The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-03-16

CONCLUDED.
Simson came out to dinner, ant
and WI hen the house was all still, ant
most of the st rvants in bed, we Wen
out and met Dr. Moncrief, as he hat
appointed. at the head of the glen
Slmson, for his part, was disposed te
scoff at the doctor. IF there are tc
be any spells, you know, I'll cut the
whole concern" he said. [ had moi
invited him; he could go or come as
he pleased. He was very talkative
far more so than suited my humor. as
we went on. "One thing is certain
You know there must be some human
agency" he said, 1T is all bosh about
apparitions. | never have investigated
the laws of sound to any great extent
and there's great deal in ventrilo-
quism that we don't know much
about" "If it's the same to you."
said. Il wish you'd keep all that to
yourself. Simson. It doesn't snit my
state of mind" "Oh, I hope I know
how to respect idiosyncracy," he said.
The very tone of his voice irritated
me beyond measure. These scientific
fellows, wonder people put up with
them as they do, when you have no
mind for their cold blooded confidence.
DR.. Moncrief met US about eleven
o'clock, the same time as on the pre-
vious night. He was large man.
with a venerable countenance and
white hair-old. but in full vigor, and
thinking less of a cold night walk
than many younger man. He had
his lantern as | had. We were fully
provided with means of Tightening the
place, and we were all of .us resolute
men. We had rapid consultation as
we went up, and the result was that
we divided to different posts. DIR.
Moncrieff remained inside the wall
if you can call that inside where there
was no wall but one. Simson placed
himself on the side next the ruins, so
as to intercept any communication
with the old house, which was what
his mind was fixed upon. | was posted
on the other side. To say that nothing
could come near without being seen
was self-eEident. 1t had been so also
on the previous night. Now. with
our three lights in the midst of the
darkness, the whole place seemed
Illuminated. DIR. Moncrieff's lantern.
which was large one, without any
means of shutting up-an old-fash-
ioned lantern with a pierced and orna-
mental top-shone steadily, the rays
shooting out of it upward into the
gloom. He placed it on the grass,
where the middle Of the room, if this
had been a room, would have been
The usual effect Of the light stream
ing out of the doorway was prevented
by the illumination which Simson and
on either side supplied. With these
differences everything seemed as on
the previous night.
And what occurred was exactly the
same, with the same air of repetition,
point for point, as | had formerly re-
marked. [ declare that it seemed to
me as if | were pushed against, put
aside, by the owner of the voice as he
paced up and down in his trouble
though these are perfectly futile
words, seeing that the stream of light
from my lantern, and that from Sim
sons taper, lay broad and clear, with
out shadow, without the smallest
break, across the entire breadth Of the
grass. | had ceased even to be alarm
ed. for my part. My heart was rent
with pity and trouble-pity for the
poor, suffering human creature that
moaned and pleaded so, and trouble
for myself and my boy. Godi if |
could find any help-and what help
could l find ?-Roland would die
We were all perfectly still till the
first outburst was exhausted, as |
knew (by experience) 1t would be
DR.. Mnncrieff. to whom it was new.
was quite still ON the other side of
the wall, as we were in our places.
Ny heart had remained almost at its
usual beating during the voice. I
was used it; it did not rouse all my
pulses as it did at first. But inst as
it threw itself sobbing at the door Q
cannot use other words), there sud-
denly came something which sent the
blood coursing through my veins and
my heart into my mouth It was
voice inside the wall-the minister's
well-known voice. [ would have
ben prepared for what I heard.
| came out with sort of stammering,
AS if too mnch moved fer utterance.
Willie, Willie! Oh, God preserve us! !
is it you?"
These simple words had an effect
upon me that the voice of the invisi-
bic creature had ceased to have. |
thought the old man. whom I had
brought into this danger, had gone
mad with terror | made a dash
round to the other side of the wall,
half crazrd myself with the thought
He was standing where | had left him,
his shadow thrown vague and large
upon the grass by the lantern which
stood at his feet. | lifted nv own
light to see his face as | rushed for
ward. He was very pale. his eyes wet
and glistening, his mouth quivpring
with parted lips. He neither saw nor
heard me. We that had gone through
this experience before, had crouched
towards each other to get little
.1.,o,,x4l - bo,r - p,t IL ,,-o- =. II