Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-09-23


vokingest thing ever came across,
nothing to get hold Of. and it riles
me all up.'
His expression was 90 queer .
mixture Of concern and honest in
dignation and bafiied anxiety, that
Kitty laughed softly a. be walked
slowly avay. shaking his head.
We ought to be quite happy
now she said, smiling upat Tracy
brightly. We have two mysteries
| -ths Gilforth ghost and the Barr
burglary. Could Ne desire anything
mof6 ssasa. s-ss .S-.sss--.
| The Gilforth ghost was q favor
ite joke between them, and Tracy
laughed.
/ do You know pursued Kitty,
looking up at him, With a sudden
assumption Of seriousness, shat I
always had an idea-a horrible lurk-
lipg suspicion-that you are not
1quite 20 skeptical about the Gill
forth ghost ~ you pretend to be p
that you half believe in 1t
She threw out her chin in pretty
defiance as she said it.
Tracy laughed again. These sud-
den assaults Of hers always delight
ed him. But Kitty was quite an
smiling.
81 don't believe, for instance
sho went on, with q well-assumed
air Of believing what she said, 'that
you would care to 90 to the old
house alone after dark. Would
you, now?'
'Alone after dark 7 repeated Ira
cy, in Q hoarse whisper, and forcing
. tremble. Il am about to faint
Kitty looked little discounted.
But, seriously she said, in an
injured tone, you would not quite
enjoy it? Just think with the old
house long black mass before you;
with the poplars hemming You is,
and the wind moaning through the
boughs Of that big mountain ash.
Confess !! Wouldn't you half ex-
pect to see the ghost p
what shall do said Tracy, in
a tone Of tragic despair, 'to dispei
those vile suspicions-to convince
you that, SO far. from fearing the
Gilforth ghost, l love him as a
brother p
Kitty laughed, rather shame
facedly.
Il don's know she said, meekly.
Shall bring you q shingle from
the house Pa bunch of berries from
the mountain ash ? That would
be case Of the glove and the lions
den, and you know how disastrous
ly that turned out for the lady; but
I should be vindicated.'
Very we'll, then,' said Kitty,
skeptically. you may do. it il you
dare. shall be proud to wear it,
'What-the shingle p said Tracy,
with an accession of interest.
The berries,' responded Kitty,
severely.
/ ooh, to be sure, madam = he con-
tinued, jumping Of the rail and
striking tragic prose. 'You have
said the world go! This night
shall see the dark deed-yea, by
me halidom ! Dark enough now
sy'Oh, yes,' said Kitty, glancing
around at the gathering shades, and
trying not to laugh. But l don't
believe you'll do it.
! Bat he was down the steps al
ready, waving his hat and uttering
sepulchral 'Adieuv 7
'You WON'T gop Kitty called sf-
ter him. defiantly.
He jumped into the buggy, and
the gray colt trotted of. He smiled
to himself % he drove along the
quiet road. It was so very much
like her!
, OF course it was all nonsense,
and perhaps he would be making .
fool Of himself to pay serious at
tention to it.
But it would cost him nothing,
and IL there had been any slight
. foundation of the truth in her
words--if she really knew him 90
little as to credit him with o lurk-
ing belief in the Gilforth ghost
he would be raised considerably in
] her estimation. And could there
D be . greater inducement? Tracy
. felt that any opportunity for gain
: ing her favor was not to be Lost.
He pictured to himself the pre-.
1 sentation Of the bunch Of berries.
4 =