Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-01-11

room, to leap from the window, when
heard dog bark.
redoubled my cries. The bark of
the dog was followed by footsteps:
they came nearer, treading down fallen
branches, which cracked under the well
come step. The next instant n man
came and stood under the window and
looked up at me. L perceived by his
dress that he was yillager, probably
taking short cut to his house He
stood under the window; he seemed ter
rified perhaps he took me for the
ghost. He was not, however. all a
coward, for he spoke
What is wrong?' he said.
This is wrong 1 answered. al
am in extreme dangcr-extreme danger,
There is not a moment TO lose. Go in
stantly- instantly wake up the
house, and say that I. Mrs. Crawford.
am in extreme danger in the tapestry
! wing. Go at once-at once
lspoke distinctly, and the man seemed
to understand. He flew away, the dog
following him.
instantly threw myself ON my knees.
and in the terrible moments that fol-
lowed / prayed as I had never PRAYED
! before. Would the man he in time
Must my young life be sacriiiced?'7
All, no. God was good. | heard
joyful sounds; the thief's attacks on the
door ceased suddenly. and the next in
slant the Squire's hearty voice was
heard
e Let NE in, Honor, What is wrong.
chiid?''
did let him in. and his wife. and
several alarmed-lOoking servants who
followed after.
We instantly began to look for the
had disappeared.
That terrible man with the black
hair and white lock over his forehead
had vanished rs completely As though
4 he had never been.
Except for the marks he had made
with his feet on the old oak door there
was not n trace of his existence.
/ i believe the servants doubted that
/ he had ever been, and only thought
7 that the yong lady who was foolish
: enough to Sleep in the tapestry cham
! er hal been visited by new form of
/ the ghost. BE that as il may. we never
got clew 10 where or how the man
had vanished.
Ten years later was again on visit
to the Aspen's Vale. This time ! did
not sleep in the tapestry room.
now occupied n most cheerful.
modern and unghost-like room, and
I but for one circumstance NV visit
would have been thoroughly unre-
markablc.
This was the circumstance which
seems in a wonderful way TO point q
moral 10 my curious tale. / paid my
visit u the CliffOrds during the assizes.
Squire Clifford. n one of the most in
| iluential county magnates. was neces-
sarilv much occupied with his fnagis-
terial duties during this time Every
morning he went early into Lewis. tho
town where the assizes were held. On,
morning he told us of case which in
terested him..
He Is a hardened villain he said
"hc has again and again been brought
before me. hut he has never vet beer
convicted. He is unJuestionably 1
thief; indeed one of the most no
torious characters in the place; bu
he Is such slippery dog no jury has
vet found HIM guilty. Well. he j To be
tried again to-day. and [ do hope ",
shall have some luck with him thi.
! time.
The Squire went away, and it cam,
into his wifc's head and mine To pay
a visit to the court and see for our
selves the prisoner in whom he was in.
terested
No sooner said than done We drove
into Lewis. and presently found our
selves in the large and crowded build
ing. When We entered the case under
discussion had not commenced. but .
moment after fresh prisoner was ush
cred into the dock.
What was the matter with me?
found my sight growing dim. fount
myself bending forward and peerina
hard. The memory of an old terror
came back. and the sensation of :
couple of hours of mortal agony re-
turned To me again Who was i'm tn,
prisoners dock? | knew the man. III,
was my guest of the tapestry chamber
of ten years ago.
There he stood, surly. indifferent, wit
his vast breadth and height. his raven
black hair. and that peculiar white loci
flung back from his brow. He did no
glance at any one. but kept his eyes OF
the ground.
i could not contain myself: | fOrgo
everything but my sense of discovery.
started To my feet and spoke.
Mr.. Clifford. ! know that man; hs
was in my room ten years ago. Doyo,
remember the night when | cot the ter
rible fright in the tapestry chamber il
Your house? There is the man VIII,
frightened me. could never forget hi
face There he stands"
Whatever effects my words had on tn,
Squire and Judge. there is no doubt n
all of their remarkable significance I,
tie prisoner His Indifference left him
he stared with vide open and terrific,
eyes at me. 1t was plain that if rec
Ognizcd him. he also recognized me.
All his bravado left him: he mutteret
something. his face blanched. then sud
denly he fell on his knees and covered 1
with his hands.
Nv evidence was remarkable and con
elusive; and that day, for the first time
Hercules Armstrong was committed Il
prison. lie had long been the terro
Of the neighborhood, and no one regret
ted the Just punishment which had fall
EN- on him. What his subsequent ca
recr may be know not: this is the pres
ent end of a strange and perfectly tru,
story. CdsseirS Magazine.
The Classics in GERMANY.