The morning call., 1892-11-05
4 PHANTOM CRIME.

Well, there certainly are things in this
world that no one can explain. Now l
guess I've got as much nerve as any average
man, aud l don't believe in ghosts, either,
but, by Ge0Tgel If | didn't have an ex-
perience once that made me feel aueerl
Tel YOU the story? Well, there's no use in
it-y0u won't believe me if | do, and it's
something / seldom tell any one. But I'll
t-ll you. if You like. l haven't been the
same man since.
1t was while l was in Kansas, about
twenty years ago. TIE man J was working
for-by the name of Wellington-had
o. bought two or three neighboring farms, so
the ranch was about SIX miles square; and
IS It was a long distance to headquarters
for the men TO 60 at mesltimes, he had left
one of the farmhousss standing, and built
couple of other shanties for convenience.
Now the house that was left undisturbed
Lad been owned by man named Mcdonnell,
"a mayericker. that is. one who hunts stray
cattle and brands them as his own. OF
course he was pretty much disliked anyway,
and when, one day in September, a young
fellow driving 4 herd north stopped at
NcDonelPs ranch and was never seen again
il did not help his reputation. A mans
death in free fight doesn't amount TO much
on the plains, but when 1t comes to killing
a guest in bed. it alters the case. So. after
five or six weeks, Mcdonnell found it con-
yenient to sell out and move.
Wei. sir, l went out West in May and
was put to sleep, with about half q dozen
other men, in That house, and we stayed
there peaceably until the first of Septem-
Der, when suddenly all of the men but N.Y.
self and one other fellow had orders to
change our lodging.
TINS seemed strange. but I was used to
- minding MY own business and so said moth
ing, when enc morning Wellington came to
he sid said:
''See here, Lerritt, III send hammoeks
around fer you and McCullock aGd you
sleep n them under the trees. / want YOU
10 keep clear of the house. l don't believe
in ghOstS-of course not-but there have
been queer goingS on there every September
since Mcdonnell left that keep every one
from sleeping in i"
l answered to the effect that thought
could stand II if MCCullock could and gave
Dc more thought TO the matter.
Ny eomrade was a cowboy, born and bred
on the plains, who feared neither God nor
devil. aud who could kill his man al twenty
yards as easily and surely as grim death
himself. His nerves and muscles seemed of
iron. be would face grizzly single-handed
and l have seen him challenge three men at
once, and fight with three furious cow
boys is no chlld's play.
1t was this man who was ordered 10 swing
his hammock beside mine, and | do not
mind saying that felt more wary of my
bedfeIow than Of whole regiment Of
ghaSts.
For two or three nights all went well. but
on the fourth the rain came down in tor
rents. and L made up my mind TO sleep in
the house. Feeling sure McCull0ck would
agree with me, l said / was tired of being
dTenched; but TO my intense surprise he
said not over teRderiy;
~ ell. sleep in the house il Won want TO.
but you'll be id fool il ycu do''
That was all could get out OF him; but
with my usual stubboTnness | decided TO
face that ghost or die in the attempt and
let me tell you, came pretty near doing
both
True to MY intention. as evening came on
went upstairs 10 survey my quarters. The
floor consisted Of two small square rooms
connected by an open doerway-both en-
tFeiy bare. and each lighted by a tny
window facing the open plains. Satisfied
mat no enc could enter either room without
my snowlege, l gave McCul0ek a last
warning that II lie played any tricks on me
/ would put bullet in bis head and feel
ing quite sure OF en undisturbed night
rolled myself up n my blanket and went 10
sleep smiling derisiyely at the idea of a
spook.
sleptlik top for what must have been
--1T 1T0r I've b9uTs, when / started up awake.
filed with that indescribable feeling of
terror that superslitious people attribute to
the tread ot stranger over ones future
grave. Waves OF heat and cold chased each
tAhtt dunu my DaCh every Balr on nv
head seemed to rise and stand erect aud
separate from its fellows: nv nerves quir-
cred as II with pain; my joints trembled,
AMI ! found myself listening with bated
breath 10 the sound OF heavy but tealthy
football coming up the stairs toward the
room in which lay. On it came softly,
slowly, but snrely, nearer, nearer, nearer,
until l felt l must cry aloud
The moon sh0ne through the doorway into
the hail. could see no one, bat the foot
fFn ~ Oan fol linn,
Zed brain like the stroke Of club. felt
could stand 1t no longer, and recklessly
clutcbIng my pistol in my shaking hand
fred again and again. caring for naught but
10 stop, II possible, the advance of those
terrible footsteps. In vain. They still ap-
preached, and, TO my astonishment and
terror, felt movement on my other side
as II some one lying by me was rising to his
feet.
The footsteps stole around me. and then
uegan noise the most awful and uncanny
thing / have ever experienced. The two
distinct treads pursued each other round
the rooms, round and round me, until / was
so exhausted by terror l could not even cry
out Still those flying feet kept on. One
would gaiB-the other dodge, and in doing
so tTip little-then both would rush past
me with blast Of cold air. When | heard
them between me and the window fred
once more. The bullet went through the
opening: there was nothing there.
his state of things went on for what
seemed 70 me lifetime. though it could not
Lave been more than fifteen minutes, when
the second and lighter step stumbled the
pursuing specter went on; there was a short
scui1a and a heavy fall. | sat up half
stunned, and was fast losing consciousness
When the silence was again broken, and |
could have sworn ] heard the sound of
planks being torn up from the floor Then
the tbief-lks tread returned to the spot
where the struggle had taken place, and
dragging something heavy across the floor
rolled the phantom burden into its phantom
grave, and heard the planks replaced.
All this time / was staring al the spot on
the floor whence came the sounds, and could
see nothing - nothing but the moonlight
shining on plain stretch Of smooth pine
boards; but [ knew just as well that | had
witnessed the murder OF the young herder
who had died there ten years before as il |
had seen as well as heard il done
And L was right, tor upon tearing up the
floor the bleached bones OF a man were
brought to light. A ring on the finger was
engraved with the motto "ktsmet" f" and the
words Harry from Bessie; that was all
we ever knew OF him.
We ouried the skeleton. and since then
nothing unusual has occurred in the house
But as Tor that maYericker. l don't envy
him the state Of his mind during the six
months he had 10 live in that house before
il was sold.
Eh? You think good deal of It imarlna-
ton? Oh. well, didn't expect you 20 be-
lieye It, Have an other cigar.
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