The Van Buren press., 1895-11-16
When I looked again. the strange vision

When looked again. the strange vision
had disappeared.
Magsby and went from the cabin to-
gether, and from that moment he never
entered the place again.
The next night crewd of sailors
visited the cabin where the vision had
| appeared. but nothing was seen of the
ghostly yisitant. Magsby, however.
Kept aloof from the place. and could noe
be induced to enter. He seemed TO be
terribly downcast, and IN few days a
great change had come over him. His
cheeks were holl1w, his face haggar,i,
and he was forever glancing about him,
US II he expected any moment to see
something dreadful
One night he came TO my cabin, and
throwing himself on the edge of the
Junk. said in husky voices
Tain't no use in tryinR-I can't
stand thiss IT'S worrying the life out Of
me-
@Why-what isT' I asked. though I
/ well knew what he meant.
"Bentley's ghost was the reply.
Its going to drive me into the sea yet,
to follow poor Bentley"
That's all foolish talk,- said. III
is little strange what we saw in the
cabin that night. but what's the harm
Of it? Didn't I see as we'll as YOUR
-selff Still. I don't see as that's any
reason that l should GO talking of
jumping into the sea over IT,
"Hs1t you don't know all, . he went on.
in o. strange. hesitating way. Then.
letting his voice sink to whisper, he
said. with sort of gasp. as IL the words
were forced from him: "Spriggins,
I've get 20 tell it to some one-I mur-
dered Mark Bentley
"Whatt Do YOU mean to tell me that
you killed Bentley2' l gasped, as
soon as was able to find my voice.
1T is the truth. as live and as God il
my witnesst" be replied.
could only stare at him In blank
amazement.
YES" he went On. 81 pushed him
overhoard the night you thought some
one had fallen over. Why did commit
tAe dreadful deed2 Well. can soon tell
you. though reckon the word drink
would explain it. for. though I had
reasons 70 want him ont Of the wav. l
would never have taken a human life
except when under the influence Of
strong drink. Ny name is not Magsby.
but Silas Green. and am first cousin
OF Bentley, though he did not knew
me when l came aboard. for we had
not met before for many years. You
see, l had some notion that might IN
herit the most of Nicholas Barton's
fortune IL 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.
did not know that my cousin was on
board till after we had set sail. and
then I was so filed with rage and dis
appointment that l began to drink
heavily. It was in st 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. l found him leaning over
the rail one dark night. and. striking
him heavy blow, I hurled him into the
sea. That is the story. His ghost has
returned to haunt me, and l 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
watch upon him till the affair could
be investigated on our arrival at Rio.
But there was a surprise awaiting
Us. for when we dropped anchor In Rio
iarbor. who should come on board but
Marx Bentley. alive and web. and not
looking the least bit like ghost.
Well. You can imagine the surprise
OF every soul OF US when he stepped
upon the deck. As for Magsby, be
looked like copss: but when he
found tha, it was really Bentley in the
flesh. he was the happiest mortal I
ever set eyes on.
Bentley had escaped . watsry grave
BY almost a 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
had thrown overheard. He managed
to cling to this till daylight. when he
was picked up bv the Penguin, a steam
er bound for Rio, SO he arrived in port
nearly a week ahead of US.
Magsby-or Green, as his real name
was-was so repentant for what he had
done tnat Bentley forgave him. and q
few days later he shipped in an Eng
lish vessel for Liverpool. and that was
the last l ever saw OF him. As to the
rhost-well, it was very simple thing
when we came to understand 1t. When
the story was told to Bentley, he
seemed puzzled at first, but in mo-
ment he smiled quietly. and said he
could soon explain the whole affair.
With this he mounted the skylight,
and soon came back with a small square
of glass in his hand. 1t was what he
called q dry-plate photograph mega
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 1t had got caught in q creyice
of the sash and stuck there. After
ward, when some of the skylights had
been broken in the storm. tarpsalin