Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-10-08
THE VAMPIRE LIFE.

GRAHAM. Something III his cOuntenance
startled me
"Why, Mark. Old fellow, how are you?"
L said, SHAKING hands with him. 81 didn't
expect to see you here. What's happened
TO you since 1 saw you LAST You look rs
IL you had seen ghost"
DO l." he said, with CHASTITY kind of
smile, and fancied that his voice had
changed as much as his looks lie was
usually one of the jolliest fellows to be
found anywhere.
Yes, you do" answed. "What's the
trouble? The train isn't due for half an
hour yet. Let's go somewhere and sit
down, and You can tell me all about it;
that is if there's anything to tell"
We went across, the track to where some
stunted pines grew, and found seat
under them quite free from intrusion.
$50 you think look as if had seen a
ghost, ehy' said Mark well | haven't,
but feel about the same as if / had. You
know ! was at Merose when that terrible
affair happened | suppose"
"What terrible affair ] asked. 81 have
just come from the North woods, and
haven't had Il letter or seen a paper for
month"
"Then you didn't know that Alice Leith
was dead"
turned shocked and startled face upon
my friend
"That doesn't seem possible, Mark. l
left her two months ago the picture of per-
feet health. When did She die
About two weeks ago. She died very
suddenly For the last two wccks-ever
since the night after her death, in fact
we have been hunting for her body"
"My God, Mark, what do you mean?' l
cried, startled by his words and look.
"Was-was she drowned?'
"No she died at home, but"-and here
my friends voice was low, as if he hardly
liked to speak the strange truth aloud
cher body was stolen the night after her
death. and we have been searching for it
ever since, and have found not single
trace of it,
| think my face must have told Mark
how Mortified | was for he gave II nervous
little laugh and said:
ITS your turn to look as if you had seen
ghost But suppose you'd like to hear
the particulars of this most mysterious af-
fair, and | will give them briefly. Miss
Leith was taken suddenly i'll, and died on
the second day. Several of us were visit
ing at Melrose, and her illness was so brief
that none of us had gone away when it
ended in death. Being there at the time it
happened we of course were eXpectd to
stay until after the funeral. On the night
after she died there were four of us watch
ing with the dead, as they say in the
country. Her body was in the library
and we occupied a small parlor opening
off it. Once in half an hour we went in to
wet the cloth that covered her face, and
see that everything was as it should be.
1t was very wild and stormy night, and
rpi fol in
SO that nothing could be heard save the
dash of the rain against the house, and the
hours, as we sat there next to the room in
which lay the always awful mystery of
death, seemed as long as days ought to.
AS the clock was striking midnight, we
went in for the last time to wet the face
cloths. When we crossed the threshold
or the room at half past II, it was empty.
From that time to this no trace has been
found of the body of Alice Leith."
| could not speak, my friends story hor-
rifed me so. | half believed that he was
trying to impose on my credulity.
1--WE reused the household and began a
fruitless search. In the soft earth. under
one of the library windows, we found
what seemed to be track, but the rain
had almost washed it out, and it gave us
no clue. If there had been other tracks on
the paths, or in the highway, either of
man, horse. or vehicle, the heavy rain had
entirely oblitcrated them. The window
was open, and we could be sure of but one
thing, and that was that the body had
been taken through it. Where, or by
whom, we knew then, and know
now, no more than you do
We searched the grounds We
reused the neighbors, and all the re
mainder of that terrible night we wan
derer hther and thither, seeking a cew
but finding none. No one had heard any
thing like the sound of passing wheels. In
the storm they could have come and gone
and made no sound above that Of the wind
and rain. When morning came began the
search again Her father summoned aiC
from the city. and the matter was put il
the hands Of expert men who are skillful il
unraveling Mysteries. But, as ! have said
not a single clew has been found 1t i.
the most mysterious and horrible affair
ever had anything to do with. What mo
tive one could have in stealing the body
who could have stolen it, and where it wa
taken to these are the questions that hav,
perpleXed us, and they seem unanswer
able by any information we can hope t,
obtain. The excitement has been intense
] have been wandering about, hoping t,
find some thread that would lead to a so
luton of the mystery and trying to shak,
off by'a change of scene the nightmar
horror OF the affair. But it clings to me
and haunts me. | don't wonder that vol
thought | looked as if | had seen
ghost. | seem to live in a world full o
them
at i, one of the most awfully mysterou
occurrences have ever heard Of" said
ms ! thought over what he had told me. 81
hardly seems possible that such a thini
could appen here, and among people VIII
occupy the position the Leiths do"
The whistle of the coming train SOUNDED
sharp down the track, and we rose AM
went back to the depot.
"Whcre are you Going now" asked.
II don't know" lie answered, 81 wOul,
go back To- work II | could shake off the in
cubus that is o. ne, but can't do that.
hope TO get or this haunted feeling b.
and by. Nou can't understand how it ha
nHn tod TNr.. g.,.T,