The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-02-28

Martin, and you re not the man to put n rope
round my neck Tor telling you; not you"
stood and looked at him and wondered il
he were raving at the last, for did not think
there were many more hours of life in him,
and his senses might have left him first, as
they Will do sometimes, perhaps out of polite
ness Gould it be possible, l thought, that my
uncle was a murderer. that this was true and
that the Bertha Keefeand of a fortnight since
was spirit from another world? Were there,
after ALL such things as ghosts to walk the
earth and avenge the deeds which made them
so? 10 look upon this agitated, earnest old
man was to believe it almost 1t seemed so
awiully like the truth coming from those thin
white lips. And presently L did not even
doubt it.
81 don't mind telling you the rest of it,
Martin : you ii understand then why Haven't
LETT you any money in my will. It's more than
twenty years ago when Casper Koefeland and
| were friends firSt-when he foil sick one days
i'll this very room and was afraid he should die
before he got back to his native village, and
the wife and baby he had left behind him there
lie Travelled good deal between Russia and
England, and always put up at the Flyinc Fish
The last time l am talking about-when he
was i'll, that is-he had brought with him box
made OF Sandal-wood a legacy, he told mo-
from rich relation who had died in London
that year Before he left Deal he got the no
ton into his head that he should die before he
reached home, and so he asked me to take care
OF the box and its contents being pretty sure
his mates would stick TO il il he shouldn't live
to get off shipboard. For some reason, too, he
did not want his wife to know of this at present
'It'll be surprise to her some day, lac said,
land for Bertha. I'll leave it with you to be
called for, SAM, he said; IT'S safe with yon
as with the bank of England. Bertha shall
come here for it some day, when she grows 10
be woman-that's time enough. l don want
Tor anything now; | may then. l can trust
you, Sam, and | can only trust you to keep it
safe for her. And, if l should die before get
home, you'll take it to Germany yourself. Say
that's promise? And said ii was promise
SO it was"
"Weu?" gasped Ego on
but Casper did get home, though he was
taken worse on the journey. He was never fit
for much work again. lie was something like
ing tigure-head. a stuffed Guy Fawkes, u scare
crow of the cussedest. But he sent me one
line, which somebody wrote for him Keep it
till called for it said till Bertha comes, and
/ kept it,"
"And she cameo"
Eyes. Don't be in q hurry; you're always
in such beastly hurry" ho said. 81 haven't
told you what was in the box"
Did you know"
Gone night broke it opens
"Ohl"
81 wasn't particular; never was over-par-
ticular," he said; "and i wanted to be sure
what Casper was making all this fuss about.
And there were diamonds and LARGE gold bits
of foreign money, and then more diamonds in
the queerest settings. They fetched lot Of
money"
ibid you sell them?"
!" was in difficulties" no eontinged5 81 had
been tried fol Smuggling TficsS Nsefs heavy
expenses for my defense, and heavier fines to
pay, and wanted money badly. When I
wanted money badly / always got it somehow,
and Keefelands jewels came in handy"
hat was dreadful"
odd Keefeland took no notice, and nobody
called for the property. ! thought he must
have forgotten to tell anybody about it," lie
went on; chat he had gone off for good with
out telling wife or child-that he had thought
might as well have the things as anybody
else. He was so very fond of me-
u wonder why that WASP" i said.
lyon mind your own business, and wonder
at what I've got to tell YOU" growled my un-
Gle. "That'll be quite enough" he added,
with shudder, which lasted SO long that l
thought he would shuddder himself out of the
world, and so end himself before his story.
But he suddenly rallied, and went on: cone
night though, she did come-Bertha Keefe-
land, Mt the same time, on the same sort of
night as the last, with the wind roaring down
the street, and shaking all the windows. She
walked into the place, and asked me for the
box just as she asked you, and / would have
sooner seen her ghost then. God knows did
not know what to do. / had sold the jewels
and the foreign money / could only see q
prison for me, and--and L was always q des-
perate fellow in my heart of hearts. l asked
her to step into the next room--the room close
to the bar which always keep locked. You
guess now why? and-and-but I've told you
all the rest. You know-you know! and you
have seen her risen from the dead. And She
will come once more for me, too we shall see
her walk into this room again, you and to-
gether; now, mark my words. That's what
am waiting for"
go, don't get that into your head"
"And shouldn't like you to be out Of the
way when She calls for me instead of for the
box. Pm to be called for now, SO don't leave
me, Martin, not for moment; there's dear
good lad"