Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-07

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went to the table and lighted the candle;
no fixed purpose inducing me, perhaps,
still not quite recovered from the electric
shock. Mechanically I picked up the
copper waiter which now lay on the floor,
and which had seen, when the vivid
lightning had come, in the woman's hand.
l started at the sight Of 1t. It's former
glittering surface was SO no longer; burnt
into it and confronting me were the fea-
lures Of well known face. How well
knew those long, almond eyes! that
gracefully curved chinl the thin, tightly
compressed lips!
l recalled some broken sentences:
Crops not strong enough-white powder
beats forty -fve-all over"
A sudden, terrible suspicion broke upon
me- as Reynolds Herholf's ghastly face,
growing thinner and thinner daily, rose
before me. She was giving him drops
daily-a Spanish tonic, he had told ne
and was numbering her own husband be-
fore my eyes!
sat down to debate what should do.
BY Thursday, the man whom l now knew
to be the scoundrel Alvarez had said, all
would be over. 1t was already Tuesday.
Too late to hope for his recovery, per-
haps, but | must attempt it. Yet howl
He could bear little excitement in his
weak condition, yet to tell him without
causing excitement was impossible. The
waiter would condemn her, but could he
survive the discovery l had scarcely
reached my room when there was knock
upon my door, and obeyed summons
to Reynolds room.
Beads Of moisture stood upon his brow,
and he breathed with intense difficulty.
He apologized for disturbing me to keep
him company, but the storm had made
him sleepless.
Besides" he went on, 81 thought
heard q scream, fearful, horrible scream,
last night, when the lightning struck that
tree on the lawn. was too weak to get
up, and would not disturb my wife, I
haven't got clear and the noise doesn't
leave my ears. hear it always heard
it then'-he shuddered, and covered his
face with his hands for a few seconds,
then started up in a listening attitude as
he cried: "Therel Ihearditl Oh. heard it
againl Help me! Help mel Oh, Charlie,
you heard nothing, did you?'
stroked bis brow soothingly, and put
ting pocket flask to his lips, urged
him to swallow little Of the stimulant.
In few seconds, so complete was his OK
haustion, he had fallen into nervous
slumber.
An old family servant beckoned me to
the door, and closed it behind US as he
said
"Mars Charles, don't yer let on ter Mars
Reynolds. but TO dc Laud ye kyan hep
hearin' dem heather noises what Miss
ben er maxim sence TO- day. Jes' fur all
de wurl like de ole oman. her ma, made,
SO folks say. Tank de Laud l wusnt
here den, when dey had her shet up in
dat room what Miss Mia got now"
could only repeat: 1.-The old woman?"
"Why, you see-dat what dey tell me
do ole man couldn't er got de money eff
dc folks in dem Turin places d er knowed
dat de ole 'owan d gone out'n her mine.
So he just switched her off here en- nor
ated in no time how dat she was dead.
En- TO- dc Laud, dar she was shet up, en-
nobody KNOWN de way ter her rep'n de
ole man hisself en- Miss Mia. When de
po' creeter died dey shet up de stairway,
en- Miss Nita low she mine ter live in dat
room herself; but hit clean beat Jacobs
time how she kin stay dar. Hear dat?"
1t was the same sound l had heard
when in Reynolds room.
"Dat dc way de ole oman kyar on when
dem spells wus on her. En- dem soun's
been reachin' out here sence TO day. Ye
kin guess now why dat po' lovin' creeter
in dar d rather think he crazy hisself n
ter hear dat noise. ben er hIInorin' Nv
| him, but l dunno!" and the old man shook
his head sadly.
The sick man still slept. and stepped
softly to the adjoining room. turned
the key, lifted the latch, and ventured
cautious glance behind the portiere.
/ Tn ba roo,A lo,onl ~ 1890
l stood, Anita Herholf, the most beauti-
full woman had ever seen, was a raving
maniac. Her long hair hung like thick
cloud about her; her magnificent eyes
were distended and bloodshot; her cloth
ing torn and disordered; and as she
/ swayed her slim, graceful figure back and
/ forth in O movement almost snake like in
/ its suppleoess, she uttered dog like
snarl, which occasionally was prolonged
into the revolving sound that reached
Reynolds room. Incipient disease had
been developed by the strain her nerv-
Gus system had been under, and the cleo
trio shock had fastened the climax.
The murderess was feeling her own fangs!
summoned medical aid at once Tho
physician pronounced Mr.. Herholf I'M
doubtedly victimsto the deadly narcotic
foxglove. His condition for weeks was
one between life and death, with almost
no hope Of recovery. His wife was placed
in an asylum, where she died before he
was able to leave his room. He never
knew her crime. When be was able to
travel he went abroad, leaving the house
in my care. destroyed the contents OF
the tablein the secret gallery, from which
had undoubted proofs that my sus-
picions were correct, and that Anita Her
holt was poisoning her husband, that she
might give herself legally to the villain
whom her father had refused to let her
marry during his lifetime. He, Alvarez,
having just left the gallery as the bolt
came. was killed by the falling tree. and
never lived to be punished for his crimes.
keep tho waiter. though the face after
few hours was unacceptable. No one
can read from it, as did. the secret of tho
Ghost of Penares."
The dress Of silver gauze keep also.
with the little lamp which Anita Herholf
must always have carried; and by the aid
of narrow, obUQue mirror in the ceiling,
the effect was produced Of figure at one
end and shadow at tho other, or ghost,
as have always called it. 1t was one to
ne!-Mary A. Blanc in Frank Leslie.
United States Army Scouts.