Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-10-15

was sure nobody had called.
"Oh, you mean the old gentleman in
gray, sir. He left no name. ! thought,
sir, he seemed to be at home in the
house; l had seen him here so often,
sir"
Now it was my turn to stare. was
dumbfoundcd. l literally stammered
for want of words. Then l showed
what have always thought was re.
markable present of mind. | turned
around and walked into the dining
room, telling the boy to follow. There
] poured out glass of whisky and gave
it to him.
Drink that" l said, land you had
better sit down"
Obviously he thought me as eccentric
as | thought him. But he merely said:
"Ihank you. sir" and drank the
whisky. .....
"Do you feel quite wellP" l asked,
frigidly.
'Quitc well, thank you, sir"
"Arc you subject to delusions or hal
lucinationsp"
mo, sir; never, SIR" he answered
promptly, with lurking smile, which
hc vainly tried TO conceal.
That smile annoyed me. l broke out
again
Then, what on earth do you mean"
j cried, "by telling me this nonsense
about gentleman in grayP"
Sydney rose. There was some digni-
ty in his manner. He spoke respect
fully, but in an injured tone:
"l beg your pardon, sir-but l only
told you about the gentleman who
called, and / thought, sir, you might
have seen him, for he passed by you,
andI fanc.cd he nodded 10 you as he
passed. " .....--
Really. things had come 10 a pretty
pass! Here was my own servant accus-
ing me of seeing invisible phantont5
which only existed in his own disor-
derol brain!
But thcrc-I will not repeat all the
conversation that followed. | must say
Sydney kept his tomper wonderfully.
for lost mine. However, we had a
long explanation, which ended in this
way. The boy asserted pos lively that
he had three or four times seen an
elderly gentleman in gray walking
about the house. He had seen him in
the passages up RS and in tho
grounds outside. He had, he admitted.
wondered who he could be, and had
fancicd that he must be some very in
innate friend, or some one connected
with the establishment lie had never
heard him speak. certainly. lie had
not rs yet questioned any of the other
servants about him But then he had
himself only been few days in the
house, and us yet did not know all the
people about the place. When | told
him that no one else in the house had
ever heard of such \ person, Sydney
was completely staggered. In fact, the
only result of our conversation was to
leave on the minds of each Of us grave
doubts rs 10 the others sanity, If not as
TO his own. But before we parted |
made the boy promise me solennly that
the very next time he saw this mys cr-
ious figure he would summon me at
once.
Next day nothing happened, and |
med tatad dismissing Sydney. Thcday
after, an event occurred which changed
the current of my thoughts, which.
thank God, altered my whole life since,
and which has made Sydney Loeb the
most faithful friend have.
1t was late in the aftcrnoon-a winter
dusk. / was upstairs in my bctl-room,
writing letter to Nelly, vowing that
would never g We her UP, and yet seeing
no prospect OF ever being abe to claim
her for my wife, 1t was that hour whom
the day begins 10 pass into the night,
and shadows have grown gigantic, and
mems thoughts are turning toward din
ner. Suddenly / was reused by quick
step and a knock at the door. / called
out Come in, and Sydney appeared
on the threshold. He looked very pale
and excited, ms far as | could sec him by
the dim light of my candles, and lie
spoke in strange yo' CO.
"He is there, sir, the old gentleman
in gray-in the passage"
jumped up, and was following him
in moment. 1t must have been well
past six o'clock, and yot the lights in
the corridor were still unlightcd.
looked all around, but could see no ono.
"WhereP" / said. in a whisper; for l
think the gloom and the boys strange
looks had frightened my common sense
out of me.
Sydney took me by the arm and po mt
cd. | felt he was trembling all over
And for my own part an uncomfortable
chill seemed to be creeping through my
limbs.
There, sir, there-don't you see
himP-at the top of the stairs. He's
beckon'ng us to fUllow-come."
strained my eyes in the direction
where he pointed, but could discern
nothing. However, / caught hold OF
Sydncy's arm, and followed him silently,
like sheep. Why l did SO | can not at
this moment conceive.
The boy led the way down stairs, ap.
parently keeping his eyes fixed on some
thing he could sec in front. held him
blindly. We went down and across the
hall. and then out of the front door int,
the cold air. 1t was quite dark outside,
though one or two blurred stars were
flicker'ng palcly, and the moon,
thought, was struggling behind cloud.
Round the house VIC went, faster and
faster, into tho gardens Mt the back, and
down the slopes toward the sea. sgd.
ncy seemed to be dragging me along.
Once caught glimpse Of his face and
l saw it was deadly white, although his
eyes were stra'nng wildly after the
phantom he was following. Still he went
on and on. We were nearing the beach
now, and could hear the surf beating
against the rocks, and dimly sec the
white or, sts of tho waves hanging in the
foggy night. Now We wero on tho beach.
/ felt tho scaweod under my feet and
stumbled Still tho boy dragged me
along, Now we must bj on the brink
of the water, l thought, and shivered.
Then | put out my other hand and
clutched at Sydney's arm.
"In Gods name, where are you
goingp" l said, in a terrified whisper.
The boy did not answer, He stopped
dead. The darkness was thick about
us. We were standing in mist, and
even the blurred stars had faded out,
Suddenly felt wave break over my
feet. And at that moment, kissing out
and echoing across the darkness, there
grated in my ears the sound OF harsh
| 4 L IL Il Al L 4. y