Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-08-17

horror which is said to be caused by
the tread of an alien foot upon the
ground where ones grave shall be. p
"Pah! nOnsense!' says practical
Fortunate; ''hOw weak of YOU to re-
member old wOmen's superstitiOnsi
What 1 fear is that you may be de
veIOping calenturas- That long row
IN this beating, blazing sun, the sud
den change to the GOODNESS of this
dense shadow, and the reek of rank,
decaying vegetatiOn-surely these
are causes enough to bring on chills
and fever IN these lOWlands. / think
there must be marshes hereabOuts-
/ had q Whit just now of sickening,
charnel-like air thatsayOr Ofmalaria
or miasm. Hal what is that? A
man-perhaps a contestant of our
claim, Felipe!'
They are nearing the palms, from
whose shade energies the stranger-a
strange, fantastic figure, clad IN
torn and dusty gaFb Ofnautical mode
and antique fashion. He draws near
to the young men, and they note
that he wears about his neck q clum-
sy old rosary, holding a massive
cross, misshapen from oxidation
''My friend!' it is Fortunate who
halls him; edo YOU live hereabOuts?''
The approaching figure returns no
answer.
Felipe grips his comrades arm in
/ very CONFUSION Of terror DO
you see, - he cries; ''he has no face?
/ He has no substance Oh. God! For
/ bunatO, it is no man! it is a spectre!'
/ Fortunate gaZes more intently up
/ IN the strange, slOWly-mOvingO object,
/ and he perceives in truth that he can
/ distinguish no outline of a cOunte-
/ lance. Not that the face is either
/ yelled or turned aside-it is simply
vague and confused. Then he notes,
/ concentrating the same intensity Of
/ observation, that the figure, which
/ glides rather than walks, stirs no
eaf nor blossom. though many must
De brushed violently in that close
growing jungle. As the Shape passes
little gaps of the open, no shadow
lOr reflection falls on the still waters
If the lagoon, and the shy cranes
aeding among the reeds, ever alert
20 take wing at the nearing football
Of a human being, now forage on
II undisturbed serenity, while the
Jimid hummin@-birds still hover
earlessly over the bells of the con-
FOlVuIus.
Fortunate hears n crash behind
him, and he knows by instinct that
/ Felipe has fallen, senseless from ter
'Or, but he does not turn aside. nor
vert his eyes from the horror. On
and on, till close beside him. the
IhingapprOaches, but the stout heart
IF the young man triumphs over his
natural terrOrs, in the highest form
# courage,
The Mystery makes an imperative
gesture. and Fortunate moves for
7ard in prompt compliance His
ghostlg guide recedes through the
ungle till he reaches the palm-trees
le parts the rank ferns and trailing
0riers. and the young man sees upon
he ground and antique, cumbrOus
nattOck, half covered by decaying
alling leaves, and very rusty. Again
she Spectre signals a command, and
he young man again Obeys that
1erce and awful gesture, wrenching
he tool from it's imbedded place
among the clingng creepers, and
iigging furiOusly, impelled by fever
sh excitement 10 a strength alb
aOFmal- Heis bathed ia perspiratiOn.
his face is crimson. his breath comes
50 short and fast that he can SCARCE
continue, Yet his energy flags not.
Suddenly his pick strikes through
mass of rOtting wood. There is a
ingle of metal, and as he wrenches
lhe tool away, he tears off great
lake of the decayed timber, and lays
bare Il cleaning heap of gold.
He lifts his gaze to his terrible com
)aniOn, and behold! no more the
antique garb and the vague confusion
If outlines. Clear, distinct in the
broad light of day, it is a skeleton
hat stands erect before himl
Then he knows no more until long
hours later, when the sea breeze fans
lim back to consciousness, and he re-
7ives, slowly and unremembering at
irst, rises himself to a sitting pos
ure, and looks about him.
Y Onder a few steps distant lies Fee
ipe, cold aid rigid, in the disOrted
position in which he had fallen. The
,yeballs are still rolled upwards and
he lips drawn back, in thecOntOrtiOn
If mortal terror, from which they
giIl relax to consciousness never, for
Felipe is u dead man.
Fortunate, gathering up a Femem-
FRANCE, turns back to the pit ne has
uncovered beneath the palm trees, and
here Is still u cleaning yellow mass
If gold, with the bones Of q human
rame lying in CHASTITY disorder upon
t.-Argunaut.