The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-08-31

81 shall stay here" he added, "as
long as you stay here. I shall be with
you day and night. You shall never
cease to feel me with you. I will make
sleep impossible, and l will trouble
your business hours"
There was little sleep for me that
night. When the day broke I dropped
for half an hour into y heavy uncon.
seriousness, awaking suddenly and with
q horror upon me that ut first | did not
understand.
| rose aud dressed. 1t followed my
movements. | saw the spccter now
only when it came into the sunlight.
Then it was dimly visible, but only,
think, to myself. / breakfasted and
went into the city. 1t came with me.
|! sat beside me in the train it followed
me through the streets it was with me
in my Office; it came after me up the
steps of my club.
The thing grew m~addcning. II
forgot it for a moment, | heard a wits.
per in my ear-'I am here" If
managed to fix my attention ON the SUBJ
ioct in hand, that accursed voice began
to remind me that | wac neither to sleep
D 10 work, nor to have any peace for
the rest Of my natural life.
"Wha you have dore, | shall do
and worse. | shall dog you'll shall
haunt you'll shall make remorse and
despair do for you what you did to her
and TO me. | will revenge myself-aud
her,
What had | done TO him? How was
| to get rid Of this accurscd lunatic
ghost? BY what spell and charm could
| lay him forever in tho Red SeaP
The full misery Of the thing was yet
to come.
The specter, in the afternoon, seemed
to have left me-. | even forgot its ex-
%istcncc, and dined comfortably. AT 8
met my Eleanor, and persuaded her, not
thinking of what might happen, to look
at some new furniture in what was GO
ing to be our joint house. She came.
Noting happened until we went into
the garden. AS | led her up and down
the walk, her hand in mine, she sudden
" stopped with II cry.
"Alfred, who has been walking along
the sand there was an edging of red
sand to the gravel--"with bare fcetp"
| locked. There were footprints
great gaunt footprints-parallel with
my own. knew at once what was GO
ing to happen, and l trembled.
"Nothing, Nelly; nobody. Who
should walk in bare feet except the car
pentcr? Let us 90 in"
"Alfred!" she cried, "see, they are
falling still, the footprints we walk.
Take me Intake me away!"
1t was pleasant! Theaccursed ghost
was setting his long feet beside mine,
keeping step, SO that at every football
of mine there vas a new footprint OF
his. ] bore my girl half fainting into
the house.
"What was it, Alfred? What was
it? am afraid. And sec-sec! Oh!
Alfred Alfred"
With II cry OF fright she fell fainting
into my arms. Between us and the
window stood revealed that awful figure
in its long white grave clothes, pointing
is long bony fingers at me, but saying
10 word.
| took Eleanor home. l implored
her to keep silence as to what she had
seen. | soothed and paciiied her. !
assured her that it was fancy-that il
was Il trick of the imagination-that i,
was some ~schoolboy deviltry-any thing
to keep her quiet. And thus left her,
and returned, miserable and madden
cd, 70 battle with this demon who had
fastened himself upon ne.
lie was sitting in my chair, with his
abominable head, as usual, in his hand
~ allow you to go away with the
GIRL he said, "bccause | DO not wish
10 do her any harm. But she shall
never marry you-remember that
Wretch he rose from the chair anC
approached me with threatening gest
ures--"wretch, Was it not enough Il
interfere between me and hcrp Yol
try to murder the happiness Of an
other innocent girl! Can you ruthless
ly-h
"Good heavcns!" | cried, almost b,
side myself with rage. "What have
done to you, devil or ~lunatic, that yol
should pcrsecuto me in this way?"
"He asks me what lie had done
Think OF Madagascar, villain of tn
deepest dye. Think of San Fran, pirat
and crimp. Think of Liverpool dock
and Polly. Joe Kirby-Joo Kirby, 20,
We're always rs brazen a liar as eve
stepped, but | did not think you woul,
brazen it out 10 me-"
A thought struck me-.
"You call me Joe Kirby. | am nc
Joe Kirby at all. ! never heard of an
Joe Kirby"
lie laughed.
elf you are not Joe Kirby" he said
81 will cat my hat i mean, {
course"
"Come, this is triiiing. l say this
you mistake me for some one els'
What makes you think me Joe Kirby?
"Becausc you are"
"Nonsense. How long since you sa'
Joe Kirby"
"Ten years"
"What was he like when you lie
himP"
"Much the same Us you-sanctim'
Nous look, reddish hair, stumpy figur,
fat cheeks, just like yourself"
"Had this devil of a Joe Kirby Al
marksP"
"Tattoo marks like mine, on IL
rioht arm did him. mean .Jo