Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-06-06
A GHOST IN THE CAB.

A GHOST IN THE CAB.
1t was past midnight: the city streets
were deserted, and it was time to go
home. So thought cabby No. IL, shivcr-
ing i'll his rusty overcoat. He had watch
cd 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.
Not fare this whole blasted nightw
he muttered. reaching down and pulling
the blanket from his horse
As he did so he felt the carriage give
quickly; some one had flung himself in
to the seat behind him.
"What do you want?" said the cabby
roughly.
There was Il pause, then voice came
through the darkness, thick and nasty
as gurglo Of black oil:
Drive me to Judas Withers', and. in
the name heaven, drive fastv'
Judas Wthers has been dead and his
soul with the devil this many year,
answered the cabman, staring behind
him.
The house still stands, hut have
lost my way. Go on. you fool"
The figure reached over. and catching
the whip from its place gave the horse
a lash The old beast plunged forward.
banging and rattling down the street,
while the cursing 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 way
The driver sank into his place again.
while the old cab rocked like a ship.
On they rushed, past closed stores and
lamplcss blocks Of houses. now ripping
and wrcnching across the eur tracks and
now swinging along the deserted road,
on and on, until the pavemcnts had been
left behind and the frost looked back
from the ruts like million little green
eyes.
Al last came the command, ''Stop, l
see il now and the next instant the
cab was empty.
MY 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
gnawcd and crumblcd edges, hung on
line with the fir tops. Before him rose
vague hlackncss. the house If Judas
Withers tcnantlcsS but for the old wife,
who still clung like some pale lichcn 10
its moldcrins stones. Perhaps she. too,
was dead The cabby did not know. He
did know. though. that Judas Withcrs
had been ii miscrly carcass. grudging
the very skin that hung his bones to-
gethcr.
The house stood back from the road
and was surrounded by a garden, now
lying gray and lonesome under the
moon. As the c;,bby peered toward it he
saw the figure of man come into the
moonshinc. 1t sprang across the open
space i'll soft leaps like great black
bubble, its every movement full of
dreadful vitality. Then it was gone As
the driver himself turned to go, he saw
tiny red spark flash out from the
house before him, and one after the 9TH
er the windows on the lower floor
glowed red. aS crawling blotch of
sparklcs will eat across SCOT.
The man was therc-thc man who
owed him muncy-and all fear fled but
the fear Of loss The 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 If the win
,lows Before him lay an empty room.
On the floor, thrown from window
opposite, was great chcckercd flag Of
Notwithstanding more, nothing but
those blue squares in the darkness.
Suddenly the cabman ducked his
head. for he saw that man had glided
into the room. Hc carried Il candle high
above his head, and his great pale face
was bloatcd and loose rs curi
The cabiaan crouched low 4 gust of
wind set til fir trees whispering, and Il
shutter slammed far away i'll the house
Guess I'll get ont of this. he NUT
tIfAis iASsiie- AbAA tllti iltA iAI Ailt
figure that stood in the candlclight had
turned its back to the window and was
digging among the bricks ripping and
scratching like a leopard, while his long
shadow clawcd ON the ceiling above
him
Thief" said the cabman, between
his teeth. pressing his ear To the broken
a.. Il.
perhaps gold. perhaps Just then
the man inside gave joyful grunt.
lie lifted an iron box from the hole
he had been digging. There was no key
i'll the lock. but ut his touch the cover
flew open. and ont poured the contents
blue, green and gold. like glittering
rush of water broken beneath the sun.
The cabby's heart stopped beating
DiamondS!' he cried softly. Then he
graspcd ut the window ledge fcr the
creature gave Il howl Of anguish.
Good Ga'l. they give 10 light"
And the ,chocs chattcred back, "No
light! No light"
There was long silence The huddlc
on the floor rocked to and fro. his face
buried i'll his thin hands
The moon had sunk and the sky was
clear rs dark glass. \ cock crowod
somcwhJ.c III the east At that sound
the wretched figure raised its head Op-
p0site him WAS Il door with fan shaped
transom over il, and as he looked il
grew gray and then rosy. Some one was
coming; n1w even the cabman could
hear the light crcaiS If steps. Nearer
they came. nearer The door opened,
and little figure pccpcd into the room
the little figure Cf woman, Shrivelcd
and very old
The man by the fireplace sprang up
As the woman's eyes met that CHASTITY
face she gave cry. ".Iudasi" she
screamed. "Judasl' Then she tottcrcd
and slid in hcap at his feet. He kicked