Fostina, trembling with fear, hastily arose, and was on the point of rushing to the apartment of Mrs. Cameron, to ascertain the cause of the disturbance. But the fear of encountering some one in the pa.s.sage, caused her to remain silent. She listened, and distinctly heard the voices of several persons conversing in a low tone. A few moments elapsed, all was silent; she then retired, but not to rest; the circ.u.mstances which had taken place that night, together with the fact that the disturbance had caused no excitement in the family, gave Fostina great cause for alarm. She lay in breathless anxiety until past midnight, when she heard the same persons ascend from below, and take their departure.
At an early hour the next morning Fostina entered the hall, where she met Mrs. Cameron, and inquired into the mystery of the proceedings the evening previous. She informed her that report had long been current that the castle was haunted, and as she had often heard the same disturbance during the night, she was confirmed in the belief that it was so.
Fostina could scarcely credit this intelligence, but made no farther inquiries upon the subject.
The day pa.s.sed heavily away, and Fostina observed that her friends were unusually silent. Toward evening, Mrs. Cameron entered the room where she was sitting, and asked if she would prefer a more retired room, where she could feel secure, if again they should be troubled with any supernatural visitations. She then ascended into a distant part of the castle, and entering a small room, told Fostina not to give herself any uneasiness, as she thought she might rest there without fear of being disturbed. She then closed the door and descended the stairs, leaving Fostina alone in her apartment.
After retiring, she soon fell asleep, and lay for several hours, until she was suddenly awakened by a repet.i.tion of the same noise which she had heard the evening previous. She listened, and could hear the sound of persons traversing the hall; but being now farther distant, she was unable to hear the conversation.
She listened attentively, as if to catch the sound of their voices, when her attention was suddenly arrested by a faint groan, seemingly not far distant from where she lay.
She now believed herself to be surrounded with the spirits of the departed. But not fearing any danger from this source, she again composed herself, and raising her head from the pillow, looked anxiously around the apartment, when, to her extreme horror, she discovered a light issuing from a small opening in the ceiling above!
She made an effort to rise, that she might discover some cause for its appearance, when, to her great surprise, she heard the sound of footsteps in the apartment above, followed by a long-suppressed groan!
Fostina remained motionless, and could scarcely realize the loneliness of her situation; she arose, and after pacing the room for some time in silence, seated herself on the sofa, anxiously awaiting the return of morning.
Nearly two hours had pa.s.sed away in silence, and Fostina rose from her seat and walked to the window; she drew back the shutter, and discovered that the morning had already dawned. She felt relieved on its approach, and looking down from the window, she saw Alvin, the servant, coming in the direction of the castle, and gently raising the window, requested him to come immediately to her room. He hastily obeyed the summons, and met Fostina at the door. After informing him what had taken place, she descended with him to the hall, where they met Mr. and Mrs. Cameron.
Fostina again informed them what she had seen and heard during the night; on hearing which, they seemed greatly embarra.s.sed, as if wishing to avoid any conversation to which the subject might lead.
After breakfast was over, Mr. Cameron gave orders to have the carriage brought to the door, saying that he was going to the village, and should not return until the following morning. In a few moments the servant appeared with the carriage, and Mr. Cameron and his wife departed.
As soon as they had left the castle, Fostina returned to the hall, followed by Alvin, who now seemed anxious to improve the opportunity of conversing with her. She soon perceived this, and earnestly inquired of him the cause of the mysterious conduct of her friends, who, she believed, possessed more knowledge of the haunted castle than they were willing to disclose.
Alvin remained silent for some time, and then rising from his seat, closed the doors, and approaching Fostina, solicited a promise from her never to reveal any thing which he should make known to her concerning the family.
She answered him that she would never betray his confidence, and earnestly entreated him to tell her all he knew.
Then seating himself near Fostina, he unfolded to her the mysteries of the haunted castle as follows:--
He had been a servant in the family of Mr. Cameron two years, and had resided at the castle, where a band of robbers had nightly collected together for the purpose of dividing their booty, which they plundered from the neighboring village.
He then explained to her the cause of what she had seen and heard, in the apartment over which she had slept, stating that, about two months previous, a stranger, apparently an invalid, had been conveyed there and confined in an upper room in the castle, in which he was still held prisoner. For what purpose he knew not, as he had never dared to make any inquiries of the family, and had not been allowed to hold any conversation with the prisoner.
