The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-06-10

and was absorbed in the trying and dill
cult task Of finding a new one who Wouid
suit. And one morning returned home
wondering WHETHER the girl just now on
trial would have my favorite Sally Lunn
properly cooked, or served as her prede-
cessor had done-a mass Of heavy dough.
To my surprise, on my opening tne
front door, Bridget-that was her name,
and the name bespeaks her nationality
came fastening up the kitchen stairs 10
meet me.
"Av ye place, there's Teddy waitin' in
the hbrey to see yez.
"a lady? What lady?"
"Shure she didn't tell me her name. It's
quare," she added, in lower tone, glanc-
ing toward the library door, "but missus
was gone out, an jist thought heerd
little bit of noise, and when | come up,
there she was a-standin' in the hall Wld
her bonnet on. She said she wanted to see
yez and would wait while. She's in there
now"
Iopened the library door, but the room
was empty. turned to Bridget, who was
lingering in the hall. =,
aThere is no one here,"I said. The girl
came forward, and after staring arounu
and moving the curtains and opening a
bookcase, exclaimed:
aHowly Moses! hut what's come O the
Teddy, at allp She was in here five min
utes ago, and she couldn't a. got out at the
Font door widout my seein, her."
aWhat did she look ike!" inquired.
sFaix, she was TALL slim, nice-looking
Teddy, wild black eyes an black hair, an
a white face wild no more red in 1t than
chalk"
NY own face must have lost its color
for felt sudden nervous shock, and the
blood chilled, as it were, in my veins.
"How was she dressed?" inquired.
aBlack all over, an long Grape veil"
This was Mrs. Crowle's dress. She had
been still in Widows weeds when knew
her.
Bridget" I said, don't mention this to
your mistress. 1t might disturb her.
And though found the Sally Lunn
done to perfection, and Deborah came
home in an urcommonly good humor,
from making certain dry-goods bargains
down town, / could not enjoy my
tea, and went to bed moody and beWld-
cred.
could not doubt that Bridget had seen,
or fancied she had seen, what she de-
scribed; and yet what did it all mean?
It might indeed have been some other
lady than Arabella Crowle; but why
should a strange lady call to see me at my
home, and how did she enter and leave
the house?
Three days after this, on entering my
my office one morning, my clerk said,
briskly:
aThere was lady to see you last even
ing after you left. She said she would call
again"
'What !ady?" inquired.
"Well, I think, it was the lady in Grape
vail who came about a month ago on busi-
ness, and was so excited when she left. In
fact Pm pretty certain it was the same"
Isuddenly sat down in my oft1ce-chalr,
feeling very faint.
"What did she say?" 7 asked, wiping
the starting moisture from my fore
head.
"Orly that she'd cali again. didn'tsee
her till looked up, and there she was
standing inside the glass door, She was
was very pale and quiet, !" continued GiDos'
refectively, as il mentally contrasting
Gl.ie etoto Will, lilo ~isitor'o former "oAoito-
ment." "She looked and moved hke a
ghost"
"Don't be q fool, Gibbs" exclaimed with
sudden and unwonted irritation. There
are not such things rs ghosts"
~ don't know, he answred, with
doubtful shake Of his frizzly red head.
"I've heard of strange things happening
now aud then. My grandmother"
"Your grandmother be-hanged!" Imut-
tered under my breath, as l slammed
down the lid of my desk, as If by accident,
but violently enough to make Gibbs start
and forget his ghostly "reminiscences. And
all that day was so nervous and excited
with watching the Office door, and listen
ing to the footsteps and voices of the peo-
pie in the outer room, that found 1t I'M
possible to properly attend to business.
That evening, after tea, to quiet my ex-
cited nerves, I walked with Deborah IN
the garden, up and down bowery walk,
which was sort of boundary line be-
tween our part of the house and that
lately occupied by Mrs. Crowle. 1t was
warm, delicious summer evening, and the
scent Of roses and jasmine filed the air
with fragrance, while the cool white lilies
cleaned like silver in the moonlight. Cen
orally enjoy these things, but tonight
had no thought for them. A horrible in.
cubus seemed hanging over my life. Could
it be possible that Arabella Crowle's vim
dictive threat was being fulfilled, and
tn. It the rest of my life was doomed to be
haunted by her ghost, or spirit, or appar-
ition, or what ever it might be, which
now seemed dogging my daily steps' But
ghosts! How weak and foolish Twas be-
coming! OF course knew that, though 1
could not explain to myself the mysterious
visits which had lately occurred, there
could be no such things as ghosts. Anc
with this thought I, with a contemptuouss
smile, lifted my eyes from the ground
and saw looking over a rose-ledge, eX-
actly facing me-the ghost Of ArabeLa
Crowle!
1t was only momentary glimpse, for
the next instant the apparition had van
ished; but in that moment I saw it plainly
in the moonlight. There were the large
black eyes fixed upon me, the white, mar.
liz tho wpll-fOrn1pG