St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-09-20


unseen presence.
threw myself upon 4 couch in the
lower room, but here new horrors await
ed me. iancied that even amid the din
and turmoil of the storm. the shrek of
the wind and the roaring of the sea |
could hear the accustomed footsteps up
stairs, the familiar sound of Gisborne's
hand OH the latch of the door. AID even
seemed TO hear his voice in the room and
his breathing close beside me.
| believe must have been mad for a
few moments, for on hearing the clock
strike the hour of three | started up, and
went up stairs TO relieve guard, as if
William was still alive and keeping
watch. For 4 moment or two seemed
10 FORGET the murder. till on entering the
watchrOom | saw the body laid before
me. and was startled into a sense of the
awful realities of my position. | rushed
AT il in frenzy of horror and despair.
and resolved TO be terrified by lis odi-
Gus presence no longer After vain eff
fort Ia lift it 10 the narrow window,
which | then remembered was fast bar
red, | dragged it down the stairs. quickly
unSolied and tiung open the lower door.
lcttim" in 4 torrent of water at the same
time. and cast the hateful thing into the
sea With difficulty | closed the door
again. and then sank. faint with terror
and the eNerlion. on the wet floor
In few moments was myself again.
ami then thought would 90 up stairs
and keep watch ~ usual | was alone
now. | said II myself. AMI fancied that,
with til" absence of the tangible witness
of INV deed. | should be free altogether
from GiSbornc' presence.
The lamps usually wanted trimming
and attending TO once or twice during the
night. and with the intention OF doing
this rcmountcd the ladder stairs. The
watch-room had regsined lis familiar b.
pcri. and | went up into the lantern |
had lar too long neglected nv duties. ami
the lamps were burnin" dimlv, and in
wariiy PRAYED that no vessel might lie
Hear tu he in DANGER. for the lantern was
rapidly darkcning lust As | stepped
into il tie wirks tlarel up AGAIN, the pol
i>hcd reflector. flashed back the light.
and again il ilazcl -cro>- the waters n
II in defiance of The storm Ii showed
surrounding objects more clearly. and
then law. with horror and astoni>ll-
inemt, HAT wa> not alone in the Ian
Tern: som" one else was occupied with
the wick> and rCtrctor> The figure had
IL iIarl TO m,. but il VA. familiar one
1t turned rounl.
Ii WIS William Osborne who was
trimming lie lamps,
Was il ali 4 dr.r,:n Were the events
that had lately happened only unsub-
>tanttal vis:on>-hoIrihle ones. no dcuht.
i!.i destined 10 vanish with the light Of
day Was n 90 back TO the old work
.snd the old familiar companion<hip, with
my soul um>iained
Such ihou-ins flashed through nv
mind while | g;,zel at the phantom. a it
went steadily um with IL work Il look
e'i 80 re;,i. | could hardly persuade nv
Iii that it WAS not indeed my friend
come II life a.ain.
But | remembered the cruel "Trip OF
mv hands upon his threat, and the plash
"l his body a ii WAS swept away upon
the >wirliu- wave. and knew that |
SAW before me a spcctre-the spirit Of
the dead man. pursuing the work that
laI occupied him in life In desperation
AMI fright made a step forward and
shouted
William" /, turned SLOWLY round.
and it WAS liz face, swollen and convul>-
cl IL had seen it last, and then il van
i>hc,l and | was LETT alone in the lantern,
descended into the watch-rocm. and
paced wildly 10 AMI fro till morning,
when assembled and put ont The lights
The storm >till RACED, AMI no one could
venture out from the land a. vet How
got through the day can hardly tell,
and ;ls cvcnin- approached began to
rrcmhlc at the idea of venturing again
into the lantern when it might be occu-
pied by the terrible visitant of the pre-
vio,IS might.
AT length il came TO sunset. when the
lamps must he lighted; 50 slowly and
Reluctantly went up stairs to perform
my duty. When GOT into the watch
room another horrible surprise was in
store for me
The lamps were lighted,
Again | fled wildly down stairs, while
the ghostly lights We're blazing far over
the sea, and knew too well who was at
work above me.
With the thunder Of the storm outside
AMI the horror and agony was endur-
inc. | felt certain that | was going mad.
Towards mornin. | recovered myself a
; little, AM the storm aba;in., knew that
some one would very soon come off from
the land.
i took 4 telescope and went to the
window. 4 boat even then Was start
= ing, ami must now decide upon what
course | WAS Ia pursue when they found
| me alone decided at first upon bray
ing all inquiries, and should the boat
contain only Lucy and her iather-or
possibly medical mani would neel
. them boldly and declare that Osborne
4 had lied ot fever AMI that. fearing con-
} tagion, and thinking the storm was going
, TO last some days, l had thrown his body
: into the SEA.
l took q small telescope and mounted
: TO the window TO look out over IIuncliff.
: There was slight haze, but even then.
l a. ! iixea the glass. saw that boat
wa, Just putting off, and that it contain.
/ cd two men, as well IL female figure
which conjectured 10 be Lucy. Il
came slowly over the wafer, for although
= the storm had subsided. the sea rolled
. landwards III long, regular swell,
breaking with some force, a. the line oi
t white surf testified, on the shore.
II Il, Il al