The Red Cloud chief., 1880-01-29
. MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.

Miss MacWinkle was of that are wher
unmarried ladies are afraid to 90 on
into the street unprotected. She wa,
between 50 and 40. OF a romantic ma
ture, and rather addicted TO moonlight,
dreamlngs, her constant dread was thai
some member of the male sex would en-
deavor TO carry her off. She trembled
If h found herself alone in a railway
carriage with a man. She disliked men
in general-thcy are so deceitful
Rather easy in her circumstances, she
had made up her mind that if she ever
did allow herself To he woodland she
laid great stress on the did-it should be
for her money; but in general way she
deprecated the idea that she could ever
he prevailed upon to relinquish single
blessedness for that welded state which,
she had heard, was fraught with SO
many disappointments.
Miss MacWinkle, being of good fam
lily, had a pretty extensive circle of ac-
quaintanceS, and spent most of her au-
tumn in visiting at country houses.
Some weeks ago she received an invita-
ton from a lady who was d~istantly re-
lated TO her, and whose husband, Capt.
Jaflle of the Royal Navy, had recently
purchased an estate in Suffolk with the
proceeds of a legacy. On this estate
was a hall which had been formerly in
habited by a squire of eccentric turn,
who, because he lived alone and minded
MS W business, was generally suspect
ed of having intercourse with the devil.
The oom in which this unfortunate man
had died was, of course, supposed to be
haunted, and Capt. Jafle, being face
tiously disposed, thought it would be a
good joke to test Miss MacWinkle's
courage by asking her whether she
would object TO sleep in it. Capt. Jafle
did not exactly like Miss MacWinkle,
and had only invited her in order to
please his wife; however, he put his
proposal to this lady in the most cour-
eous way possible at the dinner table
on the evening of her arrival.
Dear Miss MacWinkle," said he,
when he saw that she had slipped her
first glass of sherry, 81 am sorry to
say that the room in which we had in
tended To put YOU turns mi to have a
smoky chimney. w have been obliged
to quarter you in a chamber that has
the reputation of being haunted. l
hope you don't mind?"
"Oh, dear, no." exclaimed Miss
NIacWinkle, rather shrilly; and she al
lowed her glass to be refilled. "But
what sort of a ghost is it who haunts
the room?"
"No ghost AT all, so far as / know"
laughed the Captain. alt is a large,
handsome room, as you must already
have remarked. 1t has n fine south
view, and the. fireplace draws capi-
tally"
Sand there are no noises at night?"
asked Miss MacWinkle. 81 must tell
you that | am a light sleeper and easily
disturbed"
"There are no noises at ALL" said
the Captain.
rooms are said to be haunted because
the wind whistles through chinks and
crannies."
The Don is as air-tight as a corked
bottle. You have nothing to fear on
that score"
"And there are no rats or mice, are
there? u confess to loathing rats,
and mice still more, if poSsible.n
ave have three cats and two terriers
in the house, so rats and mice have
no chance here" rejoined the Cap
tain.
Poor Miss MacWinkle gulped down
half her glass of sherry, and made no
further objections. She was of shy dis
position, and feared to look ridiculous
before the other guests, of whom there
were a dozen, including two girls with
mocking eyes, but inwardly she felt I'M
comfortable, and several of the ladies
present sympathized with her.
81 think it would have been kinder
to keep the existence of the ghost out of
sight, Captain Jaffie," said one of these
ladies. al am afraid that 1 should not
exhibit as much courage as Miss Mac
Wrinkle"
"But there is no ghost, I assure
yeu," answered the Captain. "It's
only a foolish rumor got up by idle peo-
pie"
But it rests on something, 1 sup
pose?"
son nothing more substantial than
senseless talk; but if Miss MacWinkle
feels in the least nervous, I daresav we
Nah PaS oOA III dllOlucI
room, though it may not be such a good
Miss MacWinkle declined the offer.
and felt a little soothed by the encomi-
ums that were bestowed on her pluck
and good sense. A handsome Young
dragon officer, who had been dividing
his attention between the two girls of Is.
burned to Miss MacWinkle and said that
the qualities he admired most OF all in |
women were plain reason and courage.
Miss Mac Wrinkle blushed. For a few
more such compliments she would have
consented to pass her night in a room
where COLLINS danced in a ring, pro-
yided, at least, that these imps did not
Each her. She became the heroine of
the evening, and when the hour arrived
for her retiring to bed she took a col.
lected and graceful farewell of the COM
"I / see a ghost I viii drive him out
of the room, and l rely on you to dis
paEeh him for me-" she said, softly to
The dragon as she departed.