one flocked to him, people plotted and
struggled to get invitations from him. They quite ignored the fact that
but a little while before he had been a poor rogue of an attorney whom
they all despised, and that he had come by his wealth by means which no
one had been able to fathom. They all seemed to be bewitched, to be under
some spell.

High revels were constantly held at Rosewarne House, now, and the gayest
and liveliest of all the people gathered there was the master himself.
He was as happy at this time as a man could be, and a great part of his
happiness was due to the fact that he had never set eyes on his ghostly
visitor since the night he conducted him to the treasure in the dell.

Months went by, the feastings and gaieties grew more and more splendid,
the hospitality more and more profuse, those who had not his acquaintance,
craved it, and everyone bowed before the 'Lord of Rosewarne,' as in time
he came to be called.

Indeed, he went about as though he were the lord of the whole county, and
everyone his inferior. He travelled always in a chaise and four, he kept
numberless carriages, horses, servants. He was elected to every high
position in the county, and he was never tired of preaching of the beauty
of honesty and uprightness, and our duty to our poorer brethren.

So things went on until one Christmas Eve, when there was gathered at
Rosewarne a large company of the most beautiful and well-born of all the
families in Cornwall. Such a gathering had seldom been seen as was
gathered that night in the great hall for the ball Ezekiel Grosse was
giving; and in the kitchen was an equally large party engaged in the same
form of enjoyment.

Food and wine were provided in lavish profusion, everything was on a most
sumptuous scale. Merriment ran high, everyone was in the gayest of
spirits, and gayest of all was Ezekiel. Now he felt the power of wealth,
now he was positive that all other things were as nothing to it; for had
it not made him the most popular, the most important, the most welcomed
and sought-after man in the county?

All had just reached the very highest pitch of mirth and excitement that
could be reached, when a sudden chill, as though the hand of death were on
them, fell on the company! The dancing ceased, no one quite knew why, and
the dancers looked at each other uneasily, each frightened by the other's
pallor.

Then, suddenly, whence, or how come, no one knew,--in the middle of the
h