The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-10-31

lulS ldSl SeuteHCc was gwen Will q
toss of the head and an emphasis that
showed Paddy in something like his
usual form, and l saw he was gradually
getting back his heart again. Paddy's
temporary forgetfulness of his ambition
was the best indication of his intense
fear, for not once before had he left it
out of his mind since he started on his
quest"
L slipped to the door, saying soothing
Iy as 1 unlocked it: "Well, Paddy, it must
be the boys, and We'll go out and catch
them at their tricks"
Sure we will that" he said, rather
doubtfully.
When the door shut after US, for a few
moments L could see nothing; but when
my eyes became accustomed to the dark
ness, we started across the field to the
other side of the track, where was h
straightaway over which Paddy had
seen the spook ~"a-hurdlin'."
When we reached it, for a few seconds
we could see nothing unusual, but a lit
tie later we suddenly could discover at
the same time a white figure near n
finish came toward us where we stood,
perhaps 80 yards from the start.
Now, l will confess l was a bit sur
prised and startled, for l thought that
the only ghost was probably in Paddy's
brain. When [ saw the tall, white fig
IRE loom up in the darkness, l did feel
a little queer, and remembered some
b~lood-curdling stories with which a lazy
nurse once kept me in bounds when L
was a little lad of seven summers.
1 could see the ghost plainly enough
as it came toward US in the gloom, fol-
lowing along the other side of the track,
walking as a hurdler would when the
sticks were up and he was going to the
start. 1 quoted Paddy as best l could,
and kept a good grip on his arm. The
moon just now coming out of the clouds,
we could see the tall, white figure plain
Iy, the white robe CHASTITY in the light.
He was quiet but a few seconds, and
Paddy gave my arm a grip when the
ghostly hurdler got on the mark, set
himself for the start, put out a. long
spectral arm, ard then suddenly, as if at
the sound Of the pistol, he was off.
Three strides he took, then up he came,
lifting in the air as over an imaginary
hurdle, and as he rose l could hear
Paddy's breath as if drawn by a sue
tion-pump.
The spook landed with a great f%iutter,
the white robe making a tremendous
Tapping, and the steps sounding crunch,
crunch, crunch on the cinders. AL
though there was not the sign of a stick
up, he hurdled sure enough, and so
naturally hat l strained my eyes to
discovered something more than the
simply wind" AS he approached the
second imaginary hurdle the moon came
out clear, and 1 could see him tuck 4
bare foot under him, rise clumsily, and
come down with an amazing display OF
skeleton legs. A great noise he made.
and it treasured me. Twas sure one of
the boys was acting the role, and dis
covered something strangely familiar
in the peculiar gait of the ghostly hur-
der.
As it came close to US, Paddy began to
trembIe, and was gathering himself to
break away and run, when a sudden
fancy took me, and l said: Tackle the
CHEST, Paddy, and the job is yours" at
the same time letting go my hold on his
arm.
He hesitated but a second, just long
enough to realize what l had said, n
then he was at the spOok like n flash,
and of all the 'mix-ups"I ever saw, that
which followed was the worst.
You have seen a Punch and Judy
show, and remember the wonderful
struggle between Punch and the devil?
Well, that between Paddy and the
"ghost hurdfer'' was just such another.
First Paddy's black coat was upper
most, and men the spook's white robe;
/ ard which would have stayed there l
cannot tell, for l pulled them apart be-
fore either had won out. When they
90 on their feet, and I gave n good look
at them, l gave 4 shout, for they were
effigieS sure enough.
On one side was Paddy, a ragged piece
| of white cloth in his right hand, his left
| ciinched and held in front of him, in
case lHtlt SllOuiu Dt d lthVNd Il VI Oot
tiles. His coat was split open in the
back. also one knee of his trousers, and
his cheek was scratched as if a giant
tomcat had clawed him.
On the other side of me, and'facing
Paddy, with a look of inquiry on his pale
| face, was, of all men, Two Pieces" HIM
self. His nose was bleeding freely,
where Pats big fist had got in a blow,
| and he was clad only in his night-shirt,
most of which had been torn off in the
struggle.
After recriminations, explanations
| and apologies, l foundthat Tive Pieces"
had undoubtedly been so excited by his
dreams of success on the cinder-path
that they had brought back an
attack of sleep-walking to which
he had been addicted when a
boy. He remembered nothing be-
tween his going to bed and the waking
up in a life and death struggle with
Paddy, and we got him back into his
room not much worse for wear. After
we had tucked him safely in bed. We
started back across the field to the gym
nasium, for Mrs. Dooley's door was now
bolted beyond a doubt.
l opened the door against which
Paddy had leaned a short half-hour be-
fo,o ,va croccn6 the yeStjbule where 1