The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-14


of some little agility. might climb up
1t il not tm possible" said Hoist. after
thorough examination of the chamber, that
the nocturnal noises mentioned may have
been made oy yegabonds, Who ssttled them
sslvss here for a comfortable nights rest
Victor. do me TIE favor TO get IN pistols;
they are in roy travelling satcheI; but don't
NEEDLE with the triggers. they are loaded"
Victor went away with light and soon
after brought the pistols 70 his brother. The
latter primed them freshly put on new caps
and ieId them on the table.
1"N0w, goodnight, ladies' aud gentlemen. |
wish you all 40 comfortable rest as 1 expsct
&c have myself"
Good night. wicked Free-thinker," said
Anna, bali admiripgiy; II hope You will
have different opinions IN the morning"
As they all went out, Victor whispered To
Anpa: I'll nnswer for it that he shall be
Thoroughly frightened"
The dcor was locked aud Candidate Hoist
remained alone in the blue chamber The
sound of footsteps and voices died away; he
listened at the door, but all was still.
Going to the window, be stood there few
minutes looEing at the grove. The soft night
breeze stirred the leaves aud branches. Only
the nearest trees could be dinly distin-
guished. Beyond all was dense, impenetra-
bic darkness for there was neither moon nor
stars in the eky.
ITS really very rare to be free from
jntruding and playing the spy on sensible
folk, spite of drawn curtains. For the rest,
this ia an uDcommonly comfortable room.
Probably not one of the whole party will
have 60 good bed to lie in as my lucky
self.
sake of this legend the room has now stood
empty hundreds OF years. LII one could see
few blood-stains or similar honors-but
there's no trace OF anything OF the SORT.
What matchless 20 ver superstition hiss, even
in our enlightened daysl l shall consider it
good deed to drive it from this comfort
able STRONGHOLD"
Lighting cigar he paced t, and fro smok.
ing, then walked around the bed aud closed
his eyes with halt shudder. How timidiy
the young girl, Anna, is pressing her pretty
face against the pillow at the thought that
any human being dares to sleep in the blue
chen Der. She won't even venture to put
out her night4amp for fesr of seeing the
irightful shape that must speedily come up
and destroy her."
While thus soliloquzing, he undressed,
opened the canopied bed, and resolutely ex-
tiDsuished the lamp.
There vas no sound in the ROOM only il
seemed "a If he could hear rustling noise
like crickets, and 8 mysterious ticking, as
though the famous death watch was under
the carpet. He lay listening a momeot
heard the night wind sigh through the trees
l.
then he fell asleep.
At the end of an hour be suddenly started
up in bed, having heard sound like the
opening OF door. strange shuddering
sensation ran through his limns as he stared
hxeoly into the room and bebeld a white
forro moving slowly ward the bed.
Terror overpowered him, but the next in
slant be regaiDed his GOODNESS. aud shouted
In firm voice: WHO'S there?'
No az swer, but the shape remained stand
ing in the middle OF the fl ,or.
Who's there? Answer. or AS surs "a |
live III fire." he called again, cockiLg his
pistol.
&c was once ne ore the quiet, cold blooded
physician; he had surely heard the creaking
OF g door; 1t rnDst be man, a rascal, a muir.
dersr. perhaps, but no specter.
Yet, spite OF the pistols warning snap, the
figure did not move.
Who goes thers?" he called again.
Still no sound disturbed the silence of the
room.
The physician stretched ont his arm and
fired
A fash of light illuminated the dusKy
cham Der and the report sheok the old taps,-
try. Scarcely had the sound died away when
burst OF discoroant, jeering. fisndish laugh
ter greeted him, and something hard struck
his head. 1t was the bullet
Seized with a terrible dread. he fred the
other pistol at the motionless white form
cghiu the lIignsInl laughter echOed through
the room, and the bullet fell heavily back on
his own breast.
With a loud shrek, he sank down on the
bed.
The form glided noiselessly out of the door.
Esrly the next morning while Anna was
watering her flowers, Victor came up TO her.
Where is your brother?' she asked.
He isE't up yet, poor fellow. He has had
q terrible fright"
What was it?'
IF you'll promise to keep silence. I'll tell
the whole story. To revenge myself on him
played ghost, first taking care to draw the
bullets from. his pistols that he might not
use the weapons recklessly. Wrapped in
sheets visited him, and threw the balls back
at his head when he fired"
Nothing could be better" exclaimed
Anna. But promise me not to speak of it.
Your mother might he vexed and he himself
must be undeceived Trust me, Til be as
mute as the grave" The physician did not
come; breakfast waited IN vain. At last
some of the gentlemen went to awake him.
He lay with his lead stretched over the edge
OF the bed. his mouth wide open, his eyes
were starting from their sockets, and his hair
was white as chalk. Lie had vanished. His
discharged pistols were found by his side.
One week after this Victor was taken to the
insane asylum.