Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-09-06

come his, and the sooner death brooded his
black wings over that unhappy house, the
better for the plot which was forming in
that subtle brain.
CHAPTER XIV.
WHAT THE PORTER SAW.
"rd ought to a known that suthin' was
goin' to happen. had warnin', but was
so sot up in my own conceit that wouldn't
take it. tell you, Mr.. Norris, faint for
nothin' that ghost comes back to ha mt the
places what it knew in life, specially if that
place warn't likely to raise comfortable
feelin's, and no one can tell me as Edison
would enjoy these here premises even in a
spiritooal sense.'
"Edsonp' Norris looked up quickly from
his work. "What are you talking about,
Bijaha"
Bijah was the porter of the establishment,
and he was waiting for the new clerk to get
through with his business and go home, as
the others had done a good hour before.
Bijah cast nervous glance over his
shoulder, and his voice dropped to some
thing approaching cadence of awe as he
made reply:
"You'n hardly b'lieve what l tell you, Mr..
Norris, but it's the iivin' truth that 1 saw
Edsoa that night, in the old room there to
the right of you, as plain as l see you now.
/ was goin' about, locl1in' up as usual, and
as l came in from the countin' room the
door there stood open, and saw Edison in
the lookin' glass over the dressin' table,
just as 1 used to see him. dozens of times.
as went on my round. l was all struck of
a heap, and stood starin' at him and him at
me for nigh onto a minute. 1t was Edison,
and it want him, but the difference
was just what you'd look for in a ghost
wasted and yaller and worn, the spookiest
loolzin' critter-and while I looked he went
out of the glass, and the room was as empty
as you see it now. won't deny there was
a cold creep down my back when l went
into it, expectin' hardly know what. There
was an old coat hangin' on the wall, and I
took it into my head to reason out that that
was what I'd seen, and my imaginin' Ed
sons face to the top of it was what they
call a noptical deluSion. Wuss luck for poor
Mr.. Lyman, though I reckon he wouldn't
a. took much stock in my spook story If I'd
told it to him. That's what gets me! Why
didn't the ghost show itself to him! Some
good might have come of it then, if it had
scared him out of stayin' round o. nights,
which couldn't see the use of noway," and
Bijah gave his head dubious shake.
SIT proves to hav C been most fortunate
thing, outside Of the result to him, Bijah.
Childer left every account straight and
clear. The business has been so simplified
I
Guilty in understanding it, and there was
even draft of what he intended to do in
regard to all the important in: erestS of
the bank. Mr. Everleigh was much moved
by so many evidences of his forethought."
Involuntarily the bank porter's coun-
tenance frightened.
80? Well, now, I'm downright glad
that there wasn't any thing of the Edison
business afoot. 1 misdoubted, somehow,
7 l,Fx ~,
Lyman, neither. / don't keer now if the
ghosts do walk and Bijah whistled cheer
| lily as he went about his task of clearing up.
Norris, having finished his work. passed
| into the room which had been occupied by
| Edison when he was cashier there. 1t was
| plain apartment, bare enough now, with
| hooks on the wall where the clerks hung
| their outdoor apparel. The old coat 70
| which Bijah referred still hung in its place,
and by walking back to the outer room.
| Norris convinced himself that the angle of
reflection wosld not show it at the spot
| where the other had stood when he saw his
| vision.
| Had Edison himself been there: He could
not doubt it, knowing, as the other did not,
| that the defaulter lived; but why should he
| come there why war with his companion
in crime, if Lyman Childer had been that
| companion! More and more had it been
| borne in ON Norris that this must be the
| explanation of the case.
| you see, there amt place where a cat
could hide said the porter, coming up
| while these thoughts were passing through
| the young mans mind. ''That ar detective
talked like the burglar might have hid in
| side, but it WANT III here, I'll be bound"
"What is this!' asked Norris, STOPPING
over small door sunk in the wainscotting
THAT! That's nothin' but cubby-hole
under the stairs. Don't think even ghost
would want to cuddle in there Bolts
| rusted in, reckon; it hain't been open for
| q year"
The bolts gave readily under Bergman's
touch, however, and the door swung noise
lcssly back. A pile of old ledgers almost
filed the space inside, and tho dust on
them, quarter of an inch thick, showed no
trace of having been recently disturbed.
"You sce?" said Bjah. "Good Lord!"
1t was only the ringing of the telephone
| bell which gave him such q start. Norris
answered the call, to receive a message
from Mr.. Everleigh.
| 'iGlad you are there yet want you to
come up to the house ut once. Something
to tell you of Importance"
There was an indistinguishable growl at
the last, as if the speaker were in no good
| humor, and, in truth. the banker seemed
| both veXcd and troubled Wnen MS clefk ap-
pcared before him.
"Ingot has resigned" he announced 81
expected to extend his leave, ut some in
| convenience to myself. He Is a thorough
accounts and / will find it hard to re-
place him satisfactorily at q moments mo-
| tee"
"That is not all that is troubling you,
sir!n
"No, it is not. There is that child's money
| which Lyman put with his into the firm.
| We are on our cs now, so that it can be
repaid, but her brother gave me to under
stand, even when her marriage was spoken
Of that he intended to keep the manage
ment of it until she became of age. Ingot
has given me notice that he intends with
| drawing it."
An indignant flash came into his hearers
eyes.
s.Has he the right to do this!"
| "As her husband he will have. Though
Ixman has acted as her guardian, chance
| to know that he never took the legal steps
IN become so in fact. You see, before this
| recent fortune came to them. they owned
nothing but the house they live In, and
| there was no one to dispute his authority.
{! n the girl herself wishes it. don't see that