The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-13

by saying that she would think 1t over.
And SO time passed away, and the IN
fortunate ghosts death was looked upon
as old history. In the meantime Griffith,
who was now seldom sober, was getting
into difficulties III many matters Finally
his bill grew to such an extent that the
inn keeper threatened to turn him out. In
his difficulty Griffith appalled, to Lyle for
money and was not unnaturally refused,
as he had already borrowed largely from
him. Griffith then saw that nothing re-
NAMED but to surrender his small effects
to the landlord and start out afTesh to
make his way. in the world; but before he
went he Inaliciously determined to give
Lyle a real fright, forgetting entirely in
his seifshRess how much Lyle had already
given him in-small loans which he must
have known would never be repaid. Strange
to say, he determined to play the ghost
again, butas he had ne desire 10 be shot he
determined to be very cautious about it.
Fortune played into his hands.
Lyle came into the inn that evening
after trarsactipg some business in the vii
lage, and after hanging up his overcoat
went into the parlor, where he found
Farmer Primo just preparing for a start
homeward He was prevailed on to stay
for a few minutes and help to sample
bottle Of port. Then Iylein his turn was in
yited to drive home in Farmer Pinno's tax
cart and have supper at his house. He ac-
cepted, nothing 10th, and they went out
together and drove off In the meantime
Griffith had been very busy. In some way
he had discovered that ever since that
memorable night Lyle carried revolver
in his pocket at night, and he rightly
judged that on day when he had bust
ness in the village and was likely to be de-
tanned he would carry his revolver into
the village with him. The moment Lyle
had hung up his coat Griffith came out,
and searching the pockets soon found the
revolver and after some little trouble
he succeeded in extracting the bullets
from the cartridges. He then replaced
the revolver, loaded now with prac-
tically blank cartridges, and then with
drew TO his room to prepare himself for
his ghostly affair. He had heard Farmer
Pinno's invitation given and accepted, and
knew that Lyle would most probably re-
turn about his usual hour. He arrayed
himself exactly Like poor Jones had done,
with dark lantern and sheet, the only
difference being that he stained the breast
of the sheet with red paint, to represent
the blood from Ly1e's revolver shots, and,
having made everything into a bundle, he
sailed out. On his arrival at the bridge
he noticed that the paFapets on either side
were being repaired, and that the worknen
before leaving ad'piaoed boerdtover the
gap in the walls to be some sort of protec-
ton to belated passers by. he then waited,
shivering, until he heard Lyle's footsteps
approaching when he took bis place eX-
actly where Jones had been shot twelve
months before. Lyle approached and look
ed about him with half frightened look
He was brave enough, but conscience
doth make towards of US all, - and he was
no exception to the rule.
AS he came on to the bridge Griffith
turned his lantern slide on and remained
motiOnless, with bullet from Lyle's own
revolver in each hand
Lyle's heart stoppeGI heating for one mo-
ment, then his hand instinctively sought
his revolver and he forced his trembling
lips to ask, 'Who are you and what do
you want?'
The only reply he got was a groan, and |
an arm waved in the air and then pointed
toward the red patch in the breast. Speak |
or will fire, came from Lyle, who was
fast regaining his courage. No answer,
and he pressed the trigger. A hooking
laugh was the only response and the ghost |
threw something at him which hit him in
the chest. Now thoroughly alarmed, Lyle |
fired two shots in quick succession, and
might have followed them up by a personal
charge on the ghost, when an unforeseen /
event took place. The ghost threw anoth- !
er bullet at him with better aim, and this |
hit him heavily in the eye Lyle jumped |
back with cry of surprise and his head !
striking against some Of the loose stones |
of the broken wall upset him and he fell /
against the plank across the gap, which |
being loose afforded him no support, and |
together they went over on to the rocks, !
twenty-five feet below. Griffith, thorough |
" frightened. took to his heels, and never |
stopped running until he found himself |
safely in his room in the inn, having !
enough sense left him, however, to take |
off, us he ran, his disguise and make it up |
into a bundle.
After a few minutes reflection in his !
room he determined to go back to do what |
he could to find Lyle. On his arrival at |
the bridge he made his way down the /
banks with great difficulty and found Lyle |
lying in a shallow pool perfectly dead, as |
he had been stunned by the fail and then |
drowned.
The coroner's jury returned an'Open YER
diet of found dead" as the deceased's re-
volver was found lying on the bridge with |
three chambers discharged, thus looking !
as if there had been more in the case than |
appeared from the evidence
Before leaving the village Griffith con-
fded the whole story to me and faithfully .
promised to reform. He enlisted and was .
rapidly advanced in the non-coElmissioned !
ranks, as-his education helped him.
l heard from him occasionally until one |
day there came another tale Of English !
men who were not afraid to die at duty's |
call, and among the rocks of Afghanistan |
Griffith lies buried beside hundreds more Z.
of the gallant Sixty-sixth, who made such |
a glorious stand at Mi2wand.
Ny story is now finished.
Ghosts have long been out of fashion, |
and this latest attempt at a revivalwas |
not so successful that there need be,any |
fear of them again coming into favor
Jinx in Toronto Empire.