The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-06-13

IN his Shroud-thOught / heard the old
familiar voice pleading for mercy at the
hands OF his assassin. Little by little.
however, my perceptions became less
and less distinct. Ny eyelids drooped
and / fell into a slumber. How long I
slept, l have no idea but l woke up
suddenly, and became conscious that
was no longer ALONE. l feH-for my
eyes were still closed-that there was
something or mebody-something or
somebody that had entered while I slept
near me- Its presence was palpable
to all my finer senses. l seemed to be.
as it were, EMBODIED by invisible arms
wrapped in a spell so absolute and terri
bic, that l was powerless to resist. But
l knew that to yield would be fatal
and so, with a mighty effort of will,
opened my eyes and looked III the direc-
tlOn whence the strange influence came.
On the other side of the table directly
opposite, and not more than four feet
distant, sat a human figure. or what
seemed one. The face was in shadow.
the side of the head turned toward me
That it was that of an old man, / could
see from the stoop of the shoulders and
the thin locks of grey that dropped from
the temples. He was dressed in the
quaint long socks and knee breeches of
the Welsh peasant. His hands rested
on his knees, his head was bent toward
the floor. For moment was paraly-
zed with terror but, by one of those re
Vulsions of feeling we cannot explain,
the next instant l had half-persUaded
myself that my companions had been
playing trick upon me. Zone of these
fellows, | said to myself, has dressed
himself to look like old Hu Hirwan. has
come in while | slept and means to frigh-
ten me into losing my wager Deter
mined to be even with the raScals. |
caught up a stout walking-stick that Law
beside me and aimed a blow at the
shoulders of the mysterious intruder
1t struck impalpable air. | could see
it pass through what seemed a sol id body
without meeting the least resistance
striking the floor with a crash The
next instant the figure rose slowly from
the chair, turned around and faced me
Shall [ ever forget the paralyZing agony
of that dreadful moment? There stood
within few hands breadth of me what
seemed once the mortal part of old Hu
Hirwan; but how awfully changed
The face had the livid hue of death the
eyes were sunken and burned with a
CHASTITY glare the dampness of the grave
was upon the shriyeled brow. The
wound on the side Of the head gaped
hideously. l was too terrified to speak
too terrified to mOve-but stood helpless
" staring at the specter: had not even
will enough to shut my eyes on the
awful vision vet | had sufficient self
possession to know that the spell by
which was held must be speedily broken
OF | should die; and remembering what
l had been so often told me of the effica-
cy of speech. summoned all my energies
for last effort, and gasped out In
the name of the Most High. | command
YOU tell me what your errand is. The
clammy lips quivered. the shrunken face
became eloquent with a horrible intelli-
eence. and the specter spoke as follows :
4 fell by the hand of Owen Roberts, my
kinsman, who came to rob me. and, be
cause l resisted, slew me. Denounce
him as my murderer. see that he IS
brought to justice. and | shall disturb
YOU no more = The light went out
from the hollow eyes. the form of the
dead man seemed to shrivel and fade
away and l was left alone.
You smile. sir; you think | dreamed
all this. Wait until YOU have heard me
through. | rushed out of the hut.
bounded over the garden-wall and ran
home as if all the fiendS were after me-
Next day l called upon the magistrate
of the town and told him my story.
Strange to say, he betrayed little sur
prise, and remarked that facts had re-
Gently come to his knowledge which in
duced him to believe that Owen Roberts
was the real murderer, and that the
order for his arrest was already issued.
\ few hours later, Roberts was in the
clutches of the law, and when told that
he was accused by witnesses both from
this world and the world of ghosts,
broke down completely and confessed
all. He was tried, convicted and hung
on the very gallOws where poor Dick
Wirion innOcently swung. The ghost of
old Hu came no more, and the good peO-
pie enjoyed long immunity from super
natural visitatiOns.