The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-12-26
LEFT ITS TRACKS
hAAkS LEFT ON THE WET SAND az
AN INVISIBLE CHILD.

Cncanny Story Of tho Retribution Which
Followed . Murderer Through Life "a
His Distributions Mans Reason For
Believing In Ghosts.
"You may talk about ghosts being only
the result of an overheated Imagination or
of being produced by fear, but l am here
ID say that il is no such thing. and that
they do exist" Thus spoke one of group
of gentlemen yesterday while waiting at
the depot for train. and on the rest clam
oring for the story the speaker went on:
1T was in the early seventies that was
summering at a quiet little place on the
Mississippi coast in an endeavor TO regain
my health after spell of typhoid fever,
and in the house with me was fellow
from New York. who was sick too. This
sort of drew US together, and we would
take our constitutionalS in company
never could quite make out what Asberry's
complaint was, and he did not seem TO
know himself, but would often get blue
about himself and say he was being killed
by inches. And he looked awfully bad,
too, with big. dreary looking eyes that
seemed as If they did not know what sleep
was and cheeks so hollow that they showed
his teeth through them. He was well off,
even rich, but he appeared to get as little
good out of his money as any one I ever
saw and had a way Of speaking as If it
was rather a curse than not. We have ali
met rich people that affected to feel that
way, but in this case 1t was genuine. I
had only few more days TO pass at the
seaside when learned what was the mat
ter with Asberry and got . shock that
nearly upset me.
I'VE were walking along the shore one
day just after the tide had gone out, leav-
ing the sand moist, and rs we went along
l amused myself punching holes in it.
when all at once / noticed that side by
side with Asberry's tracks ran those of q
little bare foot. There they were as plain
as our own. / started back with cry, for
the foot that made those tracks was not 70
be seen, and yet they went on falling by
the side of Asberry's as if the person that
made them was walking close beside him.
Asberry turned at my exclamation, and.
glancing down at the tracks, smiled in a
slow, bitter way, but showed no astonish-
ment
$50 you see them, too?' he said. well,
what do you think Of my having seen
those marks running side by side with
mine for over five years.
Good Cod 1 exclaimed, man, you
do not mean to say that this thing has
happened before''
day of my life. It's that that's killing
me-
'''But it is the most extraordinary
Il n
Is there no natural explanation of the
thing?'
g. Well, ask yourself the question.
What explanation could there be- No,
am fully aware what 1t is that walks With
me-
1T seems easy enough to tell all this,
but there was something horrible and, as
the Scotch say, 'uncanny,' in watching
those falling footmarks dropping down ON
the sand from an invisible walker beside
US, and at last could stand it no longer,
hut proposed our going back to the hotel.
When we reached the place, Asberry held
out his hand. 'Goodby, he said, smiling
that bitter smile of his.
Why, are you leaving.' asked, feel
ing relieved at the idea.
mo he said, but this is the end OF
our companionship. have seen friend
after friend fall away from me after seeing
what you have this morning protested
awhile, but l was conscious Of a decided
shrinking from him as one accursed still
plying the fellow. I hated to hurt his
feelings.
1.-THE next day and tho next, however. I
could not bring myself TO ask him to join
me in my daily walk on the beach, for
felt that to SEQ those silent. mysterious
steps beside mine again would be the death
Of me. On the night of the third day
noticed that Asberry did not come to the
table and did not see him on the beach,
and later on heard that he was very low
Still shrinking from him, and, with the
selfish nervousness of semi-invalid, did
not go to inquire after him that day, but
during the night was awakened by knock
at my door, and, opening it, saw the bell
boy, whom poor Asberry had sent to ask
me to come to him, as he was dying. At
this summons / could not help but go,
and, hustling on my clothes. was beside
him in a few minutes. found him lying
half unconscious at times, rambling at
others, and at first he did not know me.
When he did, he said, smiling as before:
do you know that, slight as has been
bur acquaintance, you are the nearest APP
oroach TO friend 1 nave on earth;' / as
'ured him that anything L could do for
him would gladly, but he only asked Of
ne TO stay by him.
=" I am afraid 70 stay alone with Ben
HE, he said, and thought him wander
ug again, but his eyes met mine with a
rational look, and he said: That
IS my nephew 1 speak of. His father was
ny only brother, and. dying, left me his
ION TO watch over And / killed him
After this Asberry lay silent for nearly an
lour, when the stiffness OF the room was
broken by a muffled sob. This sounded so
lcar that thought it uttered by Asberry,
Tut he, too, had started at the sound; so,
dancing about me, looked for the person
hat had made IL.
what in Gods name IL that,' I whis-
,ered, leaning over him, and without IN
covering his face he answered, That is
ound that 1 have heard night and day for
he last five years Then, raising himself
q bed, he said 70 some one beside him
vhom I could not see: Will you not le,
ne die in peace; | have given you ny Life
n turn for yours, and is not that worth
be purchase OF an hours rest in which 20
ie;
''As he talked saw the room grow
arEer, the lamps Pickering as IL a cold
Wild swep. the apartment, and as the
loom gathered about the bed l saw-or
Sas IL only my irnaginatiOni-the fgureo'
child standing beside che couch Asberry
urned 10 this figure and held out his arms
o il, then, with a groan. fell hack on his
illow dead. And that Is Why believe IN
hosts, gentlemen. Ugh, lets have a glsss
{ cider 70 warm our blood. It's grswsors
usinsss talking Of han;S '"-Philsdek
hia Tsrss.