The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-04-24

to say that I thoroughly believed in the
fellow, and agreed 70 give him Is dowH
and the rest if he fulfilled his promise.
/ said nothing to Hamshire. though all
through the next week | was troubled.
some nights heard the meanings in tt.
wall, but the ghost did not appear
again. and at the en1 of seven DAYS /
went to the wizard again. 1t was late
in the evening and he said he was ready
for me if was ready for him, which, of
course, meant if | had brought the fl5.
paid him the money, and then he adj
yised me, since what he had to show
me might give me a shock, to brace my
nerves with a glass of brandy. l did as
he suggested and he seated me IN 4
chair and told me not to move, and then
he put out the lamp, making it pitch
dark, and in few minutes there began
to appear in letters OF flame reflected
in a mirror against the wall opposite
me the spirits message The letters
appeared one at time. quivering for
several seconds and then disappearing.
and, speaking in the dark, Che wizard
told me to remember the letters and
make out for myself what they spelled.
That wasn't very difficult What they
spe led vas: .'Give back to NV
niece what have robbed her of, or /
will haunt Won to the end That was
all, but it was enough for me. hardly
know how l got home, or what 1 d "a
when | got there. had ONLY one thing
in my thoughts, and that was TO obey
the 'ghostly message and get my peace
of mind restored. l lost no time about
it. The very next morning Ham
shire's wife had come home from her
cousin's-I had them down and gave
up to them all the ready money old
Mrs. Ingledew had left me, and gave
up the lease as well, asking nothing in
return but a receipt for the property,
that l might show it to the wizard in
proof that had done what the spirit
required. But l wasn't to get off so
easy. My nerves had been so upset
that l had brain fever and came so
near to dying that Hamshire's wife.
when closely questioned by the doctor
as to certain things was always talk
ing about in my 'wanderings.' in fit
of fright went on her knees and con-
fessed all about it. 1t was she who,
under her husbands directions, had
placed the 'coachman' in my bed. The
horrible noises in the wall were made
by cat, muzzled and suspended by
string tied to its tail. and let down be-
tween the double partition of iath and
plaster, through hole in the floor of
their room. 1t was she who acted the
ghost, which she could well do, being
much like her aunt in features. or of
just her stature. She explained. also,
how that the wizard was in the con-
spiracy, and that the flaming letters of
the ghostly message were made with
phosphorus on the dark wall behind
me, and opposite the mirror in which
they appeared. The money was to be
divided between them; but luckily the
division had not yet been made. 1t was
equally lucky for me that my doctor
was man of determination, and that
he had lawyer friend of his own sort.
Between them, and by threatening to
put the whole affair in the hands of the
police, they got back every pound OF
my money, and that was the pleasant
news they had TO tell me as soon as l
got bit better and was strong enough
to hear it. And here | am, after all, as
you see, and where Hamshire is you
likewise have seen. As for the wizard
he hasn't been seen since. "-L0Hd0n
TgLe1r1nh