The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-08-17

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the attic tomorrow. Kate took on so
about it 1 let them stay there, but
there's no use giving into that girl. I'll
send her up with them the first thing in
the morning."
To dispel her unpleasant feelings,
Mrs. Craik unlocked table drawer and
took out bank book, the contemplation
of it's figures never failing to put her in
good spirits. With the sum left from
her husbands estate, carefully managed
and the property of her brother, the
Widow Craik felt herself wellto-do
woman. An expression almost amiable
rested upon her face as she again went
over the familiar figures.
The room was warm and comfortable,
and the easy chair soft and restful, and
the apples hummed q drowsy tune on
the hearth Up at early day to
plan and manage and drive, by nightfall
the widow was always tired enough to
fall readily to sleep. A comfortable
drowsiness stole over her, aided by the
warmth and dim light. In few min
utes she was asleep.
How long she slept she did not know,
but fancied she was awakened by an
opening door. Gradually rousing from
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a fioure in the room. With start she
opened her eyes and was seized with
spasm of terror On the hearth rug
stood ghostly figure, clad in familiar
| long coat and broad brimmed hat, like
the one she had seen day after day hang
| ing over her brothers desk. A grey
beard swept the breast, the face was
deathly pale, and the piercing eyes
| h0r With
one hand extended, pointing to the bank
book which she still held in her hand,
the shape spoke in deep Whisper
"Will you right the wrong? Will you
do justice ?"
A cry of fear broke from her lips, and
a faintness came over her. Directly she
looked again, but the figure had van
ished, and the old coat was huttering IN
its familiar place by the window,
| Katie, hearing the widow call her in a
quick, frightened tone. hurried up the
stairs from the kitchen, and found her
pale and trembling.
care you sick, Mrs. Craik p she asked
gently.
"No," replied the widow, in an impa-
tient tone. Bring up your work mere,
and sit with me There don't put any
more wood on the fire. How old are you,
child ?"
Fifteen" said Katie.
''Well, suppose you think my
brother would have done something for
you if he had lived, and perhaps he
might But you understand the prop.
erty all belongs to me, and ! amt
obligated to give you anything. don't
know, though, if you work steady ana
do we'll, but what I'll agree, when you,
are eighteen, to give you a hundred
dollars"
1t cost Mrs. Craik an effort to say it,
and she was silent and crusty all the rest
of the eveping.
scream from the room where Mrs.
Craik had gone to take an afternoon
nap. Hurrying up to see what was the
matter she found the widow sitting up
in bed, her eyes staring in terror, and
her face white and frightened in the
dim light of the closely curtained room
''What is the matter, Mrs. Craik ?"
she inquired.
"N-n-nothing," stammered the widow.
II had sort O. nightmare, guess.
Bring your sewing up here and sit in the
room till I've had my nap out"
The next day Mrs. Craik called on her
lawyer, and said she had always meant
to do the generous thing by Kate,
though she WASH entitled to anything
from the estate, but when the girl was
of age, she meant to make over to her
two hundred dollars in money, and q
pasture lot that was as good as two hun
dred more.
The neighbors soon began to notice
that something was the matter with Mrs.
Craik. She was growing weak and
nervous, could not bear to he left alone,
and started at every slight eound. She
began to depend upon Katie to lighJen
her labors in the kitchen, and to wish
her constantly in sight. Twice more the
widow had been found almost paralyzed
with terror, once in the kitchen just at
nightfall, and once again in the room
where she first saw her ghostly visitor.
The long coat and hat had been removed
to the attic. but their presence seemed to
the hsrassed woman to pervade the
whole house.
The crisis came, by curious coinci-
dence, Just four weeks from the time
when the Readings had held their first
conversation. The household had re-
tired early. and were just sinking to
sleep when scream after scream was
heard issuing from Mrs. Craik's cham
Der. Katie and the hired man who had
been added to the household staff since
Mrs. Craik began to see visions, both