The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-09-23
IN THE DARK.

Ethel lett the sentence unflnlSneu, Wink
ling her brows in a thoughtful frown as she
gazed into the depths of her empty tea-cup.
what has happened? i inquired, glanc-
ing up from the money article of the Times
at my daughters pretty, puzzled face.
Nothing uncanny, l hope. You haven't
discovered that ghost is included among
the fixtures of our new house,"
The new house, The Cedars, was a pretty
oldfashioned riverside villa between Rich
mond and Kew, which 1 had taken furn-
ished. as a summer residence, and to which
we had only Just moved.
Let me state, in parenthesis, by way of in
Producing myself TO the reader, that /, John
Dysart, am widower with one child: the
blue-eyed, fair-haired young lady who sat
opposite to me at the breakfast table that
bright June morning; and that l have been
for many years the manager of on old estab-
lished Life Insurance Company in the city.
What is the mystery" / repeated as
Ethel did not reply.
She came out of her brown study, and
looked at me impressively.
1T really is a mystery, papa, and the
more / think of it the more puzzled | am"
Il am in the dark at present as to what
it may be, ] reminded her.
Something that happened last night. You
know that adjoining my bedroom there is a
large, dark closet, which can be used as box
or stOre-room?'
II had forgotten the fact, but will take
your word for it. Well, Ethel?'
"Well, last night l was restless, and it was
some hours before / could sleep. When at
last / did so, / had a strange dream about
that closet. 1t seemed that as / lay in bed
/ heard a noise within, as if some one were
knocking at the door, and a child's voice,
broken by sObs, crying piteously. Let me
out, let me Out' i thought that got out of
bed and opened the door, and there, crouch
ing all in heap against the wall, was lit
tie boy; a pretty, pale little fellow of six
or seven, looking half wild with fright At
the same moment ! woke"
''And 10, it was a dream" / finished. If
that is all, Ethel"
But it is not" she interposed THE
strangest part of the story has TO come. The
dream was so vivid that when / woke | sat
up IN bed and looked toward the closet door,
almost expecting to hear the sounds again.
Papa, you may believe me or not, but it is
fact that did hear them, the muffied knock
ing and the pitiful cry. AS / listened it
grew fainter and fainter and at length ceased
altogether. Then / summoned courage TO
get out of bed and open the door There was
no living creature in the place Was it not
mysterious she concluded. What can it
mean%'
l glanced at her with a smile, as | refolded
the paper and rose from my chair.
1t means, my dear, that you had night
mare last night. Let me recommend you for
the future not to eat cucumbers at dinner"
''NO, papa" she interrupted. 81 was broad
awake, and i heard the child's voice as
plainly as / ever heard sound in my life"
why didn't you call me?'
II was afraid to stir till the sound had
ceased; but if / ever hear it again, 1 will let
you know at once"
BE sure you do. Meantime, suppose you
come into the garden, continued, throw
ing open the French windows; 1.-The morn
ing air will blow all these cobwebs from your
BRAIN"
Ethel complied, and for the present 1
heard no more of the subject.
Some days passed away, and we began to
feel quite at home in our new quarters.
a more delightful summer retreat than
The Cedars could hardly be imagined, with
its cool, dusky rooms, from which the sun
light was excluded by the screen of foliage
outside; its trellised veranda, overgrow3
with creepers, and its smooth lawn, shaded
by the rare old cedar trees which gave the
place its
Our friends soon discovered its attractions
and took care that we should not stagnate
for want of society. We kept open house;
lawn-tennis, garden parties and boating ex-
cursiOns were the order of the day. 1t was
glorious summer weather, the DAYS warm
and golden, the nights starlit and still.
One night, having important letters to fin
ish, j sat up writing after all the household
were in bed The window was open and at
intervals glanced up from my paper across
the.mOonlit lawn, where the shadows Of the
cedars lay dark and motionless. Now and
then great downy moth would fiutter in
and hover round the shaded lamp; now and
then the swallows under the caves uttered
faint, sleepy chirp. For all other signs and
sounds of life / might have been the only
watcher in all the sleeping world
i had finished my task and was just closing
my writing-case when / heard a hurried
mOvemement in the room above-Etheps
Footsteps descended the stairs, and the next
moment the dining room door opened, and
Ethel appeared, in a long white dressing
gown, with a small night-lamp in her hand
There was look on her face which made
me start up and exclaim: What is the
matter? What has happened?
She sat down the lamp and came toward
me.
Il have heard it again." she breathed, ly-
ing her hand on my wrist.
You have heard-what2'
1.-The noise in the bedroom"
/ stared at her a moment in bewilderment
and then half smiled.
''Oh is that it?' / exclaimed in a tone of
relief. you have been dreaming again, it
seems"
81 have not been asleep at all, she re-
piled. The sounds have kept me awake.
They are louder than the first time; the child
seems to be sobbing and crying as if his heart
would break. 1t is miserable 70 hear it,"
Have YOU looked inside?' / asked. inn
pressed in spite of myself by her manner
mo, dared not tonight. j was afraid Of
seeing-sOmething" she returned with a
SILVER
Come. we must get to the bottom of this
mystery" / said cheerfully, and taking up
the lamp led the way upstairs TO he- room.
As the door of the mysterious closet was
level with the wall, and papered like it,
did not perceive il until Ethel pointed it
out. j listened with my ear close to it, but
heard not the faintest sound and after wait
ing a moment threw it open and looked in,
holding the lamp so that every corner was
lighted. 1t was a cramped, close, airless
place, the ceiling (which was Immediately
below the upper staircase) sloping at an
acute angle to the floor. A glance showed
me that it contained nothing but broken
chair and a couple Of empty boxes
Slightly struggling my shoulders / closed
the door.
'sYour ghost is 'vox ct prseterea nihil,' it