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      What a dreadful night for Herbert to be out," exclaimed Ruby Trehearn to her stepmother, as the wind came sweeping round the old house, rattling the windows in their frames, and dashing the rain upon them.

      "I am sure I don't see why he need be out night after night as he is, neglecting his young wife."

      "Oh, mamma! Don't talk such nonsense. Herbert does not neglect me at all," replied Ruby, tossing her pretty head.

      "You will excuse me for saying that I am not talking nonsense, and I think it excessively rude of you to say so."

      "Then do not talk against Herbert. I am sure he is very good to you."

      "Oh, if I am not wanted here, I can go. I suppose I have a right to express my thoughts."

      "Here he is," cried Ruby, springing up, her beautiful young face aglow with pleasure.

      "Don't come near me, Ruby," cried a voice as she opened the front door. "Let me take my coat off, or I shall drench you."

      "Oh, poor fellow! You are wet. Now, darling, can't you kiss me?"

      Herbert folded his beautiful wife in his arms, and had Ruby's stepmother seen the look of love in his dark eyes, she could scarcely have thought that he was the man to neglect her.

      "Now come in, Herbert. I have waited supper for you. How cold you are."

      Herbert entered the sitting-room with his arm round his wife's waist — but his mother-in-law could see through that.

      "Well, Murs Grimshaw, I trust the ghost has not been at his pranks again," he said, when seated at supper.

      "You can make fun of it, Herbert, but I can assure you there is something very mysterious about the house. You said yourself, before you took it, that it was haunted."

      "Of course it is. I never knew an old house that remained unoccupied for about half a century that was not haunted. I got quite twenty pounds a year knocked off the rent on that account; and that is a consideration to a struggling medical man."

      "It is very unhealthy with the river running so close."

      "I think not. Ruby looks the picture of health and beauty. You are well, aren't you, darling?"

      "Oh, yes! It's a dear old place, and I havn't heard the ghost once. If he will continue to behave as well as he has done, he is quite welcome to his sleeping accommodation."

      But Mrs Grimshaw knew perfectly well that the house was haunted, and she also knew that there was no necessity for Ruby's husband to remain out, sometimes till midnight. It is true that his practice, though a small one, extended for very many miles, and that he kept a mother-in-law instead of a horse; but she knew, and she did not fail to tell Ruby.

      The young doctor had been an occupant of the haunted house some two months, when one morning two gentlemen were announced, and they followed the servant into the sitting-room, in which were Herbert and Ruby.

      "I should like a word in private with you, Dr Trehearn," said one of them.

      "You can speak before Mrs Trehearn."

      "I am a detective, sir."

      "Indeed! Has anything happened?"

      "I have a warrant to search this house."

      Dr Trehearn started to his feet and looked as though he intended to throw the worthy detective through the window. But after a moment's consideration he said:

      "Very well. I will accompany you. Let me see your warrant."

      The warrant being produced the three descended the cellar stairs; they they commenced their search. The cellar was lighted by a window, above which was an iron grating, to which the constable paid great attention. The grating had evidently been lately removed, even now it was not in its exact place.

      "Has anyone entered here?" inquired the detective of Herbert.

      "Not to my knowledge."

      "Were you out late last night?"

      "Until two o'clock this morning. It was foggy and I lost my way on the common for upwards of three hours."

      The constables looked at one another, then continued their search. Presently one of them uttered an exclamation, and Herbert stepped to his side, while the other constable watched the young doctor closely.

      At the side of the window were some loose bricks, and upon removing them the constable disclosed a tin box, in which there were several pieces of jewellery.

      "We shall have to arrest you," said the constable, turning to Herbert.

      "Arrest me! You must be mad. What for pray?"

      "Burglary. Several robberies have been committed lately, and last night we watched this house and saw you return by boat, and bring this box into the cellar."

      "If that is the way you give evidence I do not wonder at your taking so many prisoners. I can soon clear myself of this absurd charge."

      "Meanwhile we must detain you."

      And in spite of Ruby's indignation they led her husband away a prisoner.

      "I always told you how it would be," observed Mrs Grimshaw, by way of comforting the wife.

      But Ruby turned upon her so fiercely that she desisted from offering her comfort again.

