The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-18

denly on dark night, especially IL
ones conscience wasn't quite easy
Her garments dripped, her eyes gog-
gled and rolled, her complexion was
ashy purple, and her incessant dancing
was accompanied by threatening and
beckoning gestures. Nine. Schuyler
said she didn't believe word of IT. but
nevertheless she took to burning night
lights and had a servant sleep in her
room. One day she took a water pitcher
and went to the well herself and was
not seen to return, and when search
was made the old lady was found at
the bottom of the well. When the
dead woman was drawn from the water.
1t deing then after dark, Damaris'
malevolent chuckle and giggle We're
heard by the workers, and, of course,
1t was said that she had pushed her
mistress into the well. For many years
it was rumored that the mulatto's light
fantastic toe haunted the well, and
little later Schuyler dug a new well and
filled up the old one, to destroy the
superstition Of Dancing Damaris."
THAT was most unkind, Pm sure,
when we meet with SO few really relia
BILE haunted places" breathed Winifred
regretfully.
And here Is the house" said Christo-
pher, drawing rein suddenly.
1t had indeed been a fair mansion
of yore. 1t was large, 1t was lofty,
many-windowed, and with ample wings
extending to the sides and rear The
front entrance was still imposing, for
the great door swinging open to admit
its many occupants, showed a deep hall
with oaken beams and wide and wind
ing staircase with hollow steps, which
once trod by bellies and beauX in the
olden time now re-echoed to the heavy
tread of the weary mill hand or his
hard-working wife. At this time of
day the place swarmed with children
some of whom bloomed with beauty
not exceeded by any Schuyler of them
all.
"Will you get out and go through the
house," asked Christopher,
"N--no, think not" family answered
Winifred. 1T would destroy my ideal.
l can now imagine anything l like
about it. Drive on. do. Oh, what a
em-p and she buried her face in her
handkerchief. From within the hand
kerchlef came Il remonstratiVe voice.
Aren't you going to tell me any more
stories about it?'
There are no more, my dear"
"Why, l know better" said Winifred
Indignantly. Wasn't there ever a hid
den treasure, concealed diamonds, boxes
of gold, gems rich and rare, secreted for
some lucky heir to discover"
"By Georger' said Christopher sud-
denly, 81 wish I could find Uncle Johns
money!!
There; didn't l say there were other
legends that you could remember If
you tried?"
But this" explained her husband,
'is distinctly modern. 1t only dates
back forty or fifty years."
"Well?' was Winifred's only reply,
in her most eager, coaXing manner, and
so winsome was she that Christopher
| first looked around to see if there was
any danger of detection, and then took
a hasty kiss.
you see," he commenced, much re-
| freshed by the interlude, my grand
father had a half-brother. Everybody
| called him Uncle John. Most of his life
was spent at sea, but when he was near
! ly so years old he came, poor and sick,
| to grandfather for home. Uncle John
was a physical wreck. Nobody sup
posed he could live more than month
or two, but as matter of fact care and
attention prolongeds his life for fifty
years. When he lay dying he called my
| father, then boy of II or so, and con-
| fided to him the fact that he had $1,000
somewhere, and 1t was to become my
| fathers property at Uncle Johns death
But this was absolutely all he told. The
whereabouts of the money he failed tC
| communicate for some reason or other
perhaps he had kept it secret 50 long he
could not bear to part with 1t. He die6
/ fs.tUr Ipfn Va1 nttt
| father ever believed that Uncle John
had cent. There was some search
made-not much-but nothing was eveI
found
Chris" said Winifred, after pause
"if that money We're found to whom
would it belong?"
10 you, darling" responded the in
fatuated man.
''Do you mean, truly, that it would be
legally yours?'
'Pm the very fellow"
Then, Christopher Schuyler, yor
must set about finding 1t at once"
Most happy, I'm sure, but If the
united intellects of the past generation
couldn't study up what had become o.
1t, don't see much chance for me-"
What shameful Indifference to {
plain duty" sighed Winifred. "Wer,
Uncle Johns clothes all ripped to pieces
His pocketbooks picked apart? Hi
books carefully looked over, leaf b,
leaf? The walls of his room sounded
His
And his house torn down, the gar
den dug up and the nearest pond drag
ged," interrupted Christopher with
great laugh, as they stopped in from
OF their own door and he lifted his wifi
out of the carriage with the same for
malities which We're observed in puttinj
her In.
so reprehensible was Christopher
Indifference that several days elapse
before II occurred to him to say to Win
fired, who was hanging about him
pressing his hair, ,disarranging his desl
putting flower In his button-hole
and otherwise distracting his attentio
from the manuscript he was attempt
ing to copy. by the way, this wa
Uncle Johns desk"
And you never told me before!
cried Winifred, flying out of the chat
on which she had temporarily perchet
How do you know that Uncle John
money isn't In 1t. In some secre
drawer, perhaps, opening with cor
cealed spring."
Il went through all that nonsens
: when l was Il boy" replied Nj
Schuyler loftily. ~, too, fancled
should be the hero to solve the my.
! terry, and begged my father to let m
search for secret springs and hidde
, drawers and the rest of the trash, bl
! of course, | never found any. Fathe
was very sure, however, that Uncl
John meant what he said" he adde,
! musingly.
: Yet there may be secret In the oil
desk which you haven't discovered
murmured Winifred, walking aroun
the desk with gaze as fixed as II 81
= expected secret drawer to fly out
her
She sat down on the floor and bega
to pull out the drawers one by on
: Each was palpably honest and col
) tained no hidden receptacle, thoug
, she searched above, below, behind a
r She restored them to their places wit
t sigh, and sat down in front of
Y Christopher looked at her and laughe