The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1893-02-11

amp beside him, dead. He had been
shot through the heart. There was no
living human being in the old mill, and
for a long while nobody went near it.
At last people began to say that the mil
Ter had shot himself by accident and that
the negroes had frightened him. An
other miller applied for the place and
remained three days. In fact, to cut a
long story short. the only other miller
who dared to brave the warning that the
ghost gave them all was found dead, as
the first n had been.
The mill was soon spoken OF as haunt
ed by every one. No one would work
there, and finally Mr.. McKin closed it,
and it was left to itself and to the ghost.
All this while Nine. McKin remained
an alleged invalid, shut in her room all
day, watched by her maid and talked
of in whispers by her servants.
No n believed McKin's mill would
ever run again, but one day a tall. strong,
broad shouldered young fellow walked
up the steps of the McKin mansion,
asked to see the master. and begged to
be allowed to take charge of the grist
mill.
I've heard the story he said, as Mr..
McKin began to explain. II don't be-
lieve in ghosts, and they can't scare me
anyway. I'm in hard luck, and I'm a
good miller. Trust me and your mill
shall work better than ever. You'll do
me a service, and I'll do you one"
In vain Mr.. McKin set before him the
fact that two ~,nillers had been already
killed there in the haunted mill. The
young giant declared that he should not
be, and finally the gentleman engaged
him.
The mill was opened and the miller
set to work. He took with him into the
mill a Bible, a revolver and a large.
sharp ak.
For the first two nights he saw moth
ing, but heard noises like the falling of
heavy millstones Upon the floor above
and feet upon the stairs. He had ex-
pected something like this and remained
in his room reading his Bible by the
light of a shaded lamp.
On the third night. having heard the
same noises and quietly disregarded
them, his door was dashed open and a
hideous form entered. It was something
between a woman and a great bird of
prey. 1t wore fluttering white robes,
and had instead of hands great black
claws. It floated toward him through
the air, and behind it came another like
unto it, but smaller.
The first creature swooped downward
and made a clutch at the lamp. AS it
did S he snatched his revolver from his
belt and fired, emptying all the cham.
bers. The strange beings vanished with
a wild shrek, but in a moment they en-
tered again. This time the largest one
made a furious clutch at the lamp. AS
she did SO he lifted his ak above his
head, and with one blow severed the
hideous black claw from what looked
like a shriveled human arm; then he
hurled his Bible at the head of the
smaller fiend. Instantly screams, oaths
and horrible curses filled the air. The
strange beings vanished and silence
reigned.
The black claw dropped to the table
1t was such a hideous sight that the mil
Ter covered it with a cloth, that he nigh
not see it. He kept watch all the night
and early in the morning Mr.. McKin
who had been told that firing had beer
heard in the mill, came to make inquir
les. The miller told his tale, and Mr.
McKin complimented him on his bra
very. Of course he was DESTROYS of see
ing the amputated claw, and the mile.
proudly drew away the cloth. Behold
there lay upon the table, not a claw, bu
a woman's beautiful hand-a right hand
on the middle finger of which cleaned
splendid cluster diamond ring. At til
sight of this horror seized the miller
and Mr.. McKin seemed about to die. H
. knew the hand; he knew the ring. Then
, without a word, he walked out of tn
! mill and homeward and into his wife
! chamber. She was in her bed, as usual
t The maid, pale. and with Il great bruis
I upon her forehead. i%nterposed to proven
his approach.
, Madame is very i'll" she said.
y Out of my way. wolnan!' he erie
i and pushed her aside.
] Then, bending over his wife's bed, brl
; without his usual show of tenderness, h
{ said sternly:
U 'Show me o u hand"
{ She thrust forth her left one.
1.-The other" he said.
She uttered a scream and turned dow,
y the counterpart, but there was none t
show-only u bandaged stump. fro1
} which the hand had been severed.
IL The next morning the whole villag
was in wild excitement, for Jack Nj
Kin, whom they all knew and loved S
y well, had gone to the graveyard an
there shot himself through the heart BIZ
side his mothers grave. And the serN
= ants had told their tale and the mile
his, and there was the lady's hand, wit
the ring upon it, to be seen by all.
D. Burn the wretches." Il imam cried, an
lie a band of men. both black and white
he bore down upon the McKin mansion
IL They entered the door and marched II
the stairs and into madame's room, bu
7 there was no IN there. Nobody ha
seen the two women depart, but the
We're gone and We're never seen agail
and since that time no fool has ever e1
tered the old mill and it has slowly fal
As en- into decay.
N The lady's hand, how ever, is still pre-
IN served in spirits in the town hall, al.
the old negro who acts the part of watcl
T. man declares that at midnight il alway
re changes to n Lideous black claw. How
lie ever, 10 else ever witnessed tn,
er transforr!ation.-Mary Kyle Dallas i