Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-10-13
.MOKELUMNE HILL, CALAyERAs COUNTY, CAL. o

| Sn why, tuc ucuCc OuICiy y
you can't cast two shadows! Look be.
hind youw "9l@
Richard crossed to his friends side,
and his shadow passed away as he moved
but the men still saw, to their astonish.
ment, what looked like the dim reAec.
tion of a shadowv human form-that OF
a man, only such shadow clearly could
be cast by no solid body. 1t was rath.
er the shade of shade
While they gazed female figure ap-
peared, and by her gestures seemed to
endeavor to propitiate her companion,
gently laying her hand upon his arm;
but he roughly repulsed her, and hall
turned away from the imploring figure
standing beside him. Then they saw
her cast herself at his feet, but again be
turned and shook her off contemptuous.
ly. She sprang TO her feet as if stung
by his cruelty, and then proud and def
ant, as it seemed from the dumb show,
fronted him again, and the men saw the
male shade seize her by the shoulder,
while he plunged a knife into her bos-
ON, and then he flung her from him and
she fell faint and bleeding outp the very
chair from which Ri:hard had started a
few minutes before The men glanced
quickly at each other, and drew nearer
together, and when they looked again
the forms had vanished, leaving them
motionless with horror and amazement.
When sufficiently recovered to move,
Richard threw open one of the windows
and tney stepped out into the garden to
try and compose their startled nerves
with the cold, frosty air. ll9
"Well, Hal, what do you think now?
was that dream p asked Richard in
rather fearful tones "was that a dream
or is there something more in Nature
than>ma can see and understand 2"
Nicholson did not choose even then to
admit that the strange spectacle they
had witnessed was unaccountable, tho
he confessed that he was perplexed as to
what the cause could have been, SO he
tried to reply lightly; but notwith-
Standing his pretended coolness, he was
evidently both puzzled and disconcert-
ed. After awhile they resolved to go
into the house again, though they could
not sit any more in the dining room, SO
lately the scene of such mysterious
exhibition; so they ordered their coffee
to be taken into the library, and there
sat reading until bedtime; and the ev-
eniDg passed with no further alarms,
and when they retired to rest in the
bedroom Richard and Alice usually oc-
cupied they hoped the ghosts would
leave them in peace, and Nicholson ev-
en- spoke jokingly of their adventure,
and declared that for his part he felt
ashamed of having, even for moment,
given credence to it, though to explain
| it quite passed his powers. Hardwood
could not laugh, and felt more ready to
believe in it as supernatural than his
friend, but even he had got over the first
shock, and was quite equal to passing
comfortable night, if not again disturb
ed, and they were settling themselves
for sleep, when they both started at an
odd sound they heard below, and as
they listened it advanced, but very
slowly, up the creaking stairs. 1t was,
they felt certain, the football of a man,
and of one bearing some heavy load. =
On it came, near and nearer, making
the men get closer together, shuddering
involuntarily at the idea of fresh ap-
partition As they watched, the door
opened softly, though they bad careful
ly bolted it few hours before, and
there stood a shape, man apparently,
and in his arms bleeding form, wo-
man stabbed in the breast, with the red
ife-blood slowly trickling from the
CHASTITY wound, staining her white robes
and the dress of the figure, her murder
er as t-ey knew, who b re her. The
apparition entered, and came forward,
making straight for the door of the in
ner room, passing SO close to the bed
that Richard, who lay on that side, al
most expected the woman's dress to
sweep across him and shrank back in
stinctively to avoid the contact. On
they mo.ed, that ghastly pair, this door
too, opening for them and closing again
as they disappeared into the haunted
chamber, leaving Richard and his friend
petrifed with mingled fear and aston
ishment. AS soon as they could rouse
themselves they went to the door thro'
which the form had passed. and found
it locked and bolted securely, thougl
they we're convinced they had just seen
it wide open. They looked blankly at
each others white face, then Henry
boldly pushed back the fastenings, and
unclosed once more that mysterious door
and they both stood gazing into the
apartment brightly illuminated by the
moon, and almost as light as by day
but nothing was there, and all was qui-
ct, the perfect emptiness and stiffness
soaring them almost as much as any
sight they had prepared themselves to
see
swell, Dick, it is strange there
must be something in it, we could not
both be fooled like this by fancy" said
Nicholson, in low, startled voice, very
unlike his usual jolly, rather boisterous
tones '04-
"There must be-" echoed Richard
at is very awful. I wish day would
break What shall We do; can you
stay here till morning? They may come