The Globe-republican., 1898-09-08

never saw one"
WELL" says he, after q moments
silence. III. I didn't see Bentley's ghost
in my cabin just now. then never saw
anything in my life."
OF course, I thought he had only
been drinking q little too much, and
had imagined he had seen q ghost. So
I only smiled and said that guessed
he had been dreaming or had had a
nightmare.
mo, sir" he said. running his hand
over his face, as II to brush something
away; cit was no dream. and say to
you, as certain as God lives, saw the
ghost of Mark Bentley this night"
Nonsense" said l. Surely you
can't believe what you are saying. It's
only fancy"
But for all that, there was something
in the mans look that gave me kind
Of Creepy" feeling.
"Say what you WILL" he replied, "but
just come to my cabin With me as soon
as you are relieved from your post,
and you can see for yourself"
With this. he walked forward and
stood leaning on the rail, gazing into
the sea. Although it is no uncommon
thing to see sailors who firmly be-
lieve in such superstitious stories, am
not one of them. Still, I couldn't get
the mans words and looks out of my
mind, and when was relieved went
to him. and, in a light tone. said:
Come, now. and we'll 60 down and
take look at Bentley's ghost"
Without a word, he led the way to
his cabin. It was quite dark in there,
for there was no light save what came
through q bit Of skylight that hadn't
been covered with tarpaulin. was
about to strike light. when he caught
me by the arm and turned my face
toward the bunk where he had been
sleeping.
Look" he cried, in frightened
whisper, his hold tightening on my
arm. Il saw it again, but it faded
away! There-there it ISL
I turned my face toward the bunk,
and as I did so I saw kind of SHIN
mering light lowering over the pillow.
It seemed to move back and forth with
tho swaying of the vessel. Then Of a
sudden it grew brighter, and, as / am
living, there was the face of Mark
Bentley as plain as see yours this mo-
ment. Well, sir, you might have
knocked me down with a feather.
stood there looking at it till kind OF
cry came from Magsby.
"You see it," he asked, just as il
they were the last words he would ever
speak.
eyes," says I, Il saw some
thing"
He uttered a groan, and 1 think he
would have fallen had 1 not caught
him. Mnen looked again. the strange
vision had disappeared.
Magsby and 1 went from the cabin
together, and from that moment he
never entered the place again.
He slept with me in my bunk that
night; that is, he turned in with me,
but don't think he closed his eyes al!
night. OF course the story that Bent
ley's ghost had been seen in Magsby's
cabin was soon known to every sailor
on board, and there was no end OF talk
over the strange incident. was Gales
upon to tell all l knew of the affair,
and my story was listened to with
mingled expressions Of doubt and
credulity.
The next night crowd of sailors
visited the cabin where the vision had
appeared, but nothing was seen OF the
ghostly visitant. Magsby, however,
kept aloof from the place, and could
not be induced to enter. He seemed
to be terribly downcast, and in a few
days a great change had come over
him. His cheeks were hollow, his face
haggard, and he was forever glancing
about him, as If he expected any mo-
ment to see something dreadful.
One night he came to my cabin, and
throwing himself on the edge of the
bunk, said in husky voice:
"'Tain't no use in trying-1 can't
stand this; It's worrying the lie Cut
of me-"
"Why-what is?" I asked, though !
we'll knew what he meant.
"Bentley's ghost" was the reply.
cts going to drive me into the sea
yet, to follow poor Bentley"
That's all foolish talk" 1 said. ut
is little strange what we saw in the
cabin that night, but what's the harm
of It? Didn't see it as we'll as your
self? Still, don't see as that's any
reason that / should go talking OF
jumping into the sea over it,
"But you don't know ALL he went
on, in strange, hesitating way. Then,
letting his voice sink to whisper, he
said, with a sort of gasp, as if the
words were forced from him: "Sprig-
gins, I've got to tell it to some one
l murdered Mark Bentley
AS you may we'll believe, the fell
1ov,. p-orda oCmnlofetv uOcef me-