Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-03-17
YORFzVILLE s. C. SATURDAY, MARCH II, 1900:
Illumination Of the house. she said
more steadily:

Gas II | could be frightened by a
mouse! You are very good. Tom. to a
most troublesome guest. am sorry
was so ugly to you this afternoon. But
1 don't want to stay" She shlvered
and clung closer to her father. "Oh.
father, father. it was 80 frightful. so
distinct! l will never, never get over
itr
"Get over what, Olivia? insist up
on your calming yourself sufficiently
to give me lucid account Of what has
happened"
There was an unfamiliar sternness
in her fathers voice and manner which
made her stare at him In surprise. She
had no means of knowing that he was
hiding his own fears behind that stern
mask
care you going to scold me. father.
after all have gone through? | new
er saw you look so cross before"
81 don't want to scold you at all. my
darling. | only-I mean His strong
square jaws were twltching convul-
sively. His nerves were rapidly get
ting the upper hand Of him. He looked
imploringly at Tom.
Tom took up the task Of questioning
with tender soothing In his manner.
1--WE are asking you to tell US what
frightened you so badly. Ollie. dear. so
as to punish him or them or 1t. You
see, we want to be doing something
about it, but we are all in the dark so
far"
She shook her head mournfully.
"Oh. there Is nothing to be done.
Tom; nothing you can do. nothing:
nothing anybody can do. Sell the
place, Tom, and let strangers live In
it. You can never be happy here. Oh.
papa, papa"
Her father had himself well In hand
now. Then she had seen it too! But
neither she nor Thomas must suspect
that her, experience was repetition Of
his own. He maintained his stern at.
titude even to he point Of disengaging
her clinging arms from about his neck
and holding her hands in firm clasp.
"Olivia. | insist upon your acting
more nationally. What brought you
down stairs at such an hour Of the
night"
"Why. you made me 60 to bed at
such a ridiculous hour Of the day that
by midnight | was wide awake. with
nc more sleep left In my eyes. Try as
l might. just got wider awake ev-
cry moment. So thought | could
slip down stairs without anybody
knowing it and get book out Of the
library. stole down just as softly as
one Of those mice Tom talks about. for
| was afraid Of the steps creaking and
waking you up. And then, oh. father.
oh. Tom. just as stepped over the H.
brary doorsill saw. just as plainly as
l see both Of you now. tall figure In
white standing by Colonel Broxton's
desk! Whoever 1t was stood with his
head bent low over the desk. A faint
light that seemed to come from the
bosom of-of-the thing shone on the
desk. screamed and dropped my
candle and didn't know anything more
until heard Toms voice. papa. and
felt your arms about me. That Is all"
Her story told, she began to weep so
hysterically that further questioning
would have been cruelty. Her father
wrapped his arms about her and pour
ed soothing endearments into her ears.
"Then she had seen it. too" was the
unspoken thought Of both men. The
sound Of Olivia's sobs nearly broke
Toms heart. His voice shook little
as he asked briskly:
wouldn't glass Of wine be good
for her. Mr.. Matthew's"
"No wine. thank you. Thomas; lit.
tie bromide now. If you could find such
thing about the house."
"There Is a medicine cabinet in ia
ther's room. I'll explore it."
Olivia raised her head and listened
until his footsteps could no longer be
heard. Then she said:
"Papa. | would rather not have told
that story in poor Toms presence, but
you made me-" Her teeth were chat
tering. and she clung to him convul-
sively. Father, do you believe there
are such things as ghOsts?"
"Of course do not. No sensible per.
son does," her father answered, with
explosive violence.
Not even after people have seen one
papa, with their own eyes?'
mo one ever has seen one, Olivia.
You were unstrung by your accident.
and prowling about at midnight In this
gloomy old house did the rest"
81 was not at all unstrung. father.
l slept like a baby until had all the
sleep l needed"
"And, having become sleepless In
strange bed. you grew fanciful. Res!
assured, my love, you did not see a
ghost"
"Then what did see. father. there.
right through the open. glass door!
You know | am not fanciful. and |
know what saw-a faint light shining
on the ceiling Of the study and some
thing tall and white, as Nall rs old
Colonel Broxton. leaning over his
desk"
The lawyers tongue felt dry and
hot as II Glove to the roof of his mouth