The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-10-10

ovorsccr's boy, was awaiting him.
Phil. was balf.witted fellow, who lived
in mortal broad of Richard Catherwood. In
the attcr's hands, therefore, he was a mere
automaton.
"Phl.," said Richard, as he entered the
room, " have You seen any ghosts lately ~
ooh, yes, SIR said Phil, who enjoyed
quite a local reputation AS seer of all sorts
of strange visions. :" | seed two in the grave
yard last night"
Indeed" replied Dick, with a cold smile.
"They seem to he out in force. must put
n stop TO their visits. They say IL you fire at
them with silver bullet they will stop trou-
bling you. Have you ever heard that,
Phil ?"
eyes, sir; IL believe | has, SIR" said
Phil, hesitaiing as though not quite sure.
"Wcll, you know the ghost that comes
down the stairway there every night
want you to put silver bullet through him,
Phil. Here is pistol" As he spoke he
took out large dueling pistol from cabinet.
al have loaded IL with a silver bullet. Now
here; place yourself behind this doorway.
There, that will do. You can SEQ the stair
way through the crack, can't your Well,
want you TO stay there until you see the
ghost; then you must spring from behind the
door and shoot him. Shoot to kill -
| All that Phil. understood of this was that
he had been commanded by the man whom
he had never dared to disobey TO put silver
bullet through the ghost.
| "If he FALLS" continued Richard, in low
but terrible voice, "come out into the hall
| and cry as loud as you can: Il did itl Not
another word, no member, or I'll thrash you
within an inch of your lifer'
"Yes, sir" said Phil, trembling at this
threat, and with his pistol cooked he stood
waiting.
Dick returned to the parlor, his absence
not having been noticed, and found Arthur
the centre of an animated group, relating
the story of the Catherwood ghost.
|" Here is Dick" said Arthur, stepping
back with an air of relief. He knows the
story much better than do.'
is IL really true, Mr.. Catherwood 2" ap-
pcaled charming young lady, who had been
| listening to Arthur's rather exaggerated mar.
rative, and Dick was Immediately called
upon to give his version of the tale.
Dick spun II ont as much as possible in
ordert to give Arthur, who had fastened away,
an opportunity to make himself up"
I" Has il been seen lately % inquired n
young lady so timidly that her question was
greeted with a roar of laughter.
ooh, yes, several times" replied Dick;
ait is said to make its appearance every
night about this time"
His selEcontrol was wonderful. No one
noticed the least agitation in his voice or
face, yet at that moment he was undergoing
a frightful strain.
and watchful hehind the door. He thought
he detected tho iluttering of something white
on the landing above and clutched his pistol
more firmly, preparing for the fatal spring.
"IIow perfectly awful I" exclaimed several
young ladies' in chorus when Dick suggested
that perhaps the ghost might even now be
descending the hall. Let's look ~
"Why, yes," said Dick, with forced
gayety; :" that is a good idea," and advanc-
ing TO the door he flung it open wide and
stepped out into the hall, closely followed by
his curious and eager guests. On lifting his
eyes to the stairway he recoiled, as If in
terror. "Good Heavens ~ he cried. =" Look
there 70
There was u smothcred shrek from the
ladies as they saw the figure in white, with
frightful eyes of fire descending the stairway,
while the men only laughed.
"a very clever comedy, Catherwood,"
they cried, with one accord.
AT that moment n sharp report rang out
and tire fraudulent ghost fell forward on his
face.
Several gentlemen sprang up the steps and
tore the sheet, which was satqitAh with
blood, from about his head.
ct il Arthur!'' cried one of Them.
At the sound of that beloved name Doro.
thy Fendall, who of all the ladies' was the
only one who had the courage to laugh al
the cleverness of the trick, sprang up the
stairway and threw herself upon her lovers
body. With a smothered groan she raised
: his blook-stained face and kissed his pallid
lips. Again and again she begged him Il
speak to her, to open his eyes, put he did
not stir.
Dick CatherwoOd, who had previously
stood in a stupor, paralyzed by the complete
success Of his crime, writhed like a man
being broken on the wheel at every word She
uttered.
No one had noticed Phil, who was stand
ing in the doorway, sorely puzzled by the
discovery that the ghost was really mal
and by Dorothy's terrible cries.
Suddenly remembering his instructions
from =" Mr. Catherwood," however, he came
forward boldly, and pointing toward Dick
with the pistol, cried:
"lie did itl''
BY ONE of those strange accidents which
seem like tho interposition OF Providence the
boy had misunderstood Richard, CatherwOod
and by the alteration of the prOnOun 81" Il
she" in the sentence he had been told t.
repeat, had changed his intended selfaccllsa
tion into denunciation of the real criminal
The guests were startled by this new ap
partition, and even more by the horrbl,
charge against Dick.
As for the latter he stood for momen
trembling in every limb, and then with
frightful cry sprang upon the terrified boy
and seizing him by the throat attempted I,
throttle him.
Dorothy was electrified by the idiots
words. Springing to her feet she screamed:
Seize him, gentlemen Seize Richard
Catherwood He is Arthurs murderer I"
: At the sound of her voice Richard released
the boy, who tell half-strangled to the floor
and stood moment, tottering, bewildered
But as he felt the hands OF the gentlemen
who had stepped forward in obedience I,
Dorothy's summons upon his shoulders III
recovered his presence of mind, and strug
gled furieusly to shake them of. They
speedily overpowered him, however, and
bonnd him, f0aming with impotent rage.
II was fearful scene, the ladies huddled
in terrOr-stricken group near tho parlol
door, the gentlemen scattered about, witt
pale, agitated faces, Dick Catherwood with
ing still with his captors, and poor Dor0th,
praying beside the body of lior inanimat,
,. lover, her hair dishevelled, her eyes tear
less, and with an expression of despair OF
her lovely face that would have melted
heart of stone.
vi.
, Arthur's body was removed to II bed-r
|, and a physician, who happened to DO present
made critical examinations of his wound. 4,
the great surprise of every one and to the in
tense joy of Dorothy he announced that lii,
was not extinct On searching still further Ii,
discovered that Arthur was not even seri
Ously hurt. The ball having ploughed
D | I'm nj lv tha tnn nf III I,ao,
had stunned him, hut had inflicted only
trning wound. In few days, with Dora
thy's careful nursing, he was completely re
stored.
Dick was tried for attempting his brother
life, but was acquitted. Tho sturdy farmer
!, |. of the noighborhood were 80 indignant at tn
verdict, which they ascribed to bribery, thu
Dick hastoned to leave the State. Long after
ward II was learned that no had been kille,
in u personal roncontre in thu West.
week or two after the attempted murde
H.. a..I AL, .t..l a. "A