Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1896-07-03
A GHOST in THE CAB.

1t was past midnight; the city streets
were deserted, and it was time to go
home. So thought eabby No. II, shiver-
ing in his rusty overcoat He had watch
ed the electric light on the corner until
its ring Of rainbow needles seemed to
stab his eyes and the big shadows on the
street below it to shake with the cold.
mot fare this whole blasted night"
he muttered, reaching down and pulling
the blanket from his horse.
As he did so he felt tho carriage give
great jar on its springs. He turned
quickly; some one had flung himself in
to the seat behind him.
"What do you wantP" said the cabby
roughly.
There was a pause, then voice came
through the darkness, thick and nasty
az a gurgle Of black oil:
"Drive me to Judas Withers', and, in
the name Of heaven, drive fastl"
Judas Withers has been dead and his
soul with the devil this many u year,
answered the cabman, staring behind
him
''Tho house still stands, but have
lost my way. Go on. you fooli"
The figure reached over, and catching
tho whip from its place gave the horse
u lash. The old beast plunged forward,
banging and rattling down the street,
while the oursing cabman tried to clutch
at the reins, but hand, chilly and
clinging as the belly Of snake, fasten-
ed on his wrist, and the thick voice
came close to his ear
"Now will you show me my wayP"
The driver sank into his place again,
while the old cab rocked like ship
On they rushed, past closed stores and
lampless blocks Of houses, now ripping
and wrenching across the Car tracks and
now swinging along the deserted road,
on and on. until the pavements had been
left behind and the frost looked back
from the ruts like million little green
eyes
At last came the command, "Stop, l
see IL nowi" and the next instant the
cab was empty.
"My farep' yelled the cabman. leap.
ing down.
There was no answer. He looked
about him. 1t was very dark where no
stood, but the waning moon. with it's
gnawed and crumbled edges, hung ON n
line with the fir tops. Before him rose IA
vague blackness, the house Of Judas
Withers, tenantless but for tho old wife,
who still chung like some pale lioheR to
its moldering stones Perhaps she. too,
was dead The cabby did not know. He
did know, though, that Judas Withers
had been IL misery carcass, grudging
the very skin that hung his bones to-
gether.
The house stood buck from tho road
and was surrounded by garden, now
lying gray and lonesome undor tho
moon. As the cabby peered toward 1t he
saw the figure Of man come into the
moonshine. 1t sprang across the open
space in soft leaps like great black
bubble, its every movement full Of IL
dreadful vitality. Then 1t was gone. As
the driver himself turned TO go, he saw
tiny red spark fash out from the
house before him, and one after the 9th
er the windows on tho lower floor
glowed red, as crawling blotch Of
sparkles will eat across SCOT.
The man was there-the man who
owed him money--and all fear fed but
the fear OF loss Tho cabby tied his
horse and went creeping up the path
under cover Of the hedges. When he
reached the house, he raised himself
gently and looked in at one Of the win
dows. Before him lay an empty room.
On the floor, thrown from window
opposite, was great checkered flag Of
oonlight-nothing more. nothing but
those blue squares In the darkness
Suddenly the cabman ducked his
head, for he saw that u man had glided
into the room. He carried candle high
above his head, and his great pale face
was bloated and loose rs curd
The cabman crouched low. A gust Of
wind set the fir trees whispering, and q
shutter slammed far away in the house.
Guess I'll get out Of this" he NUT
tered, rising But he did not go, for the
figure that stood In the candlelight had
turned its back to the window and was
digging among the bricks, ripping and
scratching like leopard, while his long
shadow clawed ON the ceiling above
| him.
"Thiefp' said the cabman, between
his teeth. pressing his eur to the broken
panes. There is treasure hidden there
perhaps gold. perhaps" just then
the man inside gave joyful grunt.
He lifted an iron box from the hole
he had been digging. There was no key
in the lock, but at his touch the cove
few open. and out poured the contents
blue. green and gold, like glitterinG
rush Of water broken beneath the sun.
The cabby's heart stopped beating
"Diamondsi" he cried softly. Then h
grasped at the window ledge, for tn
creature gave howl Of anguish.
Good God, they give no hghtl
And tho echoes chartered back, an
light No lightP'
There was long silence. The huddl
ON the floor rocked to and fro, his fac
buried In his thin hands.
The Tnoon had aunk and fho sIru W q