The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-07-28

lanterns and started out, and had to go along or be left in the dark. When clear of the house he made a run for the highway, and l found him on the farther side of it when I came up.
 "What's the matter2" I asked.
 "Good God, man, but my nerves are all gonei" he gasped. "I wouldn't stop in that house another five min- utes for all the money in the statew
 was satisfied that all the noises had been made by human agency. Some one had taken possession of the house, and l had feeling that it was Kelly. It was just in line with his other sharp tricks. did not tell my companion what I suspected nor what I intended to do, but I had all my plans laid before morning. The old house was two and half stories, and whoever was hiding there was likely to be in the garret. It was also likely that this garret was reached from the second story by ladder. If the per- son was Kelly or any other sharp fel- low, the ladder would be drawn up. or any one showing his head above the scuttle would receive a rap. If l got squad of men and surrounded the house, the occupant might get off by some unknown way, or find hid- ing place unknown to us. If we failed to find any one, the whole city would hold us up to ridicule.
 There was no window in the garret at the back end of the house. It was hardly daylight before I approached from that direction, entered the place with great caution, and hid myself away beneath the kitcnen stairs. expected the occupant of the garret would come down before noon, but he did not show up. It was a dark and gloomy day in the fall, with frequent rain squalls, and about two o'clock in the afternoon 1 crept up stairs in my stocking feet, entered a room near where the garret scuttle was located, and began playing the ghost for some one else's benefit. had brought along a mouth organ, and I sounded and hung on to few lonesome notes sev- eral times over. Pretty soon I heard a slight movement overhead. Then took fiddle-string, made one end fast to nail, and when had hauled taut picked the string with my thumb nail. l sent forth complaining sounds, and added few sighs and groans. The sounds above me became plainer, and l knew that some one was listen ing at the scuttle.
 gave him a few more notes, scratched on the wall and floor, and in few minutes a ladder was thrust down from the scuttle. A few deep drawn groans on my part brought a man down the ladder, and as he reached the foot of it I collared him. It was Kelly. He who had played ghost on the others had himself fallen into the trap. He screamed right out at sight of me, and did not get his nerve back until I had him outdoors. He fully believed for the time that a spirit made the sounds. The case was as had figured. He had planned to come to the house, and he intended to remain there several weeks. He had affixed cords to the top of the parlor door to swing it and had arranged for all the sounds we had heard. If felt elated he felt very sheepish as an offset, and when sentenced to two years in the state prison for his crime, he said to me:
 "It isn't that I was caught, but that was Outwitted and bamboozied. Why, man, had that whole plan in my head for months, and I'd have bet hundred to one that I'd get safe off. Just think what 8 fool I was to take up quarters in haunted house and then let some one play the ghost on me "-Ne,o York Graphic.