The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-16

4
| "Nuw-and now-there" Wake ex-
claimed.
swell, all is dark, except for your can
delight, which seems weak and yellow
| enough after that FASH" said loudly, for
| tine thunder had pealed out as soon as the
| flash disappeared, and rolled on with its
reyerberationS as though the sound would
never cease.
"Look at them; you must see that group
around him." Cecil said. No, you don't.
Well, wait till the next fash"
what is it" l asked; and. feeling a
little faint, which l had hardly ever felt
before, l sat down on the bed ON which he
had reposed He sat down on it also, seat
ing himself more toward Its foot, as had
placed myself next the pillows. His body
was thus between me ana the other bed.
He took my hand, then seeing that l rather
shrank froms'bls childlike treatment he
nut his hand on my arm and said: Hush;
do wait and see again if you see nothing"
So we watched. the rain making its noise
against the window. l whispered. DO
you see anything, that you keep on telling
me to watch and looking so oddly always
at the cOrner?"
Yes, see them still, but fainter" he
replied.
Then came another binding fame of
blue light and II. looking at that empty
bed, saw upon it the form Of man, and
around him was gathered a group of fig
ures, half seen. but lighted with the light
that had filled the room with a flash, and
had gone again-tbere it was, lingering
sun on tnat form in the bed, end lighting
up the side of the figures around him. TIE
figure on the bed was that of dead man,
Out altnough the corpse was phosphor-
escent, under the half-closed lids the eyes
cleaned as though their blind orbs were
OF living IRE. The glow coming from him
seemed to be the radiance that lighted the
sorrowlng group that gaZed down upon
him. AS looked the apparitiOn became
fainter and fainter, until the little yellow
candle flame was all that lit the room,
and the bed again was empty, and
the white sheets lay close up to
the pillow next the wall as though
nothing had ever been there. [
now felt my arm aching where Wake's
hand was on it. and l moved it and gently
displaced his hand with my disengaged
one, and said: ''WaKe, 1 thought saw a
group of men around body in that bed,
but it must be some odd effect of the light
ming playing tricks with reflections from
that mirr0rW
You think SOP" he said. with sad
smile that softened the twitcnings of the
you may see it again. see it now"
But don't, and it's all nonsense" I
said desperately, determined not TO give
in: "but I'll tell you what it is, Cecil, III
not leave the room. Give US hand with
your own bed. I'll take the feaIhered
cushion thing and a blanket, and lie near
you until morning, and that bed may take
care of itself. L agree so far with you
that l won't sleep in it,"
The storm was moving farther away.
There were some fainter flashes, but l saw
nothing of our strangely lit companions,
and after tossing about on the lmDrOYsed
bed on the floor, and seeing Cecil still
hslf-taised on his pillows and gazing still
at bed No. 2, 7 became unconscious of
storm, Cecil or phantOms, and slept till
hA lYlf md . h0 u Oha frl
''Sechs Uhr" and double knock warned us
to prepare for our days work. Cecil rose
and we went together down 10 the dining
room, both very silent and wondering if
anything would be asked by host or wait
ers about our nights rest. We break
tasted; the host came and wished us good
morning and gave information about our
route. and spoke Of the storm, but of moth
ing else, and l turned to Cecil after he had
gone away, saying that could not explain
the nights vision, but thought we must
have eaten something that had produced
disagreement in our digestions and an
agreement in our symptoms. He was still
excited and nervous, and looked as though
he had not slept at all.
Il am sorry l called you," he said.
amiably.
."Oh, we had best not talk OF the effect
of light we thought we saw, and it's of no
use to MERTON it to Others" replied.
why ?" ne asked.
believe u.s."
We left the hotel, and [ think it must
nave been at least week afterward that
in another hotel we came upon a number
OF an old illustrated newspaper in the
reading-room. Cecil had it in his hand
and gave it TO me, pointing with his finger
at paragraph which read thus:
We regret to learn that a sad accident
took place last Wednesday at zen, the
particulars of which have cast gloom
over the place, and have 50 affected the
sinlahle host of the -hOff that he has
shut up his house full fortnight before
the usual end of the season, which has
always filled his hospitable and excellent
place of entertainment and healthy lodg-
ing. Mr.. G.. an English gentleman,
who was travelling alone, was carried into
the botel during a thunderstorm, struck
dead by lightning. which damaged also a
little part of the house, close to which he
was standing, under the shelter of a
chestnut tree. The body was placed on
sensbility, but without avail. His brother
has arrived from England, and the CORPSE
will probably be buried at gen, his
brother thinking that the carriage to Eng
land of the gentleman's body rs unneces-
sary, although he has, it is said, fine
estate I'D that country, and m ght have ex-
nected to have ended his Ii amid Eng
nsh nome and comfort and to have
rested with his ancestors"
i put down the paper.
Inc place mentioned was that where
Cecil Wake had caused me to see what
still try to think, was an effect of his own
lmaglnation.-Blackw Magazine.
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