Washington sentinel., 1898-03-05
A Gnostlx VisItAnt.

old Bart's, and looking forward to
being the possessoT of snug little
practice which. for family reasons,
could almost already call my
own. 1t wanted but few days to
Christmas, 1874, and intended to
pass that season with an aunt In
Huntingdonshire.
On the 22nd l packed my bag,
and in due time arrived at Oak
shot, as my relative called her
house--regarding which Miss
Betsy Frontwood might have in
quired "Why Oakshot1"-it being
named on the hNcNS non IHcFNdo
principle, as there was not an oak
within a mile off The old lady
met me at the entrance hall, and
gave me an elusive greeting; so
gushing was it that, although we
we're the best Of friends. and l
could always consider her home
mine, could not help fancying
there must be some unusual cause
for the delight she evidenced
After supper the truth came out.
"Phil, dear" she said, "l'm more
than glad to see you this time.
You know you are always well
come; but what you don't know
is that either my intellect is failing
or there is IA ghost in the housel
Yes; don't stop me, or shall
break down; l know l shall. 1t is
very, very stupid; but / can't help
il. And o! Phil, Phil, my dear,
dear boy" and she burst into
her flood Of tears. l made some
commonplace remarks to pacity
her, wondering all the while what
the deuce it could be, and whether
it was really case of "a bee in
bonnet" By.and by her hysteri-
cal fit subsidized, and my aunt was
able to give rational account of
her trouble.
1t seemed that tor some nights
past, after she had gone to sleep,
she had been awakened by some
thing tugging at the bed clothes.
On one occasion the eiderdown
quilt, and covering next to it, had
been actually pulled off and had
fallen on the floor. Naturally
Miss Rachel-that was her name
was very much frightened, but,
nevertheless, each time she got up,
liz her candle, and made thor
ough search oi the room, discover
ing nothing, however, to explain
the mystery. Her door was fast
locked and bolted on the inside,
the shutters were securely closed,
and there was not crevice in the
apartment that she had not care
fully explored to see if living
bird or animal had been concealed
there, but all in vain.
l should state that my aunt,
though wealthy. had only small
establishment, consisting of two
elderly female servants, and these
l we'll knew could be entirely de-
pended upon. They slept on the
first floor, at the back OF the house,
overlooking the garden, and the
servants quarters were on the
story above. The front of the
house, completely furnished should
need arise, was almost always un-
occupied, and, owing to the pecu-
liar construction OF the building,
the only ether room at the back on
the same level as my aunt's. was
the plate closet, where some hun
dreds OF ounces of silver, most OF
il antique and Of great value, are
stored. Ihad often endeavored to
persuade her to deposit this at her
bankers, but she always objected
TO do so, alleging that it was one
Of her chief pleasures to look after
the various articles herself.
After Miss Rachel had told me
her story, l fancied | could see
clearly that no supernatural agency
had been at work, and yet | was
puzzled to account tor the fact that
her chamber had certainly not been
entered, and that no living being
had been "lying low" in it. The
elucidation Of the difficulty was, |
felt convinced, to be found in con-
nection with the plate closet, and
I begged my aunt to allow me 70
pass the night in that retreat. Alter
some hesitation she consented, and
when bedtime came, made mvseli
as comfortable there as | could
with the assistance OF sofa chair,
plenty OF eggs, and a modicum of
not water alone. My only
stipulation was that my aunt's d 0or
should be left uniastened.
l must have dozed, of and on,
for a couple Of hours, when / was
aroused by a piercing scream; and
"Phill PHILIP in an agonizing tone,
sounded in my ears. l rushed out
of the plate room, crossed the mar
row passage which separated it
from the bedcbamber, and in a
moment was in the latter. AS /
entered something became entan-
gled in my legs, and / nearly fell.
But in that second, l heard slight
seuffie outside the window, and
dasning open the shutters ! caught
sight of man making tracks Tor
the end OF the garden. / had my
revolver in nay hand, and fired,
bringing down the quarry. The
shot attracted the attention of the
village policeman who happened
TO be close at hand, and between
us the wounded man, who proved
to be a neer-do we'll OF the locality,
was safely housed.
then had time to devote atten-
ton to Miss Rachel, who, it may
easily be believed, was not little
-l---L d. hnr rnhscln -hsna u