The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-02-18

Jbu 20 tD Deu- he Deiu HIS ClSdfetlc
over the flame, took two puffs. and in-
stead of one candle on the table there
were two, then three, then long line
Of them, sputtering away together.
What queer things were happening
this night.
Ramon. are you going to sit up all
night?n came the shrill voice Of Doll
ores. He had been sleeping. The
voice reused him. but it was only for
an instant-just long enough for him
10 call her an uncomplimentary name
under his breath. Then lie was nod
ding again. The cigarette fell to Tie
floor and he dreamed. His dream
must have been n bad snc. for it made
him clutch his chair. In the midst OF
it lie heard sounds, like voices. He
heard a scratching noise, then fall,
as if a loose brick had fallen down the
chimney. Wearily he lifted his heavy
eyelids. The row Of candles faded
out, until there was only one loft. He
looked half stupid with sleep at the
bottle, next at the empty tumDler aud
then ut the burning cigarette on the
floor. He reached over mechanically
and picked up the roll of tobacco.
from the bottle into the glass and
drank. lie pulled at the cigarette un-
til the lighted end was i'll glow. He
was doing again.
Twelve O'Clock" cried the night
watch, aud then-
Then came the horror. In the
Kitchen there NILS a crash. Like a
wounded beast he had lcaped to his
feet with IA cry He snatchcd the can
die up and ran to the door. He held
it high above MS head and looked.
There. in tie big fireplace. he saw
face. Ii was crimy with dirt. The
ewes seemed to him to shine snpernat-
nrallv Behind was faint glow.
The figaro moved forward, as if TO
struggle out. Ramon tried to speak.
hat his lou2ue raltjci in his mouth.
Three times as the figure squirmed
forward his lips moved. At the third
effort the sound came But such a
sound it was-iikc the gasp of a dying
man.
Is it YOU? Have yon come back?"
Tie haut which clutchcd the door
went up to his face and across his
eyes, ShHlling out what he saw. The
voice which came in answer was not
Spanish. 1t was American.
well. old man" it said. chow long
Az yuu going to stand there? Give a
fellow a lift. can't vou?'
The terrified figure at the door was
Ramon. he landlord once more. He
puIlcd himself together and said in
quayering voice:
''Ab, senor, ] did not know you.
I,
lie remembered very we'll how he
felt Just then. lie would like to have
jumped forward and taken hold of the
Americans neck just as. Well. just
rs a dog chokes Il rat. The more he
had thought OF it the less able he
seemed to resist the temptation. The
hand which held the candle compress
Ell itself until the muscles in his arms
stood out like ropes and the nails of
the other hand sunk into tie hard
paIu. lie heard another voice. Both
Americans were in the fireplace. His
grip relaxed aud he helped them out
the one vino had stick in his hand
and the one who held candle. They
all sat down together over the half
empty bottle. There they had told
him in the hard Spanish which they
spoke, how. becoming tired of the
moonlight, they had gone into the
room; how they had looked curiously
into the fireplace aud how they had
accidentally disturbed Il slab.
Did he not know of the secret corri-
dor which ran along between the walls
from one fireplace to another? they
asked.
No" he had answered with some
sharpness. "Why should -"
Well, then, they had said, it would
be good thing for him to look around
a little, for there were Il couple of fell
lows up there with no flesh on their
bones; two skeletons, who wore smiles
on their bone faces. as if they were
glad they were dead.
The end of it all was that the three
went up 10 the room ana into the fire
place. along the damp foul smelling
corridor, 50 heavy with mold that the
candle burned dim. tiaif way they
came across tie dead, and the land
lord. cros~inr himself piously. had
started back in horror. Both skele-
tons we're clothed. Oae wore the cos
tune Of a Clr,isl captain but the blue
jJcket was moIdy ami the lustrc of the
c,afinr of ynr.Ii~ris Tha i;untv red
B5snn7 hat had ToIIrd 70 ore side and
tho t,,,n.t,.in.r. r.L;.h h,I tcII tLa
rnHn saniais Tnrn rotten AMI thav TOO
h,,I r,IInn ,si'io = ''''' ''' ~
-" Ir.Ss of ,bo o,r,or showo3 no
boJ baan nntIin,r ,,,orn tt,,, = Sn,r;sb
neasant and 4 moor one at that.
And now hc was ruineI waS Ramon.
No one ,y,rl,l SO, IT hi, housa now
and he urunr III. .hanLs at the thoDgbt,
app,rcnrly =. he backed mn arainsf
ti,n co,ri'in,. v.,u \ynuII iba GOOD
Kind Ampric,u Gentleman saw no1bfna
obont mi. .n,;r i,,t bn n,ight save
the ranuf,tion nf ,l,n honsa9
TheT baI nr,n,issJ raaif,, o,oprh
and he had rone d,vn-st,iIs to The
IitrIn room 10 !, ana think Un Ind
t;I ~, IL. ,:,....,ro, !; ,I l;tr