Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-24
Copyright, 1895, by Irving Bacheller.)
CONTINUED from Mondays Star.)
CHAPTER II


CONTINUED from Mondays Star)
CHAPTER II.
Few houses were better adapted for the
accommodation Of ghosts than the old Bill
lop homestead. The two mighty trees cast
Q shadow over 1t, even at MONDAY; and its
cayernous cellar and Dacdalian garnet
seemed ideal stamping grounds for specters
The activity on which the house stood-the
site had been chosen with an eye to its de-
feasibility in Indian times-sloped gently
down in front, but fell away quite abruptly
behind and at the sides. On the right side,
almost beneath the roots of the butternut
tree. a small natural cave entered the rocky
soil; 1t had been artificially enlarged so as
to shelter the farm wagons and tools when
the barn was overfull of produce. The barn
stood further down the slope, near the
meadow, and was itself a delightfully."- mys-
terious and scary place; both the cave and
the barn had been highly priced by genera
tons of the Billop children, as well as by
their mothers, when. in rainy weather. they
wanted to have some peace In the house.
May we play in the barn. or the cave,
mother" was a request seldom refused.
Sometimes. no doubt, the children played
ghosts. till they were ready to expire with
delightful creeps and horrors, and thus con-
nrmed among themselves the weird legends
which came down from generation to gen.
Grafton.
When Tom Linton, aged eleven. took I'm
mis- abode at the house, Nellie Brent was a
mere BABY, Just able to walk and utter a
lew Orphic words; so he had to do the most
OF MS playing by himself. But he was a boy
or unusual resources and genius; and as his
tenancy of the premises was unfortunately
Dr1ef, and his fate grievous we must make
MIN as distinct as possible while he lasts. He
hao the energy and vitality of whole
school at noon recess, and was as sensa-
tional and indomtable in his manifestations
as were Robin Hood and his merry men in
Sherwood forest. He neither feared phosts
nor believed in them; but his noises and sur
prises were more terrible than a battalion
OF the dlslncarnate. He was on the lump
Irem morning until night, arms, legs, lungs
ana brains in Illl function; he was the cley-
crest pupil In the school, though of none of
them did the master have less hope Of evolv-
ing sober and useful citizen. He was in
eVitabiy the center of all mischief as the
huh Is the center Of the wheel: and though
nobody could help liking the young rascal
ne was so good-tempered, amusing, and $50
70 say contagious, yet all shook their heads
over him. and opined that his future looked
ominous. Nancy only, who suffered most
from his outrageousness, not merely loved
MIN with all her heart, but had faith in his
maj triumph over all evil; she continued to
pelleve In him. in the teeth Of all evidence
Wnen his misfortune came upon him: and
When, at last, the poor little drowned BODY
was picked out of the river she thanked the
LORD, on her knees through her sobs that
she had Fever harbored an uncha ritahIe
about " - S"'''e
There was one person in the parish with
Wnom rom was at open war-Lawyer Cor
YIN. His aversion from him, instructive at
drst. was confirmed by what he heard and
eredited as to his shady conduct toward his
ueoeased uncle. Tom expected. in due sea-
son, to become the master of BILIOUS; and
tnen ne meant to take it out of LAWYER Cor
Vinl Meanwhile, Corvin had a son. Peter
ABOUT Toms size. Peter was a bully; he was
rrr6 %
with Tom, and the latter thrashed him with
such JOY and thoroughness Gas much on the
lawyers account as on Peter's) that Peter
came sneak w
One day a lot of the boys, Tom and
Peter among them. went in bathing at
tne ford In Fen Brook. Peter took occa-
sion to remark that Tom was a pauper
anyhow. and that his Peter's) father couId
sell him and his old aunt out tomorrow n
ne choose The moment he selected for
sayIng TINS was when he was standing
dressed Oh the bank, and Tom was swim
ming naked in the middle of the stream.
Tom, as he made his way with all possible
speed toward store. was heard to retort
own. and tfat one of these DAYS he wonId
wake UP and find that he was a pauper
nlmself AS Tom approached the landing,
with obvious designs upon Peters person,
tne latter took to flight; Tom pursued him
as far as his own undraped plight made
oecorous, and then came back with an ex-
preston significant of yer geance to come
Apparently. however. he soon forgot ali
about the matter, ard parted from his COM
panions with his wonted good humor
But next morning rumor ran that Law
yer Corvin's house had been entered and
robbed during the night; the boys discussed
1t outside the school house, and Peter,when
he came up. confirmed 1t, and upon being
asked whether anything were known of
the thieves, put up a very pregnant look
and said he guessed something would be
known before long. The master came; the
boys took their seats, but 1t was found that
Tom was absent. not unfortunately, a rare
occurrence. But Peter looked more sa-
gacious than ever.
School let out at noon. They swarmed
forth into the elm Swallowed country road.
Who were these approaching yonder? One
OF them, as Peter observed. was his father
A boy walked beside him; 1t was Tom
And who was that man with his hand rest
Ing on Toms shoulder? Why. it was John
Higgins, the constable! And there was
Nancy Billop following on behind, with
tears streaming down her plump cheeks
What did it all mean?
1t meant. alas. that Tom had been ar
rested for the robbery. His jackknife had
been found on the ledge of the back win