firmly, "and I will ask the angel to have mercy on you."

He rose from his seat with a faint cry of joy, and taking her hand bent
over it with old-fashioned grace and kissed it. His fingers were as cold
as ice, and his lips burned like fire, but Virginia did not falter, as
he led her across the dusky room. On the faded green tapestry were
broidered little huntsmen. They blew their tasselled horns and with
their tiny hands waved to her to go back. "Go back! little Virginia,"
they cried, "go back!" but the ghost clutched her hand more tightly,
and she shut her eyes against them. Horrible animals with lizard tails
and goggle eyes blinked at her from the carven chimneypiece, and
murmured, "Beware! little Virginia, beware! we may never see you again,"
but the Ghost glided on more swiftly, and Virginia did not listen. When
they reached the end of the room he stopped, and muttered some words she
could not understand. She opened her eyes, and saw the wall slowly
fading away like a mist, and a great black cavern in front of her. A
bitter cold wind swept round them, and she felt something pulling at her
dress. "Quick, quick," cried the Ghost, "or it will be too late," and
in a moment the wainscoting had closed behind them, and the Tapestry
Chamber was empty.

[Illustration: "THE GHOST GLIDED ON MORE SWIFTLY"]




VI


About ten minutes later, the bell rang for tea, and, as Virginia did not