The Bessemer indicator., 1893-05-13
THE WALTON GHOST.

~ was AT the WaltOn's last fall
Ned Walton's engagement to Louise
Ihurston had Just come out, and !
was one OF the house party invited
down to the old Walton homestead to
celebrate it. There were eighteen OF
us oil told--a number to daunt any
hostess but Mrs. Walton. Besides
her natural qualifications, she had
any quantity Of room to stow us away
In. apparently. It's a beautiful old
house. and very interesting too. 1t
has great deal OF fine old carving
and dungeon cell, and other such
conveniences, and a ghost
Old Mr.. Walton told us about him
one evening. The story dated back
to the time before the revolution.
There lived with the Walton OF that
generation certain Stephen Ire
lease, mysterious sort of fellow.
Strangely enough, considering how
they inquired into the history of
strangers in those days, no one knew
much Of anything about him. He led
retired studious life that gave him
bad reputation among people who
had NOT outgrown their belief In
witchcraft-
He worshiped old Walton. and in
tho course Of time came to worship
old Walton's daughter Mary. 1t was
hopeless passion and silent one,
but she OWNED it, Of course. and no
doubt treated him with tho usual
kindliness Of women under such cir
cumstances. In fact, there is no
rn n t,1 L,,t 4
more sweetly than ever upon the
Puritan youth when Trelease was at
hand to see. Trelease, though, had
something besides with which to oc-
cupy his attention.
The "ltttle revolution" was brew
ing, and this house was a rendezvous
for the patriots; there was plotting
and planning. and important papers
were from time to time brought there
for safety. They were hidden in u
secret closet, whose location was
known to only two persons-Walton
and Trelease.
Well, among Mary's admirers was
one whom Trelease specially disliked.
He was a young Englishman. an at
tache OF the governors and, Trelease
believed, spy. So when the ruddy
gallant appeared Stephens tall figure
and dark, spare face were not far in
the background. We need not be-
lieve that the visitor had designs
upon anything but tho daughter OF
the house to imagine that he found
this surveillance unpleasant and that
he was ready to resent 1t.
A crisis came one day when Eben-
ezer Walton was away from home He
had gone to q conference with other
of tho leading colonists. Andros had
been making himself obnoxious, and
suppose 1t was q relief to them to
let off steam at each other, even il
nothing further came Of 1t.
AS the Englishman rode up to tho
door Trelease met him. Master
Walton is not hero" he snid. with d
look that limited that the guest might
save himself the trouble OF dismount-
ing. But he swung himself from the
saddle with the remark that then he
would chat with the daughter re-
ply by no means soothing to Steph-
ems ears.
He lowered around while the two
sat and talked In the very room in
which the story was told us, and at
length the guest asked his hostess
to show him the house. He had
heard much OF the fine view from the
upper windows, and was 1T true that
there were blind rooms in the cellar
which stranger would hardly findP
They were moving toward the door
when Trelease interrupted.
"In the masters absence his house
must not be shown to strangers,
said he grimly. His look and tone
were a challenge
"In tho masters Absence" said
Mary, gravely, "his daughter has his
house in charge and shows it to whom
she will"
She took up a silver candlestich to
light them in their descent.
Faith" laughed the visitor. in
solently, ait would seem that the
master is here, after all"
master or no MASTER" returned
Trelease, "this house is not open to
SPIES"
"Ah" cried the other, with quick
motion of his hand to his sword; then
recovering himself, "but that is a
game at which two can play. A
gentleman" with the wave OF his
hand toward Trelease. who had turned
very pale, "who is admitted secretly
to the governors house and sends
letters In cipher to England should
be slow to charge others with bad
faith. Mistress Walton, If harm
befall your father and he is seized
as traitor to the king. you need not
look far for tho hand which laid the
tolls"
Trelease sprang at him with an
articulate cry, but the other eluded
him and passed out of the house.
Stephen did not follow him. He
stood there, white as the ghost he
afterward became, before Mary. Her
eyes blazed.
my fathers kindness is we'll re-
paid" said she. "If we have
traitor among us it is we'll that we
knew It, "Perhaps even now it is
too late," she cried. "My fathor may
be In danger"
"Stop!" he commanded, catching
her by the wrist as she sprang toward
tho door. III will defend myself to
you, but here at your own fireside is
the proof Of my good faith"
He had kept cruel grip of her
wrist. and, rs he finished, she fell
down fsinting at his feet. When she
recovered she was alone. She never
saw Stephen Treleaso again. His
body was found two days afterward
with sword thrust through the
heart. No one could ever prove that
the quarrel with the Englishman was
renewed. with this result. but Mary
Walton, as she tells the story in her
dinry. clearly thinks such was the