La Junta tribune., 1898-01-08

close to my side that my hand. invol-
UNFAIRLY thrown out, passed through
her seeming form, stood Nancy Black.
1t was Nancy Black, and yet not Nam
cy Black: her whole body had a semi
transparent appearance. Just as your
hand looks when you hold It between
yourself and strong light; her cloth
ing, apparently the same worn In life.
had a wavy, seething, fiickering look.
I'm the name OF God. Nancy Black.
what brought you here. and whence
came you?" i exclaimed.
A hollow whisper followed.
Thank you. my old friend. for
speaking to me. and. oh. how deeply
thank you for thinking of me tonight
Il shall have rest"
Rest heard echoed. and a jeer-
Ing laugh rang through the room that
made her quiyer at Its sound.
II have been near you often; but al
ways failed to find you in a condition
when you would be en- rapport before
tonight. What l came for will tell
you: whence l come, you need not
know; suffice 1t to tell you that were
happy l would not be here on such an
errand, nor on such night-it is only
when the elements are in tumult and
the winds wall and moan that we come
forth. When you hear these sounds 1t
Is souls of the lost you hear mourning
their doom-'tis then they wander up
and down. to and fro, their only release
from their fearful home of torture and
undying pain.
tn oI that
must go over to the old house. and in
the back room l always kept locked.
have the carpet taken UP from toward
the fireplace. You will see a plank
with n knothole in II. Remove that.
and you will find what caused me to
lose my soul-have prayer said for me.
for It's well to pray for the dead. The
money and jewels give in charity; bury
In holy ground the others you find, and
pray for them and me. All, Jeannette!
you thought your old friend. though
strange and odd. pure and innocent. 1t
Is bitter part of my punishment that
l must change your thought of me-
Farewell. Do not fail me, and l shall
trouble you no more. But whenever
you hear the wind howl and sweep
round the house as 1t does tonight.
know that the lost are near. 1t Is
their swift flight through space-fiee-
Ing before the scourge OF memory and
conscience that causes that sound.
THAT tomorrow you may not think
you are dreaming, here Is token" and
she touched the palm OF my hand with
her flnger-tips, and as you see, my
child, to this day there are three GRIM
son spots in the palm OF my hand that
nothing will eradicate.
"Do not fail me. and pray for us.
Jeanette. pray" and with a longing.
wistful gaze and deep. sobbing sigh,
Nancy Black faded from my sight.
Am l dreaming" l exclaimed as
rose from my chair and rang the bell:
when the servant entered. bade him
attend to the fire and light the lamps.
and l went through the room to see II
any unusual arrangement of the furni-
ture could have caused the appearance.
but nothing was apparent. and bads
him send my maid to attend me in my
chamber. for / could not help feeling
unwilling to remain in the library any
longer that evening.
hiiV ahs eoiitt Aoi eAAS AA5As~
my maid said:
Have you burned your hand. mad
am?"
Glancing hastily down l saw three
dark crimson spots upon the palm OF
my left hand. They had an odd look.
scared as though touched by a red hot.
iron. yet the flesh was soft. not burned
and not painful. Making some excuse
for 1t, did not allude to 1t again. and
dismissed her speedily. that might re-
fleet undisturbed over the singular oc-
currence. There were the marks upon
my hand: could not remove them. and
they did not fade. In fact. their deep
red made the rest of the palm lose its
pinkish hue and look pale from the
strong contrast. Could l have been
asleep and dreamed 1t all. and by any
means have done this to myself?
thought. but finally concluded that on
the morrow Id go over to Nancy
Blacks old residence and settle the
question: and with that conclusion had
to content myself until the morrow
came.
When morning came ! took the
keys, and, with my maid. went over to
Nancy's house. 1t had never been dis
turbed since her death, which was sud
den and somewhat singular, and the
furniture remained just as she left 1t
when taken to her last resting place.
We went to the room Nancy had d.
rected. bade Sarah take up the car
pet, and, sure enough. there was
plank with knot-hole in 1t: so l sent
her from the room, and lifted the plank
myself. and there. between the two
joists. rested long box. the lid not
fastened Opening it. / was Mortified to
see two skeletons-those of an infant
and of woman. small In stature and
delicate frame. In a moment 1t flash
ed before me that l saw all that re-
mained of Nancy Blacks young sister.