The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-12-11
4 CHURcn HOUSE.

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mean to repay my confidence by break
ing my nsck?"
The animal had SHE'D so violently as
nearly to throw his rider, and stood
trembling in every muscle. His master
peered through the darkness In the en-
deavor TO mako out the cause of his ter
rOr. He could perceive before him the
dim outline Of q dismaRtled church,
with its brood Of grRvestones clustered
about it. Beside the road, 80 close that
he could have touched il with his whip,
he discovered an indistinct white object
crouehing upon one OF the graves.
Resolved upon knowing what it was,
he dismountsd and approached it. AS
he did so, it arose and fed rapidly away.
With his curiosity no fully arosed he fol-
lowed it. As it neared the church it
turned suddenly aud confronted him.
At this moment q broad glare Of light
ming flashed sthwart the sky and he saw
before hlm young girl dressed in a
thin, water-soaked garment, her hair
falling in dranched coils upon her
shoulders. For an instant her white,
scared face was turned toward him and
her largo, sorrowful eyes met his with an
appealing look, then she seemed to melt
into the solid body Of the church.
As well as the darkness permitted, he
examined the spot where she had disap-
peared, but could find no opening
through which she could haye escaped.
He called aloud that he was friend,
and that she had nothing to fear. The
only answer was the weired wall OF the
tempest through the broken arches.
With q fealing akin to superstitious ter
ror, he hastily remounted his horse, and
did not draw rein until he reached the
yillageinn.
who occupies the old church yon-
der ?" he inquired of this landlord.
"Ah you too have seen il, exclaimed
the landlord, mysteriously.
"It?" echoed the traveller. "I saw
what thought to be q poor, demented
girl"
"You saw the spirit of one, answered
the host, solemnly every one here
knows the story. When she was alive
her name was Ada Morton. Her father
died year back, leaving her heiress to
his property. As she was yet minor,
he appointed his friend Stephen East
burn her guardian, who in case of her
death unmarried, was to inherit the
property. It is said that he beat, starved
and ill-treated her. One night-just
such g night as this-she disappeared.
Her hat and cloak were found on the
river bank next morning. 1t was plain
that the poor creature had sought de-
hyerance from herpersecutor by suicide.
That was three months ago. Her body
was never found, but her spirit had been
often seen in the church-yar where her
father hes. Meanwhile, the man who
drove her to her death lives at his ease
in her fathers house on the hill.
The traveller was evidently deeply
interested In the story, but he made no
comment upon it. Merely informing
the landlord that he should remain for a
week or two, he retired to his room.
Like many another young man OF for
tune Chas. Barclay was afflicted with too
much leisure. His sole object in this
part Of tho country was mere languid
search after amusement The landlords
story had strongly aroused his curiosity.
Moreover, the young girls sad face and
beseeching glance in the churchyard had
made q strange impression upon him.
Something IN her improbable history
had led him to form vague suspicion of
q truth nearly as improbable. Eagerly
accepting the possible chance of an ex.
citing experience, he determined to sift
the matter to the bottom.
Without dropping hint as to his in
tentions, he left the inn on the next
night shortly after II o'clock and pro-
ceeded to the old church. The place
was deserted and silent not even q stray
dog was to be seen wandering about
the churchyard. An ineffably dreary air
hung about the place, depressing his
spirits and almoss resolving him to
abandon his object. But o sentiment of
pride urged him on, and he cautiously
made his way into the church and sat
down in one Of the fsws.
For more than an hour nothing oc-
CURED to attract his attention. He be-
came drowsy, and was on the point of
falling aleeP where he sat, when q low,
wierd peal from the old organ moaned
through the church.. He sat erect and
listened with suspended breath. The
sound rose higher and clearer, and pres
emily the sweet but mournful tones of
wOman's voice joined it. He could make
ont the words Of Q prayer for the
wretched.
After O moment the music ceased, and
he could hear the singer sobbing in a
low, heart-broken way, that brought
tears to his eyes. He strained his eyes
through the darkness, but could make
out nothing. Arising, he called ont:
Whoever you are, you are in sorrow
and affection. Icannot see you. ] will
not pursue you. All desire is to be
your friend. Will you answer me?"
There was no reply, and the weeping
suddenly ceased. After o moment Of
hesitation he made his way to the organ
loft and struck O match, No one was
visible, nor was there the smallest trace
of the recent presence OF any living be-
ing. Considerably startled, he left the
church. determined 10 repeat his expe-
rionce on the followed night.
Providing himself with dark lantern
he went to the church ON the next night,
and secreted himself near the organ. As
before it was nearly midnight before he
became conscious of the presence of an
other person in the building. On this
occasion the organ was not played, but
there was slight rustic rs OF q woman's
dress, and presently he heard the same
low bitter weeping.
Quickly arising he shot the rays OF the
lantern IN E0o o1keCGlO1 WuSnCS kne
sounds proceeded. Not more than three
yards from him in the broad glare of the
light he beheld the girl whom he had
met in the ckurchyard. She was looking
ut him with an expression Of intense ter
ror in her white face and tear-wet eyes.
AS she stood covering before him she
reminded him of the innocent animal
crouching at the hunters feet. With
an accent Of deep pity he addressed
her
'I saw. you in the churchyard night
before last, spoke TO you last night. 1
am NOT an enemy, nor an idle curiosity
seeker. earnestly want to aid you.
Win you not trust me?"
Keeping her eyes fixed upon him with
the same distrustful look, she answered
in faint, far-off voice:
your friendship or your ensmity can
be nothing to me. The world you live
in by ita wickedness and cruelty, drove
me to my death. I am doomed to this
plsce until justice is done upon my
destroyer"
''You are trying to mislead me-" ex-
claimed Barclay. .You are no spirit,
bat q poor, starving homeless young
girl Yoa have suffered miserably and /
have resolved TO restore you to your
rights, as well as exact reparation from
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