The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-02-11

kltcIen Wltn rSneWeu couESSe, Wnlte Lucy and Dotty confessed how fool ishly credulous they had been. "Of course there are no such things as real ghosts" said Lucy. "But & person can't help being nervous" said Dotty.
 You never would have thought of the thing if it hadn't been for old Renney," said Aunt Patty, "l wish he had held his ridiculous tongue!"
 But in the middle of the night Aunt Patty herself was reused by a sound that was neither creaking shut ters, rapping Ivy nor mice scnttling across the floor before the rush of some averaging cat.
 "lt's just liko an iron chain rattling in the hall beyond" said Aunt Patty. sitting up in bed and turning back the frill of her nightcap from her ear, in order that she might the better listen. "There 1t goes again. must look into this business"
 To spring out of bed and light her nigh: lamp was tho work of but one second; to wrap herself in the folds of a voluminous gray flannel dressing gown was another, and Miss Lock land bounced out into the hall
 As she opened the door the draught blew out the light, but by the star light she could see, at the otheR end ot the entry, a tall, white figure, slowly advancing toward her.
 "Who arc you2" vaiorously de- ,,.laA VafN,- s.1 a .1tSrtal groan replied.
 "What kind of an answer is that?" cried Miss Patty, But only a second groan could she elicit.
 "Come" said Aunt Patty, "I mean to be at the bottom of this thing '"
 And instead ot retreating in par oxysm of blind terror, as the sepul- chral visitant evidently expected she would do, the resolute spinster marched straight to it. seized it by the shoulders. and shook it until its teeth rattled in its head almost equal to the iron chains
 "Takc off that white sheet and wig :" said Miss Lockland, stcrnly.
 "Don't e-e, now Let fellow alone :" roared the ghost, in vain en- deavoring to wrigglc out of Miss Patty's iron grasp.
 "l know you," said Miss Patty, knocking off the white wig with delft motion of her left elbow "l've seen that shock of red hair before! You're Milo Renney's oldest boy"
 "Lemme go!" sullcnly snaried the lad.
 Not until you tell me what all this masquerading nonsense Is for"
 "lt was dad" reluctantly confessed the boy. "lle made me. He didn't want the Shore cottage to be let"
 "And why not? No-you needn't squirm about--you can't get away. Why not? say, unless you prefer answering before a magistrate"
 "Because," whined the boy, "the cellar was handy to store away the whisky and tobacco the lovely Nancy brought every three. weeks. And dad he has part share in the smugglin' business, and the ghost was the only thing to keep the folks away. Now, come Lemme go, 1 say''
 "Yes. Pll let you go for to-night," said Aunt Patty. "But this isn't the end of the affair by any means"
 You wouldn't be so hard on poor folks as to complain on usw cried the boy. "Dad'll most murder me, any way"
 "I'll do precisely AS ! please" said Miss Lockland.
 The next day she walked down to Milo Renney's fishing cabin, and had a long talk with him-the upshot of whis was that the ghost of Shore cot tage was finally exercised. No more mysterious sights and sounds dis turbed the dwellers beneath its peace ful roof. Even Nora began to go up and down the long entries at twilight without a lamp, and Dotty's roses came back once more, while Lucy laughed at her former fear.
 But Aunt Lockland and Milo Ren- ney kept their secret. The smuggling business had come to an untimely end, and the white shadow had vanished forevermore.