The Forrest City times., 1895-10-25

| dered Mark Bentley,"
 As you may well believe, the fellows words completely upset me. I hardly knew whether to believe his words or not, for 1 had come to the conclusion that poor Magsby had gone clear daft over the ghost business.
 What! Do you mean to tell me that you killed Bentley" I gasped, as soon as l was able to find my voice.
 Tt is the truth, as live and as God is my witness!" he replied.
 I could only stare at him in blank amazement.
 Yes" he went on, "I pushed him overheard the night you thought some one had fallen over. Why did commit the dreadful deed? We'll, can soon tell you, though 1 reckon the word drink would explain it, for, though I had reasons to want him out of the way. I would never have taken human life except when under the influence of strong drink. My name is not Magsby. but Silas Green, and am first cousin of Bentley, though he did not know me when l came aboard, for we had not met before for many years. You see, had some notion that I might in- herit the mostApf Nicholas Barton's fortune if Mark was out of the way, but as my life had been wild one, I knew that my uncle would leave me nothing once Mark should reach Rio 1 did not know that my cousin was on board till after we had set sail, and then was so filled with rage and dis appointment that I began to drink heavily. It was in fit of drunken madness that the ideA of putting my rival for my uncle's money out of the way first came to me. The opportunity soon came. I found him leaning over the rail one dark night, and, striking him heavy blow, 1 hurled him into thu, sea. That is the story. His ghost has returned to haunt me, and shall give myself to the authorities when the. Vixen returns to America.''
 With these words he left me. I in- formed the captain of Magsby's con fession, and, like myself, he was at first inclined to doubt the mans san- ity; but it was thought best to keep a watch upon him till the affair could be investigated on our arrival at Rio.
 But there was surprise awaiting us, for when we dropped anchor in Rio larbor, who should come on board but Mark Bentley, alive and well, and not looking the least bit like ghost.
 We'll, you can imagine the surprise of every soul of us when he stepped upon the deck. As for Magsby, he looked like copse; but when he found that it was really Bentley in the flesh, he was the happiest mortal I ever set eyes on.
 Bentley had escaped watery grave by almost miracle. He was stunned when thrown overheard, but the cool water revived him, and while swim ming about in the darkness, he came in contact with one of the life -preservers l had thrown overheard. He managed to cling to this till daylight, when he was picked up by the Penguin, a steam CT bound for Rio, so he arrived .n port nearly a week ahead of us.
 | Magsby-or Green, as his real name was-was so repentant for what he had done that Bentley forgave him, and a few days later he shipped in an Eng fish vessel for Liverpool, and that was the last l ever saw of him. As to the ghost-well, it was very simple thing when we came to understand it. When the story was told to Bentley, he seemed puzzled at first, but in a mo- ment he smiled quietly, and said he could soon explain the whole affair. hfS l,a tr1 and soon came back with a small square of glass in his hand. It was what he called dry-plate photograph nega- tive, and contained his own picture. He was an amateur photographer and had been printing some pictures he had taken on shore, and had placed them on the skylight of one of the cabins, so as to be out of the way. An old negative of himself he had thrown aside, and it had got caught in crevice of the sash and stuck there. After ward, when some of the skylights had been broken in the storm, a tarpaulin was placed over them to keep out the spray from the waves, and as the spo- where the negative lay became uncov- cred, the moon shining through it had had something of the effect of a magic lantern, and had caused an enlarged 1 picture of himself to be thrown into the cabin below. When cloud passed over the moon, as it undoubtedly did while we were looking at it that night, the picture disappeared. It was all simple enough when we understood it; but if Bentley had never turned up to explain the affair, 1 would never have been certain 1 did not see a ghost