Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-06-04

securely fastened the door to prevent
,a1y one getting into the well. and, so
lar as any Of the Fosters knew, it
ha In t been opened in ten years or
more
Charlie was SO sure of his theory
that he wanted toprove it on the spot.
But they waited until Father Foster
came home and told him about il.
Well go and see," said Father
Foster promptly.
He started for his own private closet
upstaires to get the key to the old
cellar He looked high and low for it,
and then he came back with a puzzled
expression on his face.
" It's gone, he said.
" There's where the mystery is
said Nat, excitedly.
Father Foster led the way, lamp in
hand. Charles followed close after
him with poker. Nat came next, and
then Mrs. Foster and Jane, who said
theYwere not at all frightened, in
decd. At the bottom Of the steps, Just
peeping into the cellar, stood Madge.
They knelt near the door of the
deserted celia, and, sure enough,
/ there were tracks and tracks that
! lookel rs if the person who made
them had walked straig ght through the
dusty old door. Father Foster walked
up aud took hold of the great iroa
handle, while Char lie. very pale and
quiet, poised his poker, rea ly to strike
if occasion might demand. Father
Foster pushed on the door and it
easily swung open on its creaky
hinges.
At first they could not see anything
owing to the glare Of light from the
lamp and the darkness within, but
Father Foster pushed his way through
the door.
"There they are :" shouted Charlie,
suddenly
Sure enough, there were Grand
mother Maywell's spoons, six of them,
tied as usual with the fade1 tape and
lying on a pile of other things, includ-
ing Charles best coat. James butter
bowl, the last volume if "Uncle Toms
Cabin and dozen or more of other
things which were recognized as hav-
ing been taken from the house.
The Old well yawned at their feet.
Father Foster peeped down into it,
aud could see nothing. The place was
full Of cobwebs, and there was hardly
room for anyone to hide, if indeed
any one woald have selected such a
dark, damp, spooky place. just inside
the door Father Foster thought he
saw some footsteps, but neither he nor
Charlie felt quite sure about it. BY
this time Mrs. Foster, Jane and Malge
had come up, and they all examined
the place carefully.
How in the world did they come
here ?' asked Mrs. Foster.
"That's just the question:" said
Nat. " don't see that the mystery
isn't as great as ever
They discussed the wonder all the
evening, and finally Charlie and Nat
agreed to sit up and watch, taking
their places in the cellar, where they
could see the stairs and the doorway
of The old well place. Nat was little
nervous about it, but Father Foster
said he would be ready in the room
above to respond to the slightest
alarm. That night the watch began.
Charlie and Nat sat close together,
with only the light of dim candle,
from which they were shaded. For
several hours they waited, and every
thing was quiet. Nat fancied, how
ever, that he heard all sorts of strange
sounds, aud he would have given any
thing to be allowed to go upstairs to
bed. Even Charlie felt little fright
ened, but he would not have admitted
it to Nat for anything.
Some time after mignight, the boys
never knew just what time it was, they
heard faint sound as of stealthy
steps at the cellar stairs. Mats teeth
began to chatter and Charlie crouched
with his hands clinched.
"Keep quiet" he said, fearing that
Nat would shout.
The sound of steps continued.
"Some ones coming downstairs, "
stammered Nat
The words were hardly out of his
mouth when they saw something white
gliding along the rassayeway toward
the old doo~ The light was much
too dim for them to see distinctly, but
they were conscious the person or OBJ
ject, whatever ii was, made very little
noise and that it was all white. The
door opened aud the figure bent for
moment inside then turned aud came
out. If the boys had not heard the
faint creak of the rusty hinges they
might have convinced themselves that
they were dreaming.
The figure glided slowly back. Just
before ii reached the stairway Nat,
whose back was creepy with fright,
gave sne terrific shout. They saw the
figure half turned in their direction,
shrek wildly and fall in white heap
on the cellar floor They were both
too usseh terrified to move and they
sat there, trembling, and listened to
their fathers feet hurriedly tramping
over the floor above them. Then they
saw the light of the lamp and their
father coming downstairs. As he
reached the white object ON the floor
he stopped over suddenly:
why, Madge," " what are you doing
here ?"
At that the boys dashed forward,
each trying to tell his story in single
breath. There was Madge in her
night-gown, lying on the loose boards
of the cellar floor and tainted quite
away. In the old well place they
found Mrs. Fosters feather boa.
And that solved the mystery of
Grandmother Maxwell's spoons The
doctor said that MaIge was studying
too hard in school and that girls who
walked in their sleep and had so many
bad dreams must have rest Chicago
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