Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-01-24

asihey drag their glittering length across

as they drag their glittering length across
the floor.
Clifford Landsmere utters one piercing
scream, and drops like one dead, while
the ghost--white robes, flaming head and
all-takes to its heels.
"Well!" interrogates a chorus Of un-
kempt, savage looking men as the ghost
bursts headlong into their midst. "Have
you seen the devil himself. that you stand
there tongue.tied:' - ,hundered the lead
er.
81 saw eyes shining at me from the
darkness" stammers the ghost.
Eyes have heads; heads, bodies ;
bodies, legs; legs belong to men. That
means we're watched. You quaking id
lot You may have ruined us. Come,
men, away with ourselves and booty be-
fore the moon tells another hour ~
"Ay, ay," in smothered chorus from
the men.
Outside, Robert Monroe ghosts over
the fallen body of his foe.
Landsmere regains consciousness and
attempt. to rise. Monroe forces him
back. His hot breath fans Landsmere :
face.
Listen ~ he Kisses. with face dis.
torted with rage and jealousy. I" | owe
you debt pay i, tonight. The world
is too small to hold us both, Clifford
Landsmere.'
There was no resistance, only the sharp
click of pistol. and Landsmeres blood
stained face looking moonward with sight
less eyes and a, the same moment
band of uniformed men encircle the
haunted house-our ever-watchtul. our
ever yigilant police. Step by step, care
fully, cautiously, they feel their way, and
between them steal the dark figures Of
the burglars, undetected.
Halt" whispers the leading rutiian,
and the band of desperadoes come to an
abrupt s,and-s,ill. The robbers watch
the blue coated men search the house
from attic to cellar, and come forth emp
ty-handed.
"The birds have flown. says one.
1T is a fools trick" adds another; /;
and the burglars laugh in their sleeves.
Murder, Help rings through the
stiffness, and both pursuers and pursued
stop and listen with dismay.
/, is young Len,e's voice ecboing
through the night with that piercing
.hrillness, and his words are flung back
to him from the hillside, as nature cries
ou, against the crime.
The DOCTOR" f4l,eu May Goodwin,
raising her lovers head upon her lap
send for the doctor
Young Lente sadly shades his head.
He himself is a medical student, and he
knows Clifford Landsmere's hours are
numbered.
The girl pales to the lips, and young
Lente turns his face from the eyes be-
.eeching him bid her hope against hope
lessness itself, while great sob rises in
hi, throat. and he stands there helpless,
watching Clifford Landsmere die.
Can nothing save him: means the
girl, pi,ifully.
Nothing answers young Lente,
and the silence Of death falls between
them.
STAND back - says the lad. sharply,
as the police force come in sight. " Let
him die in peace and the men, uacon-
sciously influenced by the brave young
voice. step back reverently, and await
deaths coming.
Sweetheart ~ The word, feebly as
it is spoken, arouses Miss Goodwin into
life.
He has stolen my locket, sweetheart
the one with your picture. The words
come more and more feebly. " Don't
Acknowledgements.
mo one shall have me, Cliitord-no
one but YOU" the girl answers, quietly.
Landsmere' hand, grope feebly for the
hand of his betrothed. His eyes literally
csress her. He smiles brightly, and the
girl, with a wonderful fortitude, smiles
back.
ASK who took the picture, suggests
one of the brass-buttoned gentry; but
young Lente pushes him back and wps,
pers low. Dead men tell no tales, and
he is dead.
Miss Goodwin stoops to kiss her lover
and looks up startled. The deathly cod
ness Of hi, lips penetrates her inmos' be-
ing.
No one tells her he is dead. There IS
no need. She reads the truth IN the
sympathetic. plying eyes, and she knows
that she is loverless.
dead :" she whispers, in an awed,
dull voice. MY Clifford dead =
Young Lente bowed his head in silent
token of assent.
II don't believe you." she cries. with
,udden fierce defiance, and bursts into a
laugh sadder than any tears. 90 will
wake him." she continues, smilingly.
{" He will answer me- Clifford. my dar-
ling" laying her warm cheek against
bis cold one" tell them you are only
making believe"
Death makes no sign to the living, and
and the girl, with a white, scared face,
looks from one to another of the men.
Their eyes fill. and with gentle hands
they bear her from their field, senseless.
Young Lente tells bis tale in manly.
straight forward manner. and proves
Monroe the murderer. But the detec-
tives are unwilling to accept so simple a
snlntinn 10 the mysterY. They smile