The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-12-28


NUNS the word said the boy, with
a wink.
so | fixed him up a bed on this ere
couch we're a-sitting on and rs it was
bitter cold started a bit of fire in the
CRATE. Then | locked him in and carried
away the key, so that if by some strange
chance the professor should stray up
there late in the evening he would find
the key gone and probably think ii had
been mislaid, for it usually hung on nail
beside the door.
IF i'd known the queer tricks Of this
room then us | do now. I'd never have
locked the boy in.
What happened during that night |
got straight from Jack myself. 1t seems
he went straight 10 sleep and never woke
till the faintcst bit of daylight was steal
ing into his window. Then he was
aroused, poor chap, by a low murmur of
voices. and, sitting up, he saw on the
hearth two figures talking together-one
girl with long black hair and he other
young man who held her hJ ds and
was bending his face down to hers.
Both of cm was dripping wet, and lie
could hear the tricklc of the water as it
fell on the big stone hearth they were
standing on. Their faces were turned
from him, but in the girls hair was tam
gled quantity of scaweed.
Did tell you Jack was plucky lit
tie fellow? lie was, to the backbone.
He said to himself that what he saw
was AN optical delusion,' | believe he
called it, that there was nobody but him
self in the room-there couldn't be be-
cause the door was locked What do
you want-who are you" he cried. And
with that he jumped out of bed and
came straight toward the two figures.
AS he advanced they rctrcatcd toward
the window, and when he reached the
window there wasn't anything there.
though the window was shut except for
little space at the top.
"Well, Jack went to bed and lay think
ing it over for an hour. then fell asleep
again. He was perfectly healthy, Jack
was, and hadn't much idea of the super
natural.
But now comes the strange part of il.
for as be was dressing the next mornin..
what did the boy Gnd but a pool of salt
water on the stone hearth in that little
hollow you can see from here that has
been Worn in it and lying in it a bit of
fresh seawcel in which was tangled a
long black hair. Then, as Jack told me.
his own hair began to rise in good ear
nest, and he was scared
so that morning after breakfast he
takes the bit of sraweed TO his uncle
and asks him if he'd ever seen any
like it,
The professor looked at the piece Of
wet weed, and his color went like the 90
ing out of lighted taper It's an nm
common variety he said. as it's never
found except on the bodies Of drowned
people. Where did you get it. JackT
And he looked at the boy widlike. for
was a-watching of 'em from the passage
way.
- found it in my room,' blurted out
the boy. There was Il couple of people in
there last night, uncle dripping wet
What do YOU mean? gasped his un-
Gle. looking at him strNneplv
Come and I'll show you. he says. in
spite lh the fact that was shaking my
list at him from the hallway SO together
they went up to the Seawecd room, | fol
lowing to explain why ia taken the liber-
ty to lodge Jack there. But the professor
never noticed me. He followed Jack into
the room, white to the lips, and kneelng
down examined the little pool of water on
the hearth. It's sea water he whisper
ed. after moment. What did you see.
boy? Tell me everything
There's nothing much to tell, uncle
went on Jack, in his straightforward
way. The girls hair was down her back
all wet, and full Of scawoed. And see!
Here's long black hair in the seawccd
| found
The professor looked. then gave cry
such as ! hope never to hear again and
fell back on the floor unconscious. lie
came back to life, but never was well
after, and he died six weeks afterward.
Before he went he became communica-
tive. and the secret of his wife's death
came ont. He and his wife were in a
small boat the last two to leave the sink
ing vessel, together with few other pas
sengers and one sailor The professor.
being man of authority and well
known seaman, was in charge of the
boat. just as they were pushing off they
saw figure clingng to the mast just
above the water 1t was Mrs. Linwood's
cousin and former lover. At this she cried
to her husband to put back to the shin
and rescue him and took on so at his dan
ger that the demon of jealousy entered
her husbands soul, and he swore it would
be impossible to go back and that to take
another person into the boat would sink
it. AT that moment the mast disappear
ed, and as it did so the young man
sprang into the sea waving a farewell to
his cousin. Then. with one look at the
professor that he never forgot to his dy-
ing day. Mrs. Linwood jumped overheard
and probably sank immediately-at least
the body could not be recovered
"Ies, it was a strange thing, those two
coming back-if it was they-to this
room. Those who have book learning can
make it clear, perhaps, but I'm only an
ignorant old woman and don't under
stand these deep things. can only tell
it to you just as it happened" d."-Chcago
Times Herald.