St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-12
the lamp I led the way upstairs to her

| level with the wall, and papered like ii,
did not perceive it till Ethel pointed it out.
l listened with my ear close to it. but
heard not the faintest sound, and, after
waiting moment. threw it open and looked
in, holding the lamp so that every corner
was lighted. 1t was cramped, close. air.
less place, the ceiling (which was inn
mediately below the upper staircase) sloping
at an acute angle to the floor. 4 glance
showed me that it contained nothing but
broken chair and couple of empty boxes
Slightly Struggling my shoulders, closed
the door.
Your ghost is 'vox ct preterea nihil." it
SEEMS / remarked dryly. Don't YOU
think, Ethel, you may have been"
Ethel held up her hand, motioning me to
silence.
"Harkr' she whispered. ''there it is
again! But it is dying away now. Listen
complied half infected by her excite
ment, but within and without the house all
was profoundly still.
There has ceased, she said at length.
drawing deep breath. You heard it, did
you not?"
shook my head ''1Iy dear Ethel, there
was nothing to hear"
She opened her blue eyes to their widest
''Papa-am | not TO believe the evidence
Of my own SenseS?'
Not when they are affected by nervous
excitement. IfyOu give way TO this fancy
you will certainly make yourself ill. See
| how you tremblel Come, lie down again
and try to Sleep
Not here" she returned glancing round
with shudder. Il shall go to the spare
chamber. Nothing could induce me to
spend another night in this room"
l said no more but felt perpleXed and
| I to I,,1r
in superstitious fancies that began TO fear
she must be seriously out of health, and
resolved for my own satisfaction to have
doctors opinion regarding her.
1t happened that our nearest neighbor
was physician whom | knew by repute,
not personally acquainted with him. After
breakfast, without mentioning my intention
TO my daughter, / sent a note to Dr. Cam
eron, requesting him to call at his earliest
convenience.
He came without delay; a tall, gray
bearded man, of middle age, with grave,
intelligent face, Obseryant eyes and sympa-
thetic manner.
His patient received him with undiSguised
establishment, and on learning that he had
called at my request, she gave me look of
mute reproach.
Il am sorry that papa troubled you. DR..
the matter with me- she said.
And indeed at that moment, with flushed
cheeks and eyes even brighter than usual.
she looked as little like an invalid as could
well be imagined.
MY dear Ethel" l interpoSed, ''when
people take to dreaming startling dreams
and hearing supernatural sounds it is a sign
of something wrong with either mind or
body-aS | am sure DIR. Cameron will tell
you"
The doctor started perceptibly. "Ah--is
that Miss Dysart'S case?" he inquired, turn
ing to her with look of interest.
She colored and hesitated. "Ihave had a
strange experience, which papa considers
delusion. l dare say you will be of the
same opinion"
Suppose you tell me what it was" he
suggested.
She was silent. trifing with one of her
silver bangles.
please excuse me-" she said hurriedly at
length. Il don't care to speak of it; but
papa will tell YOU" And before / could
detain her she had huTiedly left the room.
When we were alone he turned to me in
quiringly. and i'm few words related to
him what the reader already knows. He
listened without interruption. and when
had finished sat for some moments without
speaking, thoughtfully stroking his beard.
lie was evidently impressed by what he
had heard, and l waited anXiously for his
opinion. At length he looked up.
Mr. Dysart," he said gravely, ''yOu will
be surprised to learn that your daughter is
not the first who has had this strange sex
perience.' Previous tenants of the Cedars
have heard exactly the sounds which she
| describes"
pushed my chair back half yard in my
establishment.
''lmposSiblei'
He nodded emphatically.
lit is fact. though l don't pretend TO
explain it, These strange manifestations
have been noticed at intervals for the last
three or four years; ever since the house
was occupied by Capt. Vandeleur whose
orphan nephew"
"Nandeleur?" l interrupted: "why. he
was client Of ours. He insured his neph-
ews life in our Office for a, large amount
and"
And few months afterward the child
suddenly and mysteriously died?'' Inv COM
panlon put in. "a singular coincidence. to
say the least of its
so singular" 1 acquiesced, ''that we
thought it a case for inquiry. particularly as
the eX-captan did not bear the best of char
acterS, and was known TO be over head and
| ears IN debt But | am bound to say that
after the clOsesG investigation nothing was
discovered to suggest suspicion of foul
play"
Nevertheless there had been foul plav."
was the doctors reply.
You don't mean that he murdered the
boy! That pretty, fragile-looking little fell
| low"
mo, he did not murder him. but he let
him die" DIR. Cameron reioined. per
haps you are not aware" he continued.
that the little lad was somewhat feeble in
mind as well as body? / attended him
more than once, at Nandeleur's request.
and found that among other strange fears
and antipathieS he had morbid dread of
darkness. To be left alone in dark room
Tor only few minutes was enough tothrow
him into paroXySm of nervous excitement.
His mcle-who, by the way professed more
affection for him than could quite believe
in, when noticed how the child shranz
from him-consulted me as to the best
means of overcoming this weakness.
| strongly advised him to humor il for the
present, warning him that any mental shock
might endanger the boys reason. or even
his life. little thought those words of
mine would prove his death-warrant."
''What do you mean?"
''0nly few days afterward. Vandeleur
locked him up all night in a dark closet.
where he was found the next morning.
crouching against the wall: his hands
clinched, his eyes fixed and staring-dead. -
Good heavens, how horriblel But no
word of this was mentioned at the inqueSt?''
mo; and did not hear of it myself till
long afterward. from woman who had
| been Vandeleur'S housekeeper: but was too