The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-06-25

fraction Of an inch. crossed tn
room. candle In hand, and opened III
other door. A mere shallow closet
with high shelf and row of nails, an,
empty. except for small stove lean
ing up in one corner. closed an,
locked that door also.
"Well, Nettiep" said INV husband
already Invested of coat and collar
hadn't you better get ready for bed?'
Fred" said gravely, there's some
thing horrible about this room-I fec
1t all over me-something creepy ant
uncanny. Oh. YOU needn't laugh, ant
if you think you're going to have on.
OF these big beds all to yourself, your,
mistaken. for I'm not going to be out O
arms reach of you this night
.'Why, little woman, what's com,
over you? You don't often indulge II
nerves."
mo. Idon't, but l can't help it now
and oh. my dear. do let us take THU
bed nearest the door and keep YOU
candle burning all night, and mind 70,
dom 60 to sleep first!''
We blew out one candle, and set the
other in the washbowl, across the
room. and tucked ourselves into the
bed l had selected. 1t was an old
fashioned feather bed, and so warm and
comfortable that my nervous misgiy.
ings soon faded out, and within a half.
hour. we were both fast asleep. and
slept soundly for what seemed Ion
while. How long do not know, but
was suddenly awakened by sensation
OF cold. and reached down to draw up
another blanket. when heard the un.
mistakable sound of door gently shut,
and it was within the room!
A glance showed me that there was
no one ut the hall door nor by the clos
ct. and the next instant a sound arose
from the staircase; slow heavy step,
mounting starr by stair. could not
turn my eyes away, though l was
trembling with fright. and my heart
was beating SO l could not speak; but
put out my hand and clutcled Fred
arm. and he awokc and sat silent, be-
side mo, listening to those fearful steps.
They were more than halfway ND now.
and a head and shoulders arose above
tho banistcrs, and then the whole fig
urc came into view. 1t was Il short,
thickset man. apparently about sixty
years old, with iron-gray hair. heavy
eyebrows. and Il stern, beardless face
with cruel, sensual mouth. His dress
was of the fashion in vogue half cen.
tury ago, and he carried IL hat and q
riding-whip in his hand. His face
wore an awful gray pallor, against
which deep scar on the cheek stood
out in livid witness. and his eyes look
ed straight ahead in an unsceing gaze
which seemed all unconscious Of our
presence.
AS he mounted the top step, q long
quivcring sigh breathcd through the
room, and l squeezed closer to Fred
and graspel his hand tightly. yet could
not take my eyes away from our
strange visitant, nor make motion to
leave the room. Fred. too, seemed to
be under spell. and though not usual
~ wanting in bravery, he made no
movement to drive away the intruder.
Together we sat there, scarcely breath.
ing, and watched, while, like one dis.
traught. the figure paced the room, be-
tween staircase and window, sometimes
pausing by the other bed, now shaking
his clinched fist in the air, now clutch.
ing with both hands at his gray hair,
groaning and signing, and with over
moving lips, from which came no ar,
tictllate words to our strained ears.
His decp-set eyes never tnrned upon
us; il they had. l think the horror of
that craze would have driven me crazy
on the instant. At length he dropped
upon the bed as though exhausted, and
after few moments, waiting, was
about to whisper to Fred to get me out
OF the room. whom. with groan more
hollow and heart-breaking than any
before, the figure sprung from the bed,
made but q step to the window, and
threw himself out. 1t was all over in
moment and seemed to break the
spell which had held us motionless; and
with an exclamation. Fred dashed TO-
ward the window. 1t was closed as
securely as before. and the outside
blinds were closed and fastened; and
when he turned to the bed where three
minutes before we had both seen a
heavy figure lying, it was smooth and
undented us though just made up.
Will, a look of ash"n horror spread
ing over his face, my husband came and
lifted me to the floor.
Come" said he, :.let US got away
from this accused ROOM"
We huddlcd on our clothes, slipped
out into the hall, and found our way
down to the kitchen, where the fire anC
tho homely, everyday look of things
somewhat settled our nerves. And
here, a couple of hours later, the farmer
and his wife found us, and listened t.
our narrative. AS it progressed they
looked ut each other with comprehend.
ing chances, and at the end the man
exclaimcd:
"Well, l swear! it's all true then,
about the ghost. None of lis ever saw
him. and l didn't believe it, or j
wouldn't have put strangers into thai
room OH October 3Oth.
"But what does it meana" Tell us!''
I asked.
'Well. it all happened before om
time, when old m;ser Otis owned thi.
farm. He wasn't any kin of ours, anC
don't hesitate to say he must have
been mean old sinner. He had u wife
and grown up family, but he was SC
stingy that they could hardly get the
necess,ries of life; and he was 50 stern
and overbcaring that life was scarcely
worth having anyhow-at least, to his
wife. When he was nearly sixty, there
came Il strange couple to live in little
house. over on the edge of the woods
about mile from here an old Iiag Of
q woman and !. girl, her repute,l grand
child. The girl was q bold. handsome
thing. like a gypsy, always laughing,
singing. and dancing; and she just be-
witcled oil Otis. He got SO infatuated
that he neglected his farm, and was
over at the hut constantly. And he
gave her presents and money, till he
had spent more OH her in six months
than his family had had in us many
years. Well, she fooled him aud de-
ceived him rs such woman would, and
one evening he found it out. He hung
around in the woods until his hand
some young rival went away. aud
then he crept in and killed her. Twas
said that he strangled her by twisting
the lash of his whip about her throat.
and that next day when she was found
it was plainly seen where the cord had
cut into her soft neck. He came hom.
here and went up that staircase into the