The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-10-31
When looked again, the strange vision

The next night crowd of sailors
visited the cabin where the vision had
appeared, but nothing was seen of the
ghostly visitant Magsby, however,
kept aloof from the place, and could not
he induced to enter. He seemed to be
terribly downcast, and in few days a
great change had come over him. His
cheeks were hollow, his face haggard,
and he was forever glancing about him,
rs if he expected any moment to see
something dreadful.
One night he came to my cabin, and
throwing himself on the edge of the
bunk, said in husky voice:
" 'Tain't no use in trying-I can't
stand this; it's worrying the life out of
me-
''Why-what lisp" asked, though 1
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. ut
is little strange what we saw in the
cabin that night, but what's the harm
of it? Didn't l see as well as your
self? Still, l don't see as that's any
reason that l should go talking of
jumping into the sea over it,
But you don't know all, )" he went on,
il 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: "Spriggins,
I've got to tell it to some one-I MUIR
dered Mark Bentley"
What! Do you mean to tell me that
you killed Bentley?" l gasped, as
soon as l was able to find my voice.
ut is the truth, as live and as God is
my witness!" he replied.
l could only stare at him in blank
amazement.
Eyes," he went on, 81 pushed him
overheard the night you thought some
one had fallen over. Why did commit
the dreadful deed? Well, can soon tell
you, though l reckon the word drink
would explain it, for, though l had
reasons to want him out of the way, [
would never have taken human life
except when under the influence of
strong drink. My name is not Magsby,
but Silas Green, and am a 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, l had some notion that l might in
herit the most of Nicholas Barton's
fortune if Mark was out of the way.
but as my life had been wild one, 1
knew that my uncle would leave Inc
nothing once Mark should reach Rio.
| did not know that my cousin was on
board till after we had set sail, and
then l was so filled with rage and dis
| appointment that l began to drink
heavily. 1t 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. l found him leaning over
the rail one dark night, and, striking
him heavy blow, 1 hurled him into the
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. / 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 a surprise awaiting
us, for when we dropped anchor in Rio
harbor, who should come on board but
Mark Bentley, alive and well, 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, 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
1 had thrown overheard. He managed
to cling to this till daylight, when he
was picked up by the Penguin, a steam
er bound for Rio, so he arrived in port
nearly 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
few days later he shipped in an Eng
fish vessel for Liverpool, and that was
the last | 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 mo-
nent he smiled quietly, and said he
could soon explain the whole affair.
With this he mounted the sliylight,
and soon came back with a small square
of glass in his hand. 1t was what he
called a 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 it had got caught in a crevice
of the sash and stuck there. After
ward, when some of the skylights had
| been broken in the storm n fnrnan1in