Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-07-26
ter" he said. I'VE can't wake her up.

assistance Mrs. HodgdoD, the village
nurse, was at Cara's bedside when she
awoke.
DR.. Leighton had just left tho room
and was in the next apartment. He
did not go in Immediately, though lie
heard the girl talking.
"Am so very sick?" she asked.
mo, dear. You was feverish and
your mind wandered little, and l
was out of place and told DR.. Leigh
as well us not for my board. l hain't
forgotten the jackets rs Willie out
grow that you sent TO my Bobbie; and
/ had feeling for a young girl with no
mothers hand in the hour o. need"
Oh" moancd the young girl. I'm
not sick. I'm worn ont! Oh. this
dreadful house! | have not slept
soundly all winter"
"Why. deare?"
"Oh, Mrs. Hodgdon. there is some
body in this house besides ourselves.
Besides me and the boys. | mean.
Somebody creeps about and | am al
ways listening for that step. 1t is
killing mel Oh, don't tell anyone!
did not mean TO tell you, but I'm SO
weak. Don't don t say word 20 DIR.
Leighton. | must bear it, because its
all the homo we have. and the boys
never had such u pretty, nice home
before. and they are doing so well.
and are so good. was not afraid at
| first. | am not afrsid now. only for
them. There may be some evil about,
though nothing has ever harmed us.
But as soon rs fall asleep | start up
and listen"
Cara was begging the old woman
not to betray her confidence. when
DIR. Leighton came into the room.
You shall tell me tho whole story,
Cara he said you shall not lose
anything by it," he added.
But Cara broke out, crying. in her
weakness Civ, way to her emotions,
and for time The tumult would have
its way Sho was brought 10 listen TO
reason Mt last
1T was two months after we came
here" she said. 'rhat | first heard
those creeping, creeping steps. | tried
to think it was the trees, or the wind.
or the cat, but ] heard them when there
was no wind at all. and the cat was
asleep on the foot of my bed, and then
things were moved from their places
about the house. and lately have IN S.
ed food. That's since | would not al
low myself to believe that II spirit
haunted the place have searched
every spot and nook in this house.
There is only the space above the scut-
tie IN the roof. and there are no
stairs
"Oh. DR.. Leighton!' groaned Mrs.
Hodgdon, Then of course, it's
spirits"
Nonsense.
DR.. Leighton Contented himself with
prescribing for the sick and over wear
led girl. aud after few DAYS of care
arranged drive for her in his new
buggy, with her brother Jack as atten-
| dant.
"YOu are TO take nice long drive.
and not bc back under two hours" he
said, SIN ling.
The kindness and care surrounding
| Cara was new and very pleasant to
| her. AS the wheels rolled away from
the door in the brightness of the spring
day, her trouble fell away from her like
a nightmare and the color came back
to the pretty cheek.
Five minutes after her departure
from Thistle Cottage two mon were in
the house with DR.. leighton. They
went rapidly through it, beginning
with the cellar. Every wall was tried,
with the idea of Il scovering any uu-
known space or passage. Nothing UNI
known was developed. At length a
short ladder was brought. and the men
assembled to the attic.
1t was only hollow space beneath
tho center of the roof, gu te unlighted.
But enough light penetrated the place
to show an unkcmpt figure rising from
its lair of straw and rags in one cor
ner.
whats this? Are you after me?"
he said, in hollow tones.
The men silently gazed on this OBJ,
ject with establishment, rcpulsion and
pity. 1t was n man. but so thick tho
mask of dirt and CRIME. so ragged the
beard and hair, so grotesque the cos
tune of tattcrs from which fell
feathers and straw. it seemed some
unknown creature instead of human
being.
Great heavens! it is S mon Lelandr'
CT ed DR.. leighton.
This only added to the CONSERVATION
Of the other men. for mon Leland
was the halt-crazed boy who had muir,
dered his father at thistle Cottage five
years before. But want and misery
had given him the appearance of M
old mau.
II don't care what you do with me"'
cried the hollow voice. .Only give
me something 10 cat"
Come with us and you shall hav,
all you want" said DR.. Leighton. no
unkindly.
Where? Down there where the
fire and the light and tho girls is?'
asked the wretched being, and wher
they nodded. he caught up rougl
ladder Of rope. quickly adjusted it ant
swung himself down before them. Blu
he was so weak he staggered. and they
were obliged TO help him down tn,
stairs TO the kitchen, where Mrs.
: Hodgdon shaking with excitemen
|, and CONSERVATION. placed foot
upon the table from which lie snatch
Z cd it, without any prctcnce of eating
, from a plate, deyouring it Ike q hal
:, h mself lie would have lain down on
| tue moor anu BOuc W Steep, ult ina
i, the unaccustomed plenty sickened him.
and he began TO groan aud roll about
, In short time. the sheriff. who ha,
+ been sent for. arrived. aud no wa.
taken away. No one believed
that tho poor. underw tod. half
, dying creature was lit subject TO
punishment, but the county jail was ;
/ clean aud comfortable refuge for hin
, in his destitut Oh. Here he Remained
until consigned to the almshouso. NJ
n reliable account of his career could b.
obtained from him, but it is proba bit
n that he had sought refuge at lhistl
Cottage N its dcsGrtion. and existeI
mserably there a great while befor'
discovered. He had prOwled about a
Z night searching for fool, of which h
. found II scamtv supply, stealing from
!. corn bins. pigs and poulir.. aud rob
bling hen roosts, eating the flesh OF tn
n fowls raw. 1t WAS the occasional dis
il covery of his miserable figure wbic
n had called into ex s,ence the story G
the place being haunted by his ghost
+ But so reduced had he become h
r would probably have died in his lai
but for DIR. LeIghton's discovery G
him.
I