Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-09-28


shoulder, II can tell you / don't like
the picture. Sometimes L feel posi-
lively afraid of it. Yet this night VIII
Ihave to spend with those two inquir-
ing, hateful eyes watching methrOugh
the darkness. However, to ObIige d
friend, you know! In the meantime,
let US go down stairs and have sup
per"
At about , O'Clock in the morning
we made move toward bed.
We had arranged that was to have
JacksOn's room and Jackson was to
sleep>in the unfinished room as be
fore mentioned. jackson turned
away whistling cheerily to himself.
But I was not going to bed yet. 1
had a great deal to do first. 1 had
to wheel a soft, graceful sofa in front
of the fire and surround it by a wide
spreading screen, so thatI had every
particle of warmth and light to my
self. Then I had to open a pOrtman-
teau and take theretrOm an old and
well-WOrn shooting jacket and some
papers which had to be arranged be
fore I slept. Then 1 threw myself on
the lounge and prepared for q good,
solid hours work,
Thus far, and no farther, had got
with my arrangements, when / heard
a door in the passage banged with
hideOus uprOar, and a sickly thrill
at my heart told me something awful
was about to happen. Some one
came along the passage with the un-
/ certained shutting step OF a drunken
man, and my door was shaken as if
/ by some one trying to find the handle,
and then Jackson burst into the
room. He advanced into the light
of the shaded lamp, but so changed
that at the first glance L did nOtrecOg-
nize him. The face that but a few
minutes ago was flushed and smiling
was nOWrigid and set; the complexion
wore a gastly blue tinge, and every
particle OfcOlOr had died on his cheeks.
| His eyes were dilated, and his short
curly hair was erect. He stood star
! ing at me with one hand raised and
his mouth open, and gasping as
/ though struggling to speak. To be
shut in a lonely house at dead waste
and middle OF the night with such a
! figure would be sufficient 80 try q
| strong mans nerves, but L tstrange
/ ~ SLl.FJ htto kJCLlCNCt.y oS44- lJJooCooCtL-
held in my hand q Wretched
/ weather beaten old brief, which had
/ been fingered by generations of
| lawyers, a case that had been tried at
/ various prehistoric courts, and con
frmed ndrescinded byjudges known
/ to history. Then it was replaced in
/ it's original tin box to wait for the
period when I, gaily bedight of wig
and gown, should go forth to do bat
/ tie on behalf Of the promising young
/ heir who had died of old age before.
/ l was half finished at Oxford How
! ever, this bit OfannOtated parchment
was a stout link, which was sufficient
to bind me to the practical common
! places of life, just at first.
/ 'What on earth's the matter with
| your l asked, laughing. 'HaveyOu
| swallowed the bedroom pOker?'
/ jackson didnOtnOtice my mOckery
but remained gasping. Power OF
/ speech returned after awhile, and !
/ managed to make out through his
| gasps and sObs a low murnlur: ooh,
( God, I've seen tive seen her-the
1 picture in my room The light went
out, 1 locked the door, she's there
nOw!'
[ confess I was really frightened
but my pride would not allow me to
show it. l assumed areckless. swag-
gering air, which ! sOlemnly believe
was the only thing that prevented us
both going mad with terror that ter
rible night.
ooh, there is a lady in the case, ]
said, standing and leading my friend
to the fire. HAS the portrait jumped
out of its frame and begun walking
about to stretch its limbs?"
Jackson shuddered and nodded his
head. l was trembling with mOrta.
terror, but, poor fool that was, ]
must needs play the part Of 8
thorough going fire-eater, who feared
neither man nor devil.
II will go and interview her, " Isaid
81 viii point out to the young lady
the improperly of presuming on hel
privileges in the house Of bachelor
she ought to stop in her proper
place"
1 took the matches from the table
and asked Jackson if he would come
with me- He clutched me by the coal
and murmured: For the love o
heaven, don't go near that accurseC
room"
shook him of roughly and saiC
with rudeness, only pardOnable by
my fright: "Hang it, man, leave INT
alone. You'll make me as frightened
as you are yourself if you go on Will
this foOlery."
He threw himself into the chair anC
took hold Of the lamp as much as t,
say he would not go himself, nor al
low the only light in the house to de
part from him.
every good, - I said, with a poo
= assumDtiOn OF paVetV. 81 90 to La