Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-06-20


ert0n was but q few miles away, an
some time he would return.
Some time, somehow, though sh
could not we'll 500 the way defined, sh
should be able TO inform him of he
enforced seclusion, and till then sh
would wait.
The cottage in which Inez Mont
vile and her attendant lived stoo,
quite by itself.
| They were destitute OF neighbors, ant
lexcepting those who brought theil
household supplies, none visited them
but they were not aware that the hous
was Stunned because q ghost was sait
to fit from room to room in the still
ness and darkness OF night.
For long time the cottage had beef
uninhabited, but after Inez and her at
tendant took up their abode in the desc
late place, the country folks almost be
lieved them to be on terms Of intimacy
with the ghostly tenant.
After Robert Netherton returned from
Florida, he settled down at Edenland
In state Of complete hopelessness re-
garding Inez Montville.
She was dead, her sufferings wert
over while he must endure the torture
Of living on, bereft Of all that life hello
dear and In the few months that hai
passed since his return, he had changed
to sad-faced, careworn man.
| Life had lost its interest, and the
feminine little articles employed by
Elma Netherton for attracting his at
tention to her friend, were utterly
wasted
Clyta Oswald was a blonde, fair and
pretty, her pink ard "ahite loveliness
set off with a profusion Of pale, gold
hair, and light, blue eyes; but as unlike
Inez Montville as possible, and Robert
Netherton had no heart to offer al
another shrine of beauty.
The excursion that Clyta Oswald had
Suggested on that brightJune morning,
was arranged few days later, and
guest and his sister to the haunted cot.
tage.
Elma Netherton went out of defer.
ence to Clyta's wish only, for she had
a nervous dread OF haunted houses.
Not a step would she take beyond the
cottage fence, she declared on the way ;
but when they stopped before the
pretty, low, vine-wreathed cottage,
she was ready to take back her words,
for the place, em powered as it was with
vines and shrubbery, really looked
enchanting but as they noted the open
doors and windows, they discovered
that it WAS at last inhabited thing
Of which they had not before been
aware.
1t would seem an unwarrantable in
trusion to call, Elma said, quite glad
Of . pretext for not entering the house,
but Clyta Oswald was not going to be
put off thus. She was a veritable Eve,
and though she should meet the ghost,
face to face, she must have peep
through the door then, all at once, she
found that she was suffering intensely
from thirst ; she would run up the
graveled walk, and ask for drink !;
and before Robert Netherton could Of
fer to procure it for her, she had scram.
bled out of the low carriage, and fiji tting
up the walk, raped at the ha lf-opened
door.
In answer to her polite request, an
elderly woman brought ice-cold water /;
and while the thirsty maiden quenched
her thirst, her keen eyes penetrated the
neat morning-room without seeing a
ghost, or any thing at all remarkable ;
and with many thanks, she was turning
from the door, wien her glance fell up
on magnificent collection of roses,
in the height June loveliness, and
she craved p Emission to gather bou-
quot.
Her request was granted, and Clyta
fitted from bush to bush, like joyous
hummins uird. She was leaning over
a great uamask rose bush that was
laden with fragrant buds and blossoms,
when note tiuttered down, among the
velvety leaves, followed instantly by a
sealed letter. She grasped them eagerly
and looked upward. A sweet. pale
face, with dark wistful eyes and raven
tresses, was what she saw, leaning from
the window above. The vision disap-
peared instantly, and with nervous
haste, Clyta opened the tiny note.
1t must have been the ghost, she
thought, then she read:
"Don't mention what you have Feen,
but deliver this letter, and be my
friend.'
No name was signed; surely, here was
a bit of romance; to be the friend of a
ghost; well, she thought, if ghosts had
such sweet, sad faces as that she had
inst seen framed in the window above
her, she should not be averse to their
friendship.
She WAS not to mention what she had
seen: then she must wait till they reach
ed Edenland, for the letter was directed
plainly to Robert Netherton, but she
had no right to deliver it before his sis.
ter. Then, as she passed the door with
her superb bouquet of roses, she paused
an instant to make graceful acknow-
ledgment of the favor, and went slowly
down the graveled walk to the carriage,
with such puzzled expression upon
her fair face that Elma Netherton
laughed outright.
"Why, Clyta, one would think by
the expression Of your face that you
had surely seen the ghost" she said,
bante ringly, and Clyta answered by
wondering if there was truly ghost in
the house, while Robert Netherton de-
clared that it was a foolish superstition,
and then they drove back to Edenland.
Clyta was grave and silent, and when
they reached home, and Elma had gone
to her own room, she stole softly down
the stairs, and entering the library
where Robert NetlAytGp-sat listlessly
leaning his head upon the table, she
laid the letter beside him. His face
grew pale as he saw the writing, and
| H. L. L. al