Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-07-20

about to happen to me!
Again, that wierd. mutfled. uncarth-
ly wailing! Was there actually some
lost. wandering spirit. escaped from
purgatory. inhabiting the house? lis
tened for many minutes; and then.
above the bowling wind, Il sound re-
vcrbrated through the house which l
shall never forget. 1t was like the pitc
GUS expiring cry Of some poor soul i'll
IireSt agony. 1t was no blast Of wind.
nor knell from the bell above. nor glib
behring's and mutteringS Of khostS ana
COLLINS. 1t was human!
Nv blood ran cold: my teeth chatter
ed: | trcmbled from head to foot \
presentiment of an approaching encoun
ter with Il creature of appalling aspect
unnerved me.
1t was now > O'clock Six hours
more of this horrible suspense.
There was Il noise of footsteps over
hpa |. followed by an cutlery. like Il dog
baying at the moon. The wind al III
tel.vals. still dashed against the house:
and at every gust l thought my end
had come.
l lay down and wrapped myself in
the blankets. hoping to diSpel the shiv-
\ prolonged vail and loud sobs!
| must make an effort to search tho
house. and find from whom these
noises came.
Merciful powers! l could not move.
l was losing the use of my limbs.
fell into Il Semi-unconSciouS state. 1t
was not sleep. it was more like fear
full nightmare without sleep. All
strength forsook me. | felt utterly
powerless paralyzed in every limb.
The sense of hearing vanished My
eyes We're closed against my will: l
could not open them. All that | Was
conscious of vas Il sensation OF the ut
most terror. l thought | WAS dying. or
passing into another state or another
world. Presently l felt something
touching my neck, like cold. icy lin
gers or cold steel. Then. before my
closed eyes there seemed to be glow
ing light l tried to speak: but my
tongue clave to my mouth. Again
those icy fingers at my neck. My coat
and linen about my neck We're being
untastencd. l suddenly emerged froia
my torpid condition SAW the candle
falling to the floor and tho figure of Il
gaunt, whitening creature leaving the
room. The figure was clothed. as it
seemed. in a tattered gray garment.
and over her shoulders long. white
hair strcamed. 1t was but a moment
airy glance l had. for the candle was
extinguishcd as it touched the floor.
sprans to my feet. The bell again
rang thrice. Then all WAS silent. save
for the ftful wind. l CROPPED about
for the matches but could not lind
them. l raised my hand to MY neck
expecting to find tricllng blood: but
there We're 30 signs of any wound.
At that moment l heard Il low plain
tive voice on the landiEs-"T!la; wound
that scar. it is there" | felt again at
my neck. but with the same result as
before. | CROPPED about franriraily for
the matches. but in vain.
After Il few minutes ihr ynit'n l,.,Nr
Il second time on the landing o" Oh HE
stairs. 1t nli1ttrrrd Two w ,r,;> ~
ltentr,l thrice 1T intervals: Til" Res
direction, The Resurrection. Tie Res
urrnction.
The words rose and fell With a
nlournful cadanoc. mingled With terror
and hclpleSSneSS. and gradually died
away as the speaker Withdrew to !;
ulStallCF.
l stepped softly TO the landing. 1t
was in pitch darkness. ! dared no1
move either 10 the upper or lower
rooms without a light to guide me.
returned to my chamber sat on the
side of the bed. and list"Aed for fur
ther sounds Surely l Thought. | was
strong enough To cop with the aD-
partition. however mur,lcrous its int"n-
tions might be. Why should succumb
10 coWardic":
heard the boards crnlk in the room
above me. then low mutteringS. as if
coming from TWO or three c,'s--n"Nt.
Il steady footStnp pacing to and fro.
ceaSing for u moment. and renewed on
n" stairs. nearer and nearer the foot
stcDs advanced Horror. that torpid
s,rnsnton WAS Steallhily creeping over
me again, which | felt pow 'rl"Ss to
resist, There WAS a glimM"r Of Il light
through the half-Dprn ,oDr, the foot
steps abruptly stopped a loud though
tremul"us voice pcalod and echoed
through the house: ''Richmrd. Richard,
Richard Dudley
The voice recalled my ebhin@ senses.
a thousand thoughts Sllrgpd my brain
Was really a nu nan being, ~ had |
passed into a transition state. border
on the world of spirits:
Again that voice Richard, Richard,
Richard Dudley
started to my feet and made my
way to the landing: and there at the
foot of the stairs. stood the woman
clad in gray. Il candle held aloft in one
hand and IA framed portrait of a youth
il the other. | gaZed in spcechlcSs,
:iWr-struck amnZement, for | beheld
in that ashen withercd facc--my own
mother.
I was, indeed, Richard Dudley. the
elder son of the squire.
The meeting was indeed. like 4 res
direction to both Of us. | prefer to
draw a veil over much that passed be
tween Us from the moment Of recogni-
ton to the time my friends returned.
Ny mother led the way TO Il small at
tie chamber. lighted by a window in
The roof Out Of boxes and other lum-
Der. left behind by the creditors. she
had contlivrd to form a table and 4
5a@h bcdStead. And here secrrtcd