having covered it far

below. As he looked above, the moon shone through the casement of a

ruined window, and an owl hooted dismally from the open belfry. The

old house was a wreck, a tottering ruin, from whatever point he

looked; and no room above or below seemed habitable. He walked around

to see if the blank wall which guarded the secret chamber was still

intact. Yes, there it was; it alone remained untouched by the ravages

of time or war. The portraits and human remains were probably safe in

their hiding place, and Paul shuddered at the thought. What hand had

bound them up in that strange old corner to be hid forever from the

eyes of men? He had heard no human word, nor was there apparently any

shelter where man or woman could live. Presently amid the deep

shadows of the forest something moved. It came nearer, and then from

beneath the trees walked out into the moonlight. Paul started; but at

the same moment a familiar voice spoke to him. It was Ah Ben's.