St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-11-16
When ! looked again, the strange vision

| mdRSpy ana went from the aDin tic
gether, and from that moment he neve
entered the place again
i The next night a crowd of sailor
visited the cabin where the vision ha.
appeared, but nothing was seen of tn
ghostly visitant. Magsby, however
kept aloof from the place, and could no
be induced to enter. He seemed to b,
terribly downcast, and in few days
great change had come over him. Hi.
cheeks were hollow, his face haggard
and he was forever glancing about him
Us # he expected any moment to see
something dreadful.
One night he came to my cabin, anG
throwing himself gon the edge of ths
bunk, said In a husky voice:
'Tain't no use In trying-I can'1
stand this; It's worrying the life out Of
me.''
"Whywhat is?" I asked, though ]
well knew what he meant.
"Bentley's ghost" was the reply.
It's going to drive me into the sea vet,
to follow poor Bentley"
hats all foolish talk, = said. ssIt
Us q little strange what we saw In the
cabin that night, but what's the harm
OF 1t? Didn't | see as well as your
self? Still, I don't see as that's any
reason that / should go talking of
jumping into the seaover it,
"But you don't know all, )" he ewent on.
In q strange, hesitating way. Then,
letting his voice sink to a whisper, he
said, with sort of gasp, as If the words
were forced from him: s.Spriggins.
I've got to tell it to some one-I muir
dered Mark Bentleyl"
What Do you mean to tell me that
you. killed Bentley?'. I gasped, as
soon as ] was able to find my voice.
1t is the truth, as I live and as God IL
my witness!" he replied.
| could only stare at him in blank
amazement.
Yes" he went on, 81 pushed him
overheard the night you thought some
one had fallen over. Why did Icommit
the dreadful deed? Well, lean soon tell
you. though reckon the word sdrink'
would explain it, for. though l had
reasons to want him ont OF the way, I
would never have taken human life
except when under the influence of
strong drink. Ny name isnot Magsby,
but silas Green, and am first cousin
OF Bentley, though he did not know
me when ! came aboard, for we had
not met before for many years. You
sees had some notion that might in
herit the most of Nicholas Barton's
fortune II Mark was out Of the way.
but as my life had been a wild one, /
knew that my uncle would leave me
nothing once Mark should reach Rio.
did not know that my cousin was on
BOARD till after we had set sail and
hen / was SO filled with rage and dis
appointment that l began to drink
leavily. It was in a fit of drunken
madness that the idea Of putting nv
'ival for my uncle's money out of the
way first came to me. The opportunity |
oon came. / found him leaning over
he rail one dark night, and, striking |
lin heavy blow, / hurled him into th,.
ca. That is the story His ghost has |
eturned to haunt me, and shall give |
myself to the authorities when the
fixen returns to America
With these words he left me-, L In
ormed the captain of Magsby's con-
ession. and. like myself, he was at
rst inclined to doubt the mans san
ty; but 1t was thought best to keep
watch upon him till the affair could
e investigated on our arrival at Rio.
But there was q surprise awaiting
s, for when we dropped anchor in Rio
arbor, who should come on board but
lark Bentley, alive and well, and not
ooking the least bit like ghost.
Well, you can imagine the surprise
every soul of us when he stepped
pom the deck. As for Magsby, he
ooked like q copse; but when he
ound that 1t was really Bentley in the
esh, he was the happiest mortal / |
yer set eyes on.
Bentley had escaped watery grave
Y almost miracle. He was stunned
hen thrown overheard, but the cool
alter revived him, and while swim
Iing about In the darkness, he came in
'ntact with one Of the life -preservers
had thrown overheard. He managed
cling to this till daylight, when he
as picked up by the Penguin, a steam
: bound for Rio, so he arrived in port
early week ahead of us.
Magsby-or Green, as his real name
as-was SO repentant for what he had
,ne that Bentley forgave him, and !
W days later he shipped in an Eng
IN vessel for Liverpool, and that was
le last ever saw of him. AS to the
nost-well. it was q very simple thing
hen we came to understand it. When
e story was told TO Bentley, he
eTned puzzled at first, but In q mo-
ent he smiled quietly, and said he
uld soon explain the whole affair. .
ith this he mounted the skylight,
ID soon came back with small square
glass in his hand. It was what he
lied . dry-plate photograph mega
7e, and contained his own picture.
} was an amateur photographer, and ];
d been printing some pictures he | .
d taken on shore, and had placed :
EN- on the skylight of one of the
bins. 50 as to be out Of the way. An
negative OF himself he had thrown
lde, and it had got caugh in crevice S
the sash and stuck. there. After a
trd, when some Of the skylights had r
en- broken in the storm. tarpaulin G
8 placed over them to keep out the, K
ray from the waves, and as the spo- q
lare fha nefra4iys lay haa,nr, ,,,,,,s,,y Il