After hearing this intelligence from Alvin, Fostina agreed with him to seek an interview with the stranger, and arrange some plan to a.s.sist his escape. They then left the hall and ascended together a winding staircase, which led to the apartment occupied by the prisoner. On arriving at the door, they found it firmly secured by an iron bar, which Alvin, after several attempts, succeeded in removing. He then opened the door, and glancing into the room, beheld the prisoner seated on a low seat, holding a book in his hand as if engaged in reading. On the entrance of Alvin, he fixed his gaze sternly upon him without speaking. Alvin informed him that they were friends, and had come to set him free, and turning round, he stepped back into the pa.s.sage where he had left Fostina, when, to his great surprise, he beheld her lying senseless on the floor!
Another instant, the prisoner rushed to the spot, and clasping the apparently lifeless form of Fostina, he bore her to his apartment!
During this time, Alvin had remained motionless, gazing with wonder and surprise, utterly confounded by these mysterious circ.u.mstances. In a few moments Fostina recovered her senses, and opening her eyes, beheld the pale and emaciated countenance of Lewis Mortimer, who now clasped her to his bosom!
CHAPTER IX.
_Discovery of the Plot--Escape from the Castle--Lewis Mortimer and Fostina return to the Village--They meet the two Brothers--Conclusion._
Reader, behold now the plot of Rineldo Aubrey, who vainly sought to win the love of the beautiful Fostina, and finding that he had a successful rival, endeavored by his subtle plans to destroy his happiness. To execute his designs more fully to his purpose, he had intercepted the letters belonging to his cousin, from which he learned that Lewis Mortimer had been unfortunately taken ill on his pa.s.sage to California, and concluded to return to his native village as soon as he recovered.
After receiving this intelligence, he hastened on his journey to the place where Lewis was then confined by sickness, thinking an opportunity had now offered itself for him to secure his victim, until he had accomplished his purpose.
Having arrived at the village, where, as it had been stated in the letter, Lewis had been left by his friends, he called on the attending physician, and offered him a large amount of money to detain him a certain length of time; and in order to do this, he must be conveyed to some place of confinement.
The physician agreed to the proposal, and gave orders to have his patient removed to the castle, as it was retired from the village, and he thought he would be more likely to recover.
Rineldo, in the mean time, wishing to leave the impression upon the minds of his friends that Lewis was dead, accordingly had his death inserted in the public prints, which soon conveyed the sad intelligence to Fostina, the result of which has already been made known to the reader.
[Ill.u.s.tration: _Their escape to the Village._]
After a mutual explanation had taken place between Fostina and Lewis at the castle, they soon contrived plans to effect their escape, and wishing to make their way through the dense forest which surrounded them as soon as possible, they directed their steps to a stream that bent its course along the forest side. Fortunately, they espied two men seated upon the opposite bank engaged in fishing. Lewis, on seeing them, instantly gave the signal for them to cross the water in the boat that lay anch.o.r.ed near them. They cheerfully obeyed his call, and in a few moments Fostina and Lewis were safely landed upon the opposite sh.o.r.e. They then immediately took their way to the village inn, where, on the following morning, they entered the coach and started for their native village, Lewis being determined to seek out his enemies, and take possession of the cottage.
In a few weeks, they arrived at the village of S----, where, to their inexpressible joy, they learned that the brothers had returned home soon after the sudden disappearance of their sister, who, as it had been reported by Mr. Aubrey, had fallen from the precipice in a fit of insanity, and been drowned.
With hearts overflowing with joy, Fostina and Lewis now hastened to the cottage, where they met the long absent and beloved brothers, who, after hearing from their sister the recital of her sufferings and adventures, returned their grateful thanks to Heaven for the deliverance of their friends.
They now informed Lewis that, soon after leaving him at the village, they fell victims to the same disease, and fearing that to continue their voyage would be a sacrifice of life, they gave up the pursuit of that which they must lose so much to obtain, and with happy hearts and contented minds they resolved to return to their Mountain home, where they fondly antic.i.p.ated the pleasure of meeting with their friends, in health and safety.
Fostina then learned from her brothers, that on their arrival at the cottage, Mr. Aubrey had returned to his native country.
A few weeks after the lovers had returned to the village, Lewis was restored to his former health, and Fostina having escaped from so many dangers, now fulfilled her faithful promise to Lewis Mortimer, who was indebted for his life and present happiness to the beautiful maiden in the Mountain Glen.