Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-05-28

most of all iii women were plain reason
AID courage. Miss MacWiIkle blushea.
For a few more srch compliments she
uoulL have consented to pass her night
IN room where collins danced in a
vilg. provided, At least. that these imps
did not touch her. She became the
heroine OF the evening, ami when the
hour arrived for her retiring to bed,
she took collected and graceful fare
well of the comp NY.
"If | see Il ghost will drive him
out OF tie room, and ! rely on you to
dispatch him for me-" sic said softly to
the dragoon az she departed.
"Oh, yes believe my room is in
the same passage asyours, and Ill keep
a lookout laughed the officer.
Don't use firearms, though"
"No; III rout him out with poker
or an umbrella"
Every boiy was amused, aud present.
ly the whole company had dispersed.
Soon after midnight the house was
hushod, and even the dragon, WHO
ought to have been keeping watch for
the ghost, slumbered in peace the sleep
of the just. Throughout the night not
!. sound was heard, and the pair of ter
riers. who had been left free to ramble
about the house as sentlneIs, curled
themselves up in the passage near Miss
MacWinkle's door and were never heard
TO bark or growl once.
Breakfast used to be served at $50
in Capt. Jaf1le's house, aud all the
guests staying under his roof generally
came to it. Miss MacWinkle had said
overnight that she would do so there
fore, when the company assembled, and
the coffee, tea, hot rolls, bacon, eggs,
huttered toast, round of beef. game pies,
ETC., all spread out in q tempting
array, eyes were turned toward the
door, expecting to see the heroine walk
in. But Miss MacWinkle was late.
After quarter of an hours delay, Capt.
Jsas SAID to the butler: Has Miss
MacWinkle's maid told her that break
fast is rcady?"
I'm go and ask her, sir" answered
the servant, and he went out. Five
minutes afterward he returned, looking
rather Hurried, and said 1.-The maid
las knocked several times at Miss Mac
Wrinkles door, and there is no answer. p"
"When did she first knock ?" asked
Capt. JaAie.
can hour ago. sir; then she came
back half an hour later, thinking her
mistress was asleep. She got no an
swer then and now she's knocking
again, and she's beginning to get
alarmed"
Everybody else became alarmed all
of a sudden. A general adjournment
was made to the passage, and Miss
Mac Winkle's door was vigorously
thumped, but without any responsive
sound being evoked. The handle was
tried, but the door was locked on the
inside. "Poor thing, she has tainted
from fright |" remarked one of the
young ladies OF eighteen.
"a fainting fit does not last an hour ;
We had better have the door forced
open, said Mrs. Ja4Ae, anxiously.
"H we send to the village the lock-
smith won't be here for an hour" OBJ
served the captain. I had better GO
and get my box of tools and do the
business myself"
The captain hurried off, and while he
was gone, his guests, who were now Sc
rioasly frightened, INDUCED in every
sort ST conjecture. If it had not been
for the presence of their hostess they
would loudly have blamed the captain
for having put the nerves of Miss Mac
Wrinkle to such strain. As it was,
some of Thorn remarked that people
ought not to be allowed to keep ghosts
on their premises, and that haunted
rooms were only good to hear of in
novels.
Meanwhile Capt. Jafhe returned, and
after some trouble forced the door open.
Mrs. Jatas with some ladies streamed
| in and instantly uttered cries Of dis
tress, which brought the men into the
room. The place was empty and the
window stood wide open, thus telling O
tale of some fearful drama which must
have been enacted during the night.
1t was evident that poor Miss MacWin-
kle must have received some horrible
scare and have leaped clean through
the easement. Luckily the window
was on the ground floor, so that she
could net have been much hurt by her
fall but where was she?
The ladies' looked out, half expecting
to SEQ an inanimate form in bed.gewn
lying acrosa the flower-bed. Mrs. Jaf.
he had been prompt to remark that Miss
Mac Winkle must have undressed and
gotten into bed, for the bed was in dis
order, and the poor lady's clothes were
thrown over some chairs. But, indeed
Miss MacWinkles maid was able te
corrooorate tho fact that her mistres.
had gone to bed, and an inspection oil
boxes and wardrobe enabled her to say
that, wherever Miss MacWinkle nigh,
be, her attire must be of the scantiest
consisting only of a night-dress and {
frilled cap. "Sena off tho grooms al
once in every direction. Perhaps the
poor thing has become mad from fright
Oh, dear, what shall we do "ejaculated
Mrs. Jaffle.
"I'm very sorry asked her to sleer
here" stammered Captain Jafle apollo
getically to his guests, "but had ne
idea that she was timid."
"Who wouldn't be timid against
ghost?" exclaimed one OF the ladies
moving toward the door with q shud
der, as if she feared to see the sprit'
who had frightened Miss MasWinkl,