      "If you ever speak like that again you shall leave this house immediately. You wicked woman! How dare you insinuate my darling is guilty?"

      Two days passed by, and they appeared like two months to poor Ruby. It seemed so terrible to her to wait in vain for Herbert's return; to miss his loving voice when he came home of a night.

      For hours of a night she would pace up and down her room, or throw herself upon her knees by her bedside and pray for the return of her loved one.

      It was a stormy night as Ruby paced her room to and fro with a sad aching in her breast. At last she flung herself upon the bed, and sobbed in her grief. For some minutes she lay thus, then she started up, listening. There was a strange, grating noise along the wall of the house; then all was still once more.

      Ruby sat up in her bed with a wild light in her beautiful eyes. The minutes passed, then once more the sound reached her, and it came from the basement of the house; perhaps from the very cellar where the jewellery had been concealed.

      Could it be the burglar returning for his spoil? This thought decided Ruby. She had not undressed yet, and taking the candle in her trembling hand she stole from the room and noiselessly descended the stairs.

      She cautiously opened the door at the top of the stone steps that led to the cellar; then a gust of wind swept past and she was in darkness, while only the howl of the wind disturbed the silence.

      But now, beneath the cellar door, Ruby saw a streak of light. For a moment she hesitated. Should she return and call the gardener. Who, since his master's arrest, slept in the house? But the thought that the burglar might escape while she was gone, and her husband still remain under the terrible charge decided her.

      Feeling her way along the brick wall, she descended the stone steps, then placed her trembling hand upon the latch of the door.

      Once more she paused, and now she heard a movement within. She was but a frail woman, and the ruffian within would probably he armed; but Ruby thought of Herbert, of what his sufferings must be, and with trembling hand she opened the door.

      As she did so a little cry of terror escaped her white lips. Standing in front of her, glaring through a hideous black mask, was a burly ruffian. In one hand he held a lantern, in the other a revolver, which he levelled at Ruby's breast.

      "If you utter a sound, you die," he cried, in a deep, gruff voice.

      "Help, help!" shrieked Ruby.

      The robber sprang to the window, and began to climb through.

      "Help!" cried Ruby again.

      In another moment he would have escaped. Ruby sprang towards him, and clasped her arms frantically round him, while again and again she screamed for help.

      "Die, curse you," cried the ruffian, dealing her a terrible blow on her beautiful brow with his pistol butt, a blow that struck her senseless to the earth.

      "I'm a-corning, yer spalpeens," cried a voice. "Sure, and where are ye togither. If there's mor'n a dozen of ye say so. Hurrah! for ould Oirland."

      With a bound the gardener was on to his foe, and they rolled upon the ground, while there was a loud report.

      "Bedad, thin, keep still, ye divil," cried Pat, seizing his opponent by the throat with both his hands and dashing his head upon the brick floor. "Faith, I'll knock the brains out of yer, if you've got any."

      There is very little doubt that Pat would have executed his threat upon the burglar, for he hammered away most energetically; but Ruby was recovering from the blow now.

      "Don't kill him, Pat. Dear Pat, don't kill him, for my sake."

      "Why not, ma'am? These things ain't no good at all. The brute, he's hit your pretty forehead. Thin I'll hit his."

      And Pat dashed his brawny fist in his opponent's face with all his force. Then he rose to his feet and quietly secured the revolver.

      "Is he dead, Pat?" cried Ruby.

      "I'm afeared he ain t, but I'll soon corpse him if ye like."

      "No, no, Pat. Promise me you will not touch him."

      "Sure thin, mavourneen, I'll promise ye no such thing. Won't I tell the master how bravely ye fought for him?"

      "And won't I tell him how bravely you fought for me, Pat?"

      "Now run upstairs and bring me down the clothes-line, though I don't think as this object will struggle much jist yet. He's knocked his head awful."

      The burglar was soon safely secured, and then while Pat kept watch the servant was despatched for the police, who discovered that they had mistaken Ruby's prisoner for her husband.

      Ruby still bears the scar of that blow, and ever will; but Herbert thinks it no detriment to her beauty.

      Pat is something more than a gardener to his master now. Mrs Grimshaw is living with her sister.

(THE END)