Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-08-04
A PHANTOM BRIDE.

been snatched well-njgh miraculOusly
from the Jaws OF death, and restored 10
their embrace with the strength and
yigor Of his manhood unimpaired. For
the evening now grew late, and Dick,
after the usual course of restorative
measures had been adopted, tossed
about like a lion refreshed, in his luxu-
rious bed. declaring himself half-dis-
posed to get up and dress, and sally
forth anew. skates in hand, TO conclude
the nights interrupted sport; whilst
his sisters clustered round him, 10th to
tear themselves away II moment be-
fore the baronet's brougham was an
nounced to bear them home-it having
been decided that Dick should spend
the night in his present quarters, Tath-
er than risk the dangerous possibility
of o chill.
Don't be ridiculous. Dick" returned
Kate seriously, rs the young man
paused after the delivery of this last
speech. II think the moment is i'll
timed for testing: levity Is altogether
homogeneous under the circumstances,
and"
do you know. Dick" interrupted
Edie in mysterious tones. drawing
nearer, and laying her fair head OH the
pillow next her brothers., that you
will go henceforth by the name of The
Haunted Mani for Dawkins, the gar
dener, is sure TO compare notes at the
Pig and Whistle with the carriers, over
a friendly glass: and really there is no
discrepancy in their evidence-the state
ments of n and all coincide TO a quite
extraordinary degree"
II Am not testing. girls, / swear!n re-
turned Dick impatiently. Il vas jOk-
ing, | admit. on Christmas Eve, but
now / speak gospel-truth. At the very
moment of my fall | heard "a yoice-a
not far distant human voice-a single
cry, whether of warning or commisera-
ton | car scarcely tell, yet so distinct
and unmistakable. that il made an i'm
preston even then upon mind and ear
alike. Nell. you tell me-you appear
the most reliable spokeswoman Of the
three-exactiy what cock-anl bull story
these fellows have got hold of: for. as
you say. it seems not at all unlikely /
shall be henceforth eyed askance. if not
altogether stunned, as that undesirable
notoriety, popularity dubbed the haunt
ed man.
"Well." began Nell with an air Of
some Importance, not altogether unbe-
coming. seeing she was appealed to as
a reliable authority by the mystifed
invalid, lit seems that Jack Dawkins
and his wife were sitting at supper
when the door flew open according to
their story revealing a slender girlish
figure, standing mOtionless on the
threshold" Dick at this j.ncture vain
ly strove to repress a smile, for Nell.
unconsciously, rose with the OcTa-
sion" adopting a singularly impressive
and melodramatic style, suited to the
supernatural character Of the events it
vas her duty to narrate. For a mo-
ment she did not speak. they say, but
pointed with one hand over her shout
der, Jack springing to his feet awed and
terrified, for they declare her face was
white and quite unearthly, her hair
hanging weirdly round her. Then
presently she gasped. y mar drowning
In the lake under the ice, not twenty
yards from your door. Go at once 10
the rescue-gO at once or words to that
effect" Nell corrected herself. desir-
Gus seemingly of being quite yeracious.
But you must imagine Jacks lingo. |
can't altogether initiate that. Well, as
IL happened. his nephew was outside in
the back garden chopping wood. and
Jack declared before he could so much
as gle 'un a call the space was once
more vacant where the girl had stood
she had vanished as mysteriously as she
had come! Well, you know the rest.
Jack and the lad started off at once and
arrived at the scene of disaster not n
moment too soon; they had taken "A
short ladder and Il pole with them. the
wife following with whisky, blankets,
&c, and you were dragged out in due
course. nor dead than alive. The only
wonder is. Jack says, that you'd got SO
far up the stream without mishap. for
the ice under the shelter of the trees is
comparatively thin. and"
Never mind all that" Dick inter-
rupted irreverently, Il want To know
about the girl! Where on earth could
she have come FROM"
"Ah, that's what everyone wants
to know" supplemented Kate; whilst
-
There's the rub!' Edie opined, one
and all gazing blankly at the hero OF
the nights adyenture-himself by no
means the least mystifed by the singu.
lar complexion of affairs.
ut seems. moreover" continued
Kate. THAT the carriers had already
told the story of YOUR rescue ut the
crossroads. over their ale at the public
house last night; asserting that they
had received intimation Of the disaster
from a spectral being in every respect
resembling the famous Burnham ghost.
So Jack and his wife are already Won
dering whether this second marvellous
interp0sitiOn on your behalf may not
|perchance have emanated from the
same miraculous source. AS for me, /
really don't know what 10 think: re-
gard the matter in what light one will,
it's a most disquieting reflection that
that"
That ones brother is haunted man
-eh, Kitty" roared Dick infinitely
amused. However, all can say is,
that If ghosts i'll general would but
adopt the same role as this ghost i'm par
ticular, the mortal dread in which they
are popularity held would rapidly dis
soly> itself into the thinnest of thin air.
For it seems TO me | may freely risk
my life half-a-dozen times in the bliss
full consciousness that this most delect-
able wrath will send human assistance
to my aid in the very nick of time"
"Ah, but bear in mind the Burnham
ghost only walks at Christmas round
about the common and crossroads"
Edith FASTENED To impress upon her
brother with such genuine anxiety, lest
he should run the fatal risk at some i'll
advised moment, that both the girls
and Dick himself laughed heartily in
chorus at her simplicity-the young
nan assuring her he would not be fool
hardy excepting at prescribed seasons,
when the danger was but nominal.
Soon after that the carriage was n
nounced, the fair trio embraced the in
valid again and vet again. and, charged
with a multiplicity or %reassuring mes
sages for the vicar and mamma, finally
took their leave of Dick, their host,
and the dreary precincts of Bleak
House.
But Dick was not yet destined TO find
himself left 10 the luxury of solitary
meditation: even rs the rustic Of the
last r~etreating skirt died away, a low
knock mt the chamber door was fol-
lowed by the entrance of no less a per-
sonage than the baronet, who, TO Dicks
surprise, stirred the ruddy embeis in
the crate, drew an armchair close up 10
the hearth, and settled himself with
his feet upon the fender in an attitude
or quite unwonted relaxation; for it
was seldom, indeed, Sir Jasper unbent,
at any rate in the presence OF a
guest.
Dick sought to beguile the tedium of
the hour-baying already expressed his
contrition at having occasioned so
much trouble at Bleak House, and cast
q gloom over the long-talked-of torch
light festivities which the news of his
disaster had Of cOursp lrouvht IN a