The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-02-26
THE LIGHTHOUSE
MYSTERY.

"My man, do you want berthT'
said he.
"Aye, aye, cappen," said l. T want
one badly. I'm half starved and half
frozen"
He made no answer, but just sign
to follow him, and he stalked away
and pegged after him. He kept close
along the shore as we walked, and for
a while he said nothing. At last. how
ever, he turned and pointed seaward.
"You see that?' said he.
He indicated lighthouse on lonely
rock.
I'm the keeper" said he. 81 want
you to cook my meals and keep my
bachelors hall for me. Now and then
shall want you to row in and buy
provisions. The work won't be hard.
think the pay will suit you. Do you
know why | chose you?"
mo, cappen," said l.
Because | saw that hope was at en-
end with you," be said. Its only
man who had come to that who could
live with me in lighthouse"
81 was on a desert island once" said
l. after that l shan't be afraid of a
lighthouse"
I'd been in a lighthouse before: 1t was
no new thing to me, but after I'd been
there few hours wondered what my
master hired me for. 1t was like
being pensioned off; there was nothing
to do. But, mark We, when it came
night, and the wind began to moan
about the lighthouse, and the lamps
were lit and all outside was black as
pitch, and all the sound we heard was
the swash, swash of the waves, my mas
ter mixed some grog and called me to
sit along with him. That looked So
ciable, but l can't say he did. He sat
glowering over his glass for a while,
and opening his mout$ as if to speak,
and shutting it again. Then said he:
whats your name?"
"Ben Dare" said l.
"Would you mind calling yourself
Brace?' he asked.
''I've no reason to be ashamed Of my
name," said 1.
Look here" said he 81 am a gen.
tleman born and bred. l never camp to
earning my bread before. Pm ashamed
of it. This is what l mean. LIZ any
strangers come out here and ask for
William Brace. why, you can say you
are the man. You claim to be light
house keeper. It's easy. l don't sup
pose much company will call. but
choose not TO see them, If they do
That's what I hired you for"
well, it's shamming," said l, "but
after all, what does any one care what
my name is, and what shall 1 call
you?"
Call me nothing" said he. "CaIl
me captain, as you did when met you,
but never speak of me to any one"
Gentleman or no, he wasn't lazy. He
didn't care how he worked The lamps
were as bright as jewels There wasn't
a speck of dirt in the whole tower
But let any boat come nigh US, away
he went and hid himself, and cama
out with a white, scared face and
shaking hand. AT night he was afraid
to go up to the lamps alone, and bed
look over his shoulder and turn white
as we stood there together At last
he took a new turn. He sat staring at
a corner for a while. Then he spoke
10 me in a low voice:
Brace, do you believe in ghosts?"
81 ha'n't considered the question"
answered.
"Wel,' said he, softer than before.
'1ook Into that corner" and he point
ed. l looked.
'Don't you see anything?' he asked.
NO." said l., mo, cappen."
"Ah," he muttered; "very well, very
well; I'm glad you don't"
But that wasn't nothing to what hap
pened the very next night We slept
ju two hunks nigh each other and
naturally when he woke up with a
yell woke too. He was shrieking and
shaking and wringing his hands,
"The woman! the womanr' he said
"She stood here just now, all red with
blood. 1t dripped down the white ruff
fes. 1t dripped on her hands. Stop
her! stop her! She has gone to call
them. Stop her! stop herw
Where did she go?" / asked
He stared at me with wide-open
eyes. all the whites showing, below
and above.
"She couldn't have been here" said
be. at was a dream"
Lord love you-a nightmare" said
SO we went to sleep again. But l
heard of the woman so often after that
that grew used to her. The capren.
as l called him, got to be worse aud
worse every day. l wanted to go
ashore and fetch the doctor, but he
would not hear to it. He raved If
tried to leave him.
AT last there came a hot, hot night
in June 1t was burning hot all day
9nd dead calm at night. About dark
tie cappen went to Sleep and | went
and sat where / could see the water
and the lights ashore. 1t was SO clear
that could hear the sailors in Span
ish ship moored not far awas singing
IN their foreign lingo. Anc I was sort
of quiet and dreamy like, when some
thing happened that walked ne mighty
wide and sudden. Something was
standing on the steps below me, some
thing white. Something came toward
me- 1t was little slender figure, with
long hair all about it's shoulders.
couldn't see it's face. l don't think l
really saw it plainly at all. But it
went past me softly while | looked,
and knew it was a woman in a white
ruf1ed gown, and that she had gone to
the room where my master lay. shook
too hard for moment to move; but as
soon as 1 could l started up to go to
hira. Just then voice cried:
Lighthouse, ahoyp'
1 answered AYE, aye" and stopped
a bit, Duty first of all things with
sailor.