West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-08-03

and repeated her remark in a little
louder tone.
SUI there was no response.
Deaf, perhaps" thought She
Well, shall not try it again"
But she began to grow terribly nprv-
ous and uncomfortable in the horrible
gloom and silence that seemed to wrap
around her like shroud and all sorts Of
grisly possibilities began TO occur 10 her
abnormally-excited fancy.
} Gould il be- she thought. that
this was some poor lunatic, whom thew
were transporting to the private asylum
at Geneva Heights?'
And at the very idea her blood began
to run chill through her veins Should
she stop the stage should she call aloud
for help?
Just then they rumbled past the lights
OF n toll-gate, and from the one swift
glance which Rachel was enabled to
take, she could perceive that the figure
diagonally opposite her was wrapped in
travelling rug, and it reclined stifiy, as
II II were perfectly rigid, and that the
lace was deadly pallid, and without a
hat
And then with lightning suddenness
1t flashed upon her that she was shu. up
in the same place with-a dead man!
In vain She tugged at the check
string and ratified at the door-the for
mer was broken beyond all possibility of
useS and the noise and iolting of the
wheels entirely drowned AL other sounds
On went the stage rattlng down de
scent af If some unseen fend were at
the horses heels and poor Rachel
crouched down in her corner Of the
stage, pale and palpitating, with dew
OF cold terror breaking out upon her
forehead, and eyes close shut to avoid
the CHASTITY sight opposite.
But there is an end TO all things, even
to waking nightmare like this and in
the course of time the stage came TO a
| stop, the driver once more descended
from his seat and flung open the door.
Hallway house, miss, said he
Hadn't you better step out and have a
warm while were changing horsesY'
More dead than alive Rachel stumbled
out, clinging To the arm of the driver.
But the instant she felt herself free,
with the lights of the wayside hostelry
shining on her face, and the welcome
sound of human voices once more i'm her
ears, she p!ucked up resolve.
Sir" said she to the landlord who
you appeal for protection and help!
There is some horrible mystery here 2"
EhY' said the landlord, opening his
eyes aud mouth Simultaneous
For the sake of ,humanity,p per
sisted Rachel s"look after the otherAn n
side passenger. See who he is, and
what he is"
But at these words the man who had
set with the driver, ard who had been
drinking . glass of mulled ale before
the bar-room fire, emerged into the
scene,
j can tell you. miss" said he, wiping
has mouth with the back of his shaggy
sleeve. 1t amt no human creeter at
Ri, but only BARRIERS dummy as Viii te
y CO., up to Geneva Heights, has
bought at secondhand for their show
window. They sent me down to fetch it
home, and when it came on to storm so
hard was afeared of the wax washing
or or the hair loosening, so / iust
wrapped my shawl around it, and gave
1t my inside place, while / climbed up
alongside of the driver. Just look here,
if you don't believe me-"
And he briskly hauled out the dummy
as he spoke 4 |" three-qtiarter size, y
with very pale complexion, with
bushy black whiskers, and eyelashes at
least twice the length of life.
Rachel broke out into hysterical
laughter.
z "OW cried she, what a foolJ have
been! But 7 was so ffightenedl'
And no wonder,pt said Jared Pea
/ bod yI-Ls We ought 70 have told you
and sol would if I'd sposed you didn't
know White &CO' g dummy from man.
But, after All, The mistake was nat'ral
enough, Now theEowith the lfresh
horses theteVlini Ik@H1H III
/ , And Miss Rachel Hall reached st.
Adelgitha's Academy without any
further adventure.
But to the day of her death she could
never recall that half hour of night and
chill and darkness without ashudder.