Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1881-05-11
EASTBURY'S CRIME.


Il must trust to your instinct" NUT
tered the traveller, letting the bride
fall upon his horses neck. "The eyes
of an owl would be at fault on such
night as this. Be quite, you brute
Do you mean to repay my confidence
by breaking my neck"
The animal had SHE'D so violently as
nearly to throw his rider, and stood
trembling in every muscle. His mas
ter peered through the darkness in the
endeavor to made out the cause Of his
terror. He could perceive before him
the dim outlines Of dismantled church,
with its broad avenues of gray-stones
clustered about it. Beside the road, so
close that he could have touched it
with his whip, he discovered an indis-
tinct white object crouching upon one
of the graves.
Resolved upon knowing what it was
he dismounted and approached it. As
he did so, the figure of a young girl
arose and fled rapidly away.
He called aloud that he was friend
and that she had nothing to fear. The
only answer was the weird wall Of the
tempest through the broken arches.
With a feeling akin to superstitious
terror, he hastily remounted his horse,
and did not draw rein until he reached
the village inn.
"Who occupies the old church yon-
DER" he inquired of the landlord.
"Ah you, too, have seen it." ex-
claimed the landlord, mysteriously.
IT. echoed the traveller 81 saw
what thought to be poor, demented
girl"
"You saw tho spirit of ono" an
swered the host, solcmnly. Every
one here knows the story. When she
was alive her name was Ada Morton.
Her father died, n year back, leaving
her heiress to his property. As she
was yet minor, he appointed his
friend Stephen Eastburn, her guardian,
who, in case Of her death, unmarried
was to inherit her property. One night
just such a night as this-she disap-
peared. Her hat and cloak were found
on the river bank next morning. Mean
while the man who drove her to her
death lives at his ease in her fathers
house on the hill"
Like many another young man Of
fortune, Charles Barclay was afflicted
with too much leisure. His sole OBJ
ject in this part of the country was
merely languid search after amuse-
ment. The landlords story had strong
ly aroused his curiosity.
Without dropping hint as to his
intentions, he left the inn on the next
night, shortly after IL o'clock, and pro-
ceeded to the church. The place was
silent and deserted
For more than an hour nothing oc-
Cured to attract his attention. He
became drowsy, and was on the point
of falling asleep where he sat, when a
low, weird peal Of the old organ moan
ed through the church. He sat erect
and listened with suspended breath.
The sound rose higher and clearer, and
presently the sweet but mournful tones
Of woman's voice joined it. He
could make out the words of prayer
for the wretched.
After moment the music ceased,
and he could hear the singer sobbing
in allow, heart-broken way that brought
tears to his eyes. He strained his eyes
through the darkness, but could make
out nothing. Arising, he called out
81 saw you in the churchyard last
night. am not an enemy or an idle
curiosity seeker. earnestly want to
aid you. Will you not trust meT
"Your friendship or your enmity can
be nothing TO me. The world you live