The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-17

her from it by force. THE money!"
demanded the dark one: and she drew
from her bosom a small key and cast
it at his feet. My promises" demanded
the other, and seized her by the wrist,
as the priest stepped forward. Quick
over this coffln--man and wife!" She
wreiched her hand away and thrust
him backward. The priest retreated to
the brazier and drew out a red-hot
iron.
John thought it about time to inter-
fere. II beg your pardon" said he,
stepping forward, but I suppose you
really are ghosts?'
I'VE are unhallowed souls" answer
ed the dark man impressively. who
return to blight the living with the
spectacle Of our awful crimes.
Meaning me?" asked John,
cay, sir and to destroy you tonight
if you contract not upon your soul to
return with your bride and meet US
here a twelvemonth hence"
Him. said John to himself, they
are three to one, and, after all, ats
what l came for" II suppose" he adj
ded aloud. some form of document is
usual in these cases"
The dark man drew out pen ano
parchment Hold forth your hand,
he commanded; and as John held il
out, thinking he meant to shake it over
the bargain, the fellow drove the pen
into his wrist until the blood spurted
Now sign!
Sign" said the other villain.
20, very well, miss; if you're in the
swindle too, my mind is easier, said
John, and signed his name with a
| flourish. But a bargain is bargain
and what security have / for your
| part in it?'
"Our signature!" said the priest ter
ribly, at the same moment pressing his
branding iron into Johns ankle. A
| smell of burnt cork arose as John
| stopped and clapped his hand over
the scorched stocking. When he looked
up again his visitors had vanished;
and a moment later the strange light
too, died away.
But the coffin remained for evidence
that he had not been dreaming. John
! lit candle and examined 1t. Just the
thing for me-" he exclaimed, finding
it to be a mere shell of pine boards
loosely nailed together and painted
black; 81 was beginning to shiver. 8
| He Knocked the coffin to pieces. cram
med them into the fireplace and very
soon had a grand fire blazing, before
which he sat and finished his Penny
Dreadful, and so dropping off into
sound sleep.
The Lord Chamberlain arrived ear
| ly in the morning, and finding him
stretched there, at first broke into lam
entations over the fate of yet another
personable young man, but soon chang
ed his tune when John sat up and
rubbed his eyes, demanded to be told
the time.
But are you really alive? We must
drive back and tell his Majesty al
once!"
Stay moment" said John. There's
a brother of mine, a lawyer, in the
city. He will be arriving at his Office
about this time, and you must drive
me there; for l have a document here
of sort, and must have it stamped
tolbe on the safe side"
So into the city he was driven be-
side the Lord Chamberlain. and there
had his leg stamped and filed for ref
erence; and having purchased another
was conveyed to the palace, where thC
King received him with open arms.
He was now a favored guest at couTt
and had frequent opportunities OF see.
| ing and conversing with the Princess
with whom he soon fell deeply in love
But as the months passed md tho
time drew near for their marriage, he
grew silent and thoughtful, for he
| feared to expose her, even in his COM
in the haunted house.
He thought and thought, until one
fine afternoon he snapped his 0ngers
suddenly and after that went about
whistling. A fortnight before the das
fixed for the wedding he drove INFO the
city again. but this time to the ONCE
OF his other brother. the Ine ,'hant.
II want" he said. the loan ol
| Rl.00O."
Nothing easier said his brother.
Here are $3.50. OF the remainder
shall keep $50 as interest .og the FIRST
wear al y per cent. and the Ola Ll0t
should purchase d premium OF ingilr.
ance for $4,000 which ] viii retain az
security against accidents.
This seemed not only far but broth
erly. John pocketed his ESQ. shook his
creditor ahectionately BY the hand
ard hurried westward.
The marriage was celebrates Win
great pOmp and IN the evening ne
KlnF. who had been shedding tesrp "a
intervals throughout the enp1yDies
| aceompanied bis dGu shtef - tho
haunted house The Princess WIS pole
Iohn. On the contrary Nh9 90 fscine
ber father bel the state Coach. smiled
,tfb 4 cheerfulnenf wblcb. under me
/ rlreaulriancef. seemed ilfe llrhrrd
Ths wedding guests followed lh wen
IS four cbarlote. Their fsias oi lN'i'