Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-12-06
creased in brightness and began to

creased in brightness and began to
take the appearance of luminous
mist, expanding both in height and
breadth. Out of the mist by slow
degrees form began to shape itself,
and / lay there watching it, but
speechIess and motioniess with terror.
In less time than it takes to tell it, a
large, road-shouldered man stood
there. His beard was black and point
ed, and he had scar over his left
eyebrow.
The old woman's description came
back to me. While still gazed, the
figure slowly turned back the breast
of it's coat, and [ saw silver badge
engraved with the letters q. S., and
the word "detective" below.
At this moment Fido raised his
head, started to his feet with long
howl, and rushed towards the door.
He, too, had seen the appearance,
whatever 1t was, and was terrified.
The figure stared at me with its glas-
sy light eyes, and its lips moved. 1
heard no sound, but was conscious
that it was bidding me look below,
and it pointed downward.
Fldo uttered howl after howl, and
l found my voice at last, and Shrek
ed so long and loud that l thought,
afterwards, that must have fright
ened the ghost even more than it
frightened me. The next instant /
heard the sound of hoofs in the road,
and voice that l recognized as
Franks, calling Annie Annie p
threw up the window and shout
ed, ''Frank Frank come in come
inr'
I lighted the lamp and held it in
the back doorway while he tied Ills
horse under the shed. He hurried in
and explained to me and the old wo
man, whom the uproar had awakened,
how he had left Underhill, at sunset,
to look for me, as mamma was grow
ing very anxious. The only reason
he could give for taking one road in
preference to another, was that he
he seemed drawn more in one direc-
ton than another. Then we both re-
membered our little conversation on
mesmerism, and | acknowledged,
| then and there, the intense desire that
[ had felt all the evening, for his So
ciety. We sat out the three remain
ing hours till dawn in the dingy little
kitchen. 1t is perhaps unnecessary
to add that our foolish quarrel was a
thing of the past.
Mamm ma was overjoyed to see me
safe at the hotel again, but was very
skeptical with regard to the appari-
ton.
s'You had the nightmare, Annie
who could have helped it after such
barbarous meal? ?"
''But, mamma, people don't have
the nightmare when they are awake. y
"No; but people sometimes think
they are awake when they are not. -
| gave mamma up in despair.
!. Frank" I said, "let's 60 back
there tomorrow morning,i if it's pleas
ant, and take up that old hearth-stone
and dig. We may find something
that will decide the question for us.
That half-crazy old woman will lei
US do anything for little money
she must be horribly poor
Frank agreed, very cordially, and
the next forenoon we rode along the
lonely country roads, now in the
, shade of naples, now in the heat OF
! August sun.
1t was not matter of much time
, or dfficulty,to obtain the old woman s
: consent to our plan. Frank gave
her three dollars and threw out hin,
of hidden treasures, and she allowed
Us the privilege of investigating. The
! cellar. as is the way in numerous
cheap, old houses in the country
only extended under portion oi
the house. Under the kitchen it was
solid earth. Frank wasn't long pry-
: ing up the hearth stone, and, as soof
as that was dome, brought in rusty
| old shovel from the shed and begar
} work. He threw the dirt out on th,
floor, and had dug down four or fiv'
: feet when the shovel struck somethin,
. hard. Then he dropped it and be
gan taking the dirt out carefully wit
t his hands. Not to weary you wit
! details, he finally laid bare full
t grown human skeleton.
! 81 felt confident from the first tha
q this is what you would find," l said
! swell, / will confess l am not sur
: prised," he answered.
t After the skeleton was eXhumed
D we got the old woman's consent t,
t lay it in one of the chambers, to awai
e Franks orders, and returned to Tn
l derhill. Frank was suddenly recall
$ ed to Boston by telegram that after
: noon, and mamma and followed
: week later.
+ The next summer Frank and
: were married. and went to Quebe
n on our wedding tour. Upon our re
= turn we dlgressed a little from th
i direct route in order to spend ola,
D or two in Underhill. 1t was beauti
: full clear weather after rain, and W
t took drive over to the scene of NJ
j midnight adventure of the year be