Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1869-06-17
chair. The room was otherwise per

dark
Meanwhile Barbara was talking witt
the blacksmith in the keepjng-room.
Barney" said she, pulling her hand:
away from his grasp when he would hav
kiss d her, ..rve a test for you before
can Civ, You any answer There is :
corpse living in the chamber whore my
grandSire died-in the untenanted wing
Of the house you dare sit with i
there all night, and let nothing drive you
from your post, you will not ask me tt
marry you again in vain"
"You viii give me light, a bottle o
wine, anl a book to read"
"Notaing -
Are these all the conditions you can
offer me, Barbara r
"An, And if you get frightened, you
need never look me in the face again"
I'm take them, then
So Barney was conducted TO his posi-
BIZ the lad who had been instructed in the
secret, and whose involuntary stare a,
Erne,t's placid face as it lay in the coffin
was interpreted by Barney to be natura
awe Of a corpse. He took his seat, anc
the by left him alone with the darkness
the rats and the coffin.
Soon after, Fritz, the tanner, arrived
fattered and hopeful, from the fact that
Barbara had sent for him.
"Have you changed your mind, Bar
bara ?' he asked.
s'No; and | shall not until know that
you can do really brave thing.
"What shall it be | swear to salts
fy you, Barbara"
Il have proposal to make to you =
My plan requires skill as well as cour-
age"
"Tell me y
"Well, in this house is man witch
ing by a corpse He has sworn not to
leave his post until morning. # YOU can
make him do it, | shall be satisfied that
YOU are as smart and as brave as | re-
qujye husband to be.
why, nothing is so easy exclaimea /
Fritz. Il can scare him away. Fur
nish me with sheet, show me into the
room, and 90 to your rest, Barbara
You shall fud 1ne at the post in the morn
ing"
Barbara did as required, AMI saw the
tanner step blithely away to his task, II
was then nearly twelve o'clock, and she
sought her own chamber quickly.
Barney was sitting at his vigil, and SC
far, all had beer we'll The night seemed
very lonc, for he lad no means of count
ING the time. At times thrill went
through him, for it seemed as if he could
hear low, suppressed breathing not far
away; but he persuaded himself that il
was the wind blowing through the crew
ces of the old house Still it was very
lonely, and not at all cheerful.
The face in the caffin cleaned whittier
through the darkness The rats squeak
Cd as ii famine were upon them anC
they smcllel dead flesh. The though
made him shulder. He got up and walk
ed ab=ut. and something made a Sigh
noise as if somebody was behind him, aut
he PIT his chair with its back against tn,
~ o.o;,, IL, L,3 10,
""''S ''''' -, ~. w" Nv Ia,t - ~,
''@'u ~ wv n ''I' N"s' ~ faal,. ~ ~
~ 51e' 80 "a ,, -. -'N, -
Suddenly it seemed as if somebody ha'
tcutHeu nun ne ""oNc "'t'' q 80
ana saw hop'"y near '''ous" - '''e oo''
tre OF the room stood "hl'e n9"rc'
Course YOU, get out of this :" he ex
claimed in a fright, using the first word
that came to his tongue.
~, ,.,,I, T., r;aht arm, an,
sIorxIr a0,roacbe3 him He started t,
-; Stot 'H' IVA annctrn came nearer nres
,'.n ';n, h;n into tho corner
-" " ~, , -, or;o1 Borno,
ne u ''Ne ) % y '''' ''''' y
III MS A''''N''5
Involuntary he stepped back still tn
figure advanced. coming nearer ana near
er, and extending both arms as II to tax
nm IN ShaS,'y emu "'' 70 10
start q upon o',hes :, "'", .,,a - 80,
"es E,eF'1'e' '.'u ~ = ~" s,lI ~
Npu'o t. I;I'. ~ 'U" ,rb;rIr;n5 tn,r;ne otr RI
S'os' . tHu - - ,ouni;,r ba3t;ng an,
I,Is;,.. l:'Ss' ."a n,nr. oaa raora eprarsd At n
~, 49, '.'s,,' 'i, \, WA, vb;,b tnIJ him tb
.es.l'''''> ..',.h ~ ''''