Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-06-26
4 GHOST In THE CAB.


twas past midnight; the city streets
G''r2 deserted, and it was time to go
h0r!o So thought cabby No. /, SILVER
~ IL l., IS raSty oyorcoat He had watch
d tie cl1 ctric light on the corner until
ts rig Of rainbow needles seemed to
STAB h.s eyes and the big shadows on the
.;rC,t l,l.w it TO shake with the cold.
NCt fare this whole blasted nightr
20 muN"gcd, reaching down and pulling
.,n lJnt,t from his horse.
o. b. did SO he felt the carriage give
Il eat jar on its springs He turned
Z, ely; como one had flung himself in
80 &c ;. at behind him.
"l,ht do you wantY' said the cabby
q .-hly
l.Clo was II pause, then voice came
'hr ugh the darkness, thick and nasty
is q gal Gle Of black oil:
Drive me to Judas Withers', and, in
HE name f heaven, drive fast!"
Judas Withers has been dead and his
soul with the devil this many a year."
answered the cabman, staring behind
him
Tho house still stands, but l have
lost my way. Go on, you fooll'
The figure reached over and catching
the whip from its place gave the horse
lash. The old beast plunged forward,
banging and rafting down the street.
while the cursing cabman tried to clutch
at the rcins, but hand, chilly and
4 i.,11
ed on his wrist, and the thick voice
came close t. his ear
Now Will you show me my way?"
The driver sank into his place again.
while the old cab rocked like ship
On they rushed, past closed stores and
lamplCSs blocks of houses. now ripping
and Wi,nching across the car tracks and
now swinging along the deserted road,
Oh and IN, until the pavements had been
If behind and the frost looked back
from the ruts like a million little green
eyes
At last came the command, "Stop, l
sec it noW' and the next instant the
cab was empty
Ny fare yelled the cabman. leap
ing down.
There was no answer. He looked
about him. 1t was very dark where he
stood, but the waning moon, with its
cNalyCd and Crumhled edges. hung on q
li.c with the fr tops Before him rose q
3aruc Llackncss, the house of Judas
WuhCrs. tcn&.;tlcss but for the old wife,
who s,!l clan; like come pale lichen to
IS llp slr.ug stones. Perhaps she, too.
Was dad The cabby did not know. He
e. q l.. w, though, that Judas Withers
lad been Il niscrly carcass, grudging
Tic very SKIN that hung his bones to-
gc,h,r
The house stood back from the road
and WIS surrounded by a garden, now
Iy;ng gray and lonesome under the
naoa. As the cabby peered toward it he
Jaw the EgurC Of Il man come into the
Ioonsh.ue. lt sprang across the open
space III soft leaps like great black
lbAlc. its every movement full Of q
GycadiJl vitality. Then it was gone. AS
The drV,r himself turned TO go, he saw
a thy rcd spark flash out from the
hnUsc before him, and one after the 9th
n the windows on the lower floor
Elowod red, rs a crawling blotch Of
sparklCs will eat across SCOT.
The man was there-the man who
owed Inn moncy-and all fear fed but
,1e fear Of loss. The cabby tied his
horse and went creeping up the path
uudCr cover of the hedges. When he
reached the house, he raised himself
gently and looked in at one Of the win
dows. l., fore him lay an empty room.
Ga the Il or, thrown from a window
pr35tc, WAS n great checkered flag Of
mcoIA -ht-n0thing more nothing but
hose b.uc squares III the darkness.
suddenly the cabman ducked his
ucaI. FIR hc saw that man had glided
into The room He carried candle high
.bovc his head. aud his great pale face
was b!oatcd and loose as curd
TIE cabm.n crOuched low. A gust of
T'ud sct tho iir trees whispering, and a
S.ottcr slammed far away in the house.
Guess | II Get out Of this, he NUT
tcrcd. rising Dat hc did not go, for the
figure that stood in the candlelight had
turned its back 20 the window and was
digging among he bricks. ripping and
scratching kc leopard, while his long
shadow clawed IN the ceiling above
him.
"Thicfl' said the cabman, between
his teeth, pressing. his ear TO the broken
pane. There is yeasure hidden thor,
perhaps gold, pccharS--" Just thor
the man inside gave n Joyful grunt.
lie lifted ~ irc; .,ox from tho y.