The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-08-16
MAGGIE'S GHOST.

sci OF tho Southern Pacific, could hard.
ly bc called dabbler in tho occult or a
believer in things supernatural, and yot,
Us his intimate friends will remember,
ho did believe implicitly that he had
seen ono ghost
Tho story-for there was O romance,
and a tragic ono, connected with this
ghost-was not one that tho. lawyer
cared to toll, except to those who en-
toyed his personal confidence He did
not like to BIO charged with suporstitious
fancics, nor did no appreciate attempts
DO ridicule him out Of his faith In the
evidence Of his own keen eyes To his
death he maintained firmly that 1t had
been his fortune to meet face to face
the spirit of one who had passed from
life
1t was early III the f1fties when Hay
mond, then stranger In California,
became all express rider. He used to
mako regular trips into the mountains
visiting tho comps at stated intervals,
carrying III his big saddlebegs letters,
papers and such small articles as could
DO transported in this way.
On ono of his first trips away up In
camp, where rich strike bad been
made and tho pocket quickly exhausted
Only one family had remained-thar of
man named Rodden. In small, com
Portable house close against tho wall of
rock which rose behind tho camp a
light was burning rs Raymond rode
into the deserted place. A knock Mt the
door brought forth the occupant. To
Haymond's request for lodgings the
man growlcd IL surly response and IT,
luctantly let him in
The express rider was surprised to see
sitting beside the little table, OH which
stood the lamp, young and pretty
woman. He was surprised to recognize
i'll her u schoolmate whom he hal sup
posed to be still safe in her eastern
home. After their greetings had been
said Raymond explained to the ungra-
cious husband how he had known Mrs.
Rodden back east. Rodden grunted
some response, but Raymond and the
woman We're too busy asking and an
swering questions to hood his manner
The man seemed relieved by Haymond's
departure the next day. He told the ex-
press rider to call whenever he was
passing over the trail, and tho woman
urged him to come again and stop for
the night, that they might talk about
people and things at home,
1t was more than month before he
again came to tho deserted camp, and
this time, reaching it mt an earlier hour,
he found the woman alone, her husband
having not yet returned from his work
Raymond learned from her that she had
married Rodden against the wishes of
her family and had come to the mines
with him without letting her parents
know where sho had Soue. She said
little about her life in the mountains,
but that little showed that it had not
been happy one. They had como to
the camp with Il number of others, but
some quarrel had arisen between her
husband and the rest of the miners, so
when they moved OH he had remained
behind, and by hard work was making
fairly good pay in the deserted diggings.
She dreaded the loneliness Of the place
but, with patient sigh, said she hoped
before another winter her husband
might be willing to move on to some
camp where they would have company.
Raymond made two trips more, call
ing each time at the cabin where his
schoolmate lived. When leaving the
second time. he told thom that one trip
more would BIO all he could make before
the snow blocked tho trail. Two or three
times Raymond had suggested to Rod
den that he take his wife to some settle
mcnt before winter shut them i'll, but
had received no answer. He did not feel
at liberty to say more, SO with the prom
ise to visit them on his return in q few
weeks he mounted his horse and rode
down the narrow trail
a few steps took him out of sight of
the cabin. He heard faint call, and
looking back saw Mrs. Rodden running
down the trail after him She waved
her hand for him TO return, and he rode
back.
Twill you do an crrand for mo whilo
you are i'll the city," he said
OF course he consented, and she gave
him her commission, and with few
parting words she ran up the trail,
while ho turned his horse again to de-
scend. He looked back after his friend,
and, to his surprise, saw Roddon rise
from behind bush near the trail. He
thought tho man had been hidden,
watching his wife, but q reflection made
the idea seem absurd-probably it was
q mere coincidence Even if Rodden
had heard every word of tho converse
ton it could only have spoiled Mrs.
Rodden's little plot, which was nothing
worse than Christmas surprise for her
husband.
Raymond was detained n week longer
than he had eypcctcd. and whom he