New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-14
IN THE DARK.

blo in thoughtful frown as she gazed into the
depths OF her empty ieS g; manfred pancing up
trom the money article of The times at my
ddsnchtcr's pretty, puzzled face Nothing un,
"n1v | hope. You haven't discovered that
abost' is included among the fixtures OF our he"
housed ~ H. coaoro wos q prctty old
xshioncd riverside villa between hchmohu anu
is1r which | had taken furnished, as summer
ineodouce. and to which We had only Just removed
of me state. In parenthess. by way Oh lnIrouuc
:n myself to the reader. that John Dysart am
widower with one child: the biueeyod. Tau halicu
yonng lady who sat opposite 10 me az we o.odh u.s.
49, that bright June morning: ana That 1 nave
ten for many years the manager OF an OLD cstao-
iisbod Life insurance Company III the ciy r..o,
What is the mystcry?' l repeated as Ethei
did not rep out of her brown study and looked at
me III pressiVely. , A., ,, 7
.b;nk of il the more puzzled am. ..,
II am in the dark at present as TO what IL may
De- samethimg that happened last night. You
INV toat adjoining my bedroom there Is IL large,
daYk cl sci, which can be used AZ DOX OF Stoie-
fooIT had forgotten the fact, but will take your
word forIt Well. EthelT .,.
@Well last night was restless, ana 1t was some
hours before could sleep. When at last ana so,
I%aJ a strange dream about that closet 1t sceneL
that as lay in bed | heard noise within. rs u
some one were knocking ut the door, ana childs
nire broken by sobs, crying pIteously Let me
ont let ne OUT | thought that got ont OF hcd
and opened the door. and there crouching all IN a
beap against the wall, was IA litte boy pretty;
n na,s little fellow Of six or seven looking half Wild
with fright At the Same moment J woHc.
"And 10, 10 was cream nh'S"o"' Al ''''' -
o." But il is not" she interposed. The strangeSt
part of tine story has to come Inc aiGam Was 81
vivid that when woke sat up IN bed, ana io0hed
toward the closet door. almost expecting 10 no"l
the sounds again. Papa yon may believe me Oh
NOT but IL is "a fact that did hear hem, the innhed
Lnncking and the pitful cry. AS listened, u
grew fainter and fainter ana at ieh3th ce'Sou
aitogethcr Then | summoned courage to get out
hoH ,,,H oman
creature in the place Was II not mysterious she
concluded. Nv bat can 1t mean ,e,,, .ho
| glanced at her with a smile, as reioIdcu ,ho
paper and rose from my CHAIR. ,.,.
PIt It means my DEAR that you had nightmare last
night. Let me recommend you lol '"o i"'"'0 NV
to eat cucumber at dinner ~, - ,o,
awake and heard the chiPs voice as PLAINLY as
ever heard sound III my NE
"Why didn't Won call me
al was afraid to stir till the sound had ceased
but ii | ever hear 1t again. | will let you Know at
Be sure you do. Meantime, suppose you come
into tho garden" continued. throwing open TN;
French windows; " the morning AR Will oiO" al
these cObwehs from your BRAIN ,,
more OF the subject. RI
ouite at home in new quarters. -
4 more delightful summer retreat than Inc
Cellars could hardly be imagined. with Its cool,
dusky rooms from which the sunlight was excluded
Inv the screen of foliage outside; its trelused
veranda. oveTgrown with creepeis' ana Us smooth
the D ace It's name . ~. IL. !
took care that should not staSn"te ior want OF
society. We kept omen house; lawh-tehnls' garden
parties and boating excursions were the orueI VI Wv
day Ii was glorious summer weather tne DAYS
warm and golden, the nights sarllt ana sun.
One night. having important letters 10 ihlsh'
sat ND wrItIng after all the household were III poi
Tho window was Open ana AT lhter.ais sInhnCcn
mn from nv paper across the mOonlit lawn, wHcfe
tie shadows oil the ccdars lay dark ana mOtIoAlcSN
Now and then "a great dOwny moth would nutter Ill
and hover round the shaded lamp; now ana theh
the swallows under the caves uttered laiht: sleepy
chirp. For all other signs and sounds OF IN"
might have been the only watcher IN All tho
sleeping world.
had finished my task and was Just closing my
writing case when heard a hurried movement lh
fhe room above-Etheis. Footsteps descended
the stairs and the next moment the dlnlnE-ruom
door opened. and Ethel appeared III long Wh'e
dressing gown, with small nisht-Iahp IN her
hand.
There was n look on her face which made me
start up aud exclalm: What Is the mattert What
has happened .-. ....a go
ii have heard it again. sac brcathed. laying her
hand on my wrist -,
You have heard-what
"The noise II the box-room"
| stared at her a moment IN bewilderment and
then half smiled ~ ot ,o,;os
1You have been dreaming again, IT seems: arr,
Il have not been asecpat all, she replied he
sounds 6ye kept me AVA 70 be s0bp
crying his heart would break. IL Is miserable
TO hear it," ,.,,, .,o, ,.,...so, :;
spte of myself by her manner. .
No, dared not onight. | was afraid of seeins
something" she returned with shiyer
Come, We must get to the bottom OF TINS
mystory" said cheerfully, and taking up the lamp
| led the way upstairs TO her room
As the door of the mysterious closet was leVcl
with the wall and papcrcd like 1t, did not perceive
II till Ethel pointed il out | listened with my ear
close to it. but heard not the iainte.t SOUND 4nG
in holding the lamp so that every corner was
lghted ii was cramped, close airless place. the
ceiling whch was immediately below the upper
s.airc3sel sloping at AN acute angle to the floor
glaLce showed that it contained nothing but
broken chair and couple OF empty boxes
Slightly shrdgSihS lily ShouAuer'' o'o'ou '"o
"Your ghost is vox ct preterea nihil,' it seems
remarked dryy. Don you think, Ethel. you may
Ethel held up her hand. motionlng me to silence
"Harkw she whispered. there 1t is again But
Il Is diving away now. Listen
I comnied, half infected by her excitement. hut
within and without the house all was profoundly
still ,, ,ou ,.
inc a deep breath. " You heard it, did you not r.
/ shook my head. My dear Ethel. there was
She opened her blue eyes to Their widest
@Papa-am 1 not to believe the Sldence Of my
Not when they are affected by nervous excite
ment II YOU give way to this fancy, you will
certainly make yourself i'll. See how you trcmble
CONF. he down again, and try TO sleep
Not here" she returned, ganclng round with
shudder. q shall 90 10 the spare chamber.
Nothing would induce me to spend another night III
this room" ---..
II was so unlike Ethel to indulge III supersttiOus
fancies that began to fear she must be seriously
out of health and rcsOl we'd for my own satislac-
ton TO have "a doctors opinion regarding her
Ii happened that our nearest nelghDor was q
physician whom knew by rcpute, though not per-
sonay acquainted with hun Alter breakfast,
witbo1t mention ny my intention 10 my daughter.
sent "A note to Dr. Cameron, requesting him 10 call
at his earliest convenience.
~ Ill, i,,t,.l iI,yn,f f.,a