Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-06-24
THE WALTON GHOST.


down to the old Walton homestead Il
celebrate IL There were eighteen Of
us all told-a number to daant any
hostess Dat Mrs Walton. Besides
her natural qualifications, she had
any quantity 81 room to stow Us away
in apparently. It's q beautiful old
house. and very interesting too. Il
hiss 3 great deal q Inc old carving
and a dungeon cell and other such
convenience 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 q certain Stephen Ire
lease, a mysterious sort Of fellow.
Strangely enough. considering how
they inquired into the history Of
strangers in those days. no one knew
much o. anything about him He led
. retired stRdiOus life that gave him
. cad reputation among people who
had not outgrcwn their belief in
vitehcraft
He Eorshiped old Walton. and in
sae course 81 time came 70 worship
old Wa.ton's daughter Mary. Il was
hopeless passion and a silent one.
bnt she OWNED il. Of course, and no
doubt treated him with the usual
Eiadliness Of women under such cir
cImstaaces In fact, there is no
reasonable doubt but that she smiled
more swestly than ever upon the
D-rws&s-+ --g.54E, - rTt-,gF.,-54 .--..- :,
hand 70 see. Trelease. though. had
something besides with which 10 oc-
cupy MS attention.
The ..little revolution was brew
ing, and this house was a rendezvous
for the patriots; there was pletting
and planning, and important papers
we're from time to time brought there
for safety. They were hidden in
secret closet. whose location was
known to only two persons Walton
and Trelease.
Well, among Aary's admirers was
one whom Trelease specially disliked.
He was a young Englishman, an at
tache Of the governors and, Irelease
believed, q 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 the daughter OF
the house to imagine that he found
this surveillance unpleasant and that
he was ready to resent it
a crisis came one day when Eben-
ezer Walton was away from home. He
had gone 10 conference with other
Of the leading colonists Andres had
been making himself obnoxious. and
| suppose it was relief to them to
let on steam at each ether, even If
nothing further came of it.
As the Englishman rode up to the
door Trelease met him. Master
Walton IS not here, he said, with a
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-a 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 it true that
there were blind rooms in the cellar
which a stranger would hardly find?
They were moving toward the door
when Trelease interrupted.
''ln the masters absence his house
must not be shown to strangers.
said he grimly. His look and tone
we're challenge.
"In the masters absence" said
Mary, grayely, ''his daughter has his
house in charge and shows it to whom
she will
She took up silver candlestick to
light them in their descent
"Faith." laughed the visitor, in
soiently, sit 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, 'sbut 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 the 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 il well re-
paid, = said she. s.If we have 4
traitor among us it is well that We
knew it. Perhaps even now ii Il
too late, she cried. ..My father NAV
he in dau0ap -