'
My suggestion that these would hardly have been destroyed, even
without our interposition, fell very flat, for romance must have its
swing. Ellen told us how, on the news of our kinsman's death and
our inheritance, the ancestral story had been discussed, and her
grandfather had said he believed there were letters about it in the
iron deed-box, and how he hoped to be on better terms with the new
heir.
The ghost story had always been hushed up in the family, especially
since the duel, and we all knew the resemblance of the picture would
be scouted by our elders; but perhaps this gave us the more pleasure
in dwelling upon it, while we agreed that poor Margaret ought to be
appeased by Griffith's prowess on behalf of the Fordyces.
The two young ladies went off to inspect the mullion chamber, which
they found so crammed with Hillside furniture that they could
scarcely enter, and returned disappointed, except for having
inspected and admired all Griff's weapons, especially what Miss
Fordyce called the sword of her rescue.
She had been learning German--rather an unusual study in those days,
and she narrated to us most effectively the story of Die Weisse
Frau, working herself up to such a pitch that she would have
actually volunteered to spend a night in the room, to see whether
Margaret would hold any communication with a descendant, after the
example of the White Woman and Lady Bertha, if there had been either
fire or accommodation, and if the only entrance had not been through
Griff's private sitting-room.
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