The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1891-06-04

she entered IN and shut the door be-
hind her. A small, round window,
high up in the wall, let in q little
gleam OF moonlight, broken pane
admitted q breath of air; but amid |
the wooden blankets at the |
further end moths burrowed. She |
could see their tracks, and |
a curious smell that fingers in moth !
eaten wool made the air heavy. AL |
ready her lanterns light attracted in |
sects that came through the broken
pane above to futter about it. She
| closed the slide, and now looked like
very ghost itself-all white in the
faint moonlight,
She listened intently. Soon she
heard the sound Of door closed care
fully, feet upon the stairs, feet in the
passage without the door. Some one
began to pace slowly up and down.
| MARTIAL" said q voice; Martial"
Then there was silence. Then again,
Martial Martial"
1t was aman's voice which spoke.
Now it went on:
"They say your ghost haunts this
house. have come here so often and
heard nothing, seen nothing, Martha,
|
The widow lifted her hand and tap
ped lightly on the door.
There was q little cry without, then
martha" came again, and now the
widow spoke:
"You call Martha. Sheis here. For
once, and once only, she is permitted
to listen to you. Who are your"
"The man who loved you-Jack
Parker" replied the voice. MAY !
see you Martha-angel Martha-may
l see you?
"If you swear not to move--not to
try to touch me-" said the widow
II swear" replied Jack, in chok-
ing voice.
The door OF the linen closet moved
slowly. The man on his knees in the
passage without saw white draped
figure with long braids of hair hanging
below it's waist.
"My God" he painted. "Do I see
you again, Martial"
"I am Martha Penny" replied the
widow, in a soft whisper. "Why have
you called me?"
"To ask your forgiveness" the man
replied. "Without it l am lost in
this world and the next. Speak to
me, sweet angel tell me thatyou know
, that did not kill you with intent to
do so. Let the world think what it
will. Tell me you know it was not so
that you knew it even when you fell
there, where you stand now-tell me
so and save my SOUL"
7 "When fell" the faint voice whis-
| pered, "when the blood gushed from
the wound you gave me | believed
l that you had shot me purposely. In
7 this belief lost my consciousness
t Yes, when seemed to die l thought
5 you had killed me-"
l "But now" said Jack.
e "Oh, unhappy man." replied the
. spirit, "night after night / have hearc
S your means; night after night | have
Y heard you swear by all that is holy tC
D your innocence. do not doubt you
! now. Be at peace. We shall NEE
Q again, and forgive you"
d With cry the man flung himsel
d upon the floor, and great sobs burs
e from his bosom.
a cat last!" he gasped, cat last. Oh
dear angel, at last. Oh, God be prais
It ed"
p The white figure came nearer to tn
e fallen man; it bent over him.
e "Jack," it said in more earthl
IS tones, 81 am so glad that you did no
Ie mean to kill me. Poor boy, you wer
, always handling that revolver reel
d lessly, but you know you threatene
1t me- l loved you, Jack, but l coul
re not marry you your mother was S
" proud, and yet she had been so goo
p to me, q poor little orphan. So
lie swore to myself that 1 would go ava
t. and never see you again unless ST
h called me back. That is why l refuse
" you, Jack, that is why"
1T Thrilling and chilling, Jack LITE
8. himself on his elbow and stared int
ut the yelled face.
Certainly l am really mad at last,
It. he said.
Dr. But the voice, now even more di
~ tinct and full OF earthly tenderness
id went on:
is "No, Jack, no, you are quite san
quite sane. Remember how the boo
>" OF poor Martha Penny was spiritC
gh away. Have you never thought Thu
perhaps she was not dead, thou.
)" that stupid old doctor, in his dotae
ng declared her so? Jack, poor Jack, 81
tie was alive. But when she came to he
nd self the horror she felt that you shou
=" murder her was very great. And y
rs she did not wish to give any eviden
he that would send you to prison. S
ng resolved to fly. The old negress bel
all ed her away, and lied to cover the az
in Jack, am no ghost, L am alive, q
ro- flesh and blood. Touch my hand,
len give YOU leave. Poor Jack, poor !
'as low, how you have suffered all the
,he years" .,
lct GAS they suffer in Hades," he sa
len and humbiy put his lips to the hem
ad her robe.
ha II worked hard for awhile, ther
good old man married me-" she we
the on. "He was kind as II father, ant
ole have a little boy. am a widow nc
i'd and | came back to see the old pla
aid | live in the wing that the agent h
bed to let, and night after night hea
len you through the partition, weep
out and praying forgiveness OF my gho
ear swearing you did not mean to ha
the me. And I meant that you sho
uld only think my ghost forgave "
to But II could not help telling
to truth, dear Jack, once / saw you
ons near me and so broken hearted"
tina Then indeed, Jack grew holder 6
Ia" dared to touch her hands and to
my them to his lips. He was thanl
no and humble, as though heaven
ter vouchsafed him vision OF angels, {
the he left her at her door as he mi
have parted from one. But, after
one she was living woman, he n
ing. who loved her, and ere the autu