The Red Cloud chief., 1888-10-12

49, " IL. q
1no-'nss vis'tans ound-came eod
VENT > mysDry whi0h veked my phil
oscpuy ."u ome whicn n o per.
.'s.c"' 'hvcst'sat'on in'lcd 70 pcne-
'r"vc:
"Mus. ! believe Una u IL my lost
o"c > spiiit coming 70 mo nightly, tell
'"y mo 'hnt am f~orgtvch!' asked
myself ~ sat the'v p0ndcring In my
oecp we've chair. ON TINT particular
"'e"t wneh the p0ot'S suggestive lines
occurred 70 mo.
MY room was rather less thnn the
ordinarily sized pnrlor and directly
oppos'te my CHAIR WA . long French
glass window opening upon . marrow
porch with u nigh ornamental Iron rail.
ing from tho porch, q short Night Oi
iron-raiied stops descended 10 . walk
h"dHcu with Tall r0se.bushcs. The
heavy ! plush hnngings Of the door,
window were drawn widely apart on
either side. aud round and brilliantly
white moon. just swinging clear Of the
budding trcc-tops. lighted tho whole
apartment with u radiance almost liko
day,
As mwrinured that last question,
s"uueh'y' without u SOUND ~ warming,
u FORM ana race flashed against The
cic"f crystal 81 tho window. IN" form
was clothed o throat to foet In u
cnnginy whito garments; u looscncd
abundance N hair fell like. u cloud OF
gOld v tho graceful shoulders and
lallid lace. And that ghS'ly.whito
Taco was Tho lace ~ my Ethel; those
great ~blnccycs. wild and staring. were
hers; n she wns gazing straight upon
mo win u look witch stopped my
hc~ari-bcnts. ~ seemed turning the
blood ! n my veins to lee.
With u cry. sprang 10 my feet. and
with ~ stride rcnchcd tho door. But
tho appnrition was gono-gonc II,
swiftly and entirely ns II l, had been n
pencil picture on n slate brushed away
by u schoolboy's sponge! In that see
ond ] did not think; consciousness was
u blank. Perhaps IL WINS instinct; but
whatever IL might be, I dashed the
easements npnr, aud sprnng down tho
stops with u single bound. into the
narrow walk between the ~
Not u fern In human shape was
visible; there was no sound NJ any
human thing moving. On either side
Of mo stretched the smooth level
lawn. grocn and distinct In tho clear
moonlight. There was no brooac stir
ring; tho budding leaves above my
head aud tho budding roses around me.
wcro oil motionlcss. went tho length
Of the path 70 the little iron gate open.
Ing upon tho highway. As I turned
10 retrCcc my stops. u woma ran hur-
ricdly into the grounds and without
noticing me. Even In my cxcitcmcn,
recognized her NJ ~ Mrs. lIastinys-a
Indy who hal settled IN tho nciyhbor.
hood about tho time I purchased the
cottage. Sho directed hcr course to-
ward the i%ron-railcd porch. aud rs |
rapidly followed her To tho entrance.
| shc disappeared through the opon door
| Of my room.
As I stopped quickly after tho lady,, |
bchcld my Ethel. Or hor appari,ioa. sit
| ting In my wi chair, with her white
faco aud wild eyes. aud with n scarlet
fever flame burning on each check.
Her hands werc stretched ~pi,cous!y TO
Mrs. Hastings. who was bending ovor
her. and ~ she spoke, | hoard my
darling's living voice, weak with III.
moss ind sharp with agony.
..Nha. does IL mean, Aun,y?" she
was saving. ..Every nivht. for night.
and nights. I have been hero and wNi..
pcred to him tina, no wa. forgiven.
| WHY did hs not STAY whom I cam, 10
him Just nowp Why did no 10 awuy
angry?"
II was easy tn understand that tho
poor child was d~elirious. Aud | knew
ut once She must have boon frightened
by my wan. startled look IA sprang
from my chair NJ hcr appearance, that
she had hidden among the roses, and
TINT sho had Slipped Into the room
while was searching through tho
grounds.
My DEAR" Mrs Hastings returned
s6Othingly; ''you have never boen here
before; you haven't been ont Of your
bed for weeks. You were only dream
Ing that you saw him and spoke to
him. And you must como with mo-.
dcar!-perhaps he will call and 800 you
In the morning"
stepped across tho rOom, put Mrs.