The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-05
The Ghost of No. Fifty-Nine
BY CATHERINE COLL.

BY CATHERINE COLL.
 Copyright 1902. by Daily Story Pub. co.)
 Theodore and had been tramping about Halifax all day. We had pulled our feet from the asphalt pavements. for the sun was hot; We had toiled to the wind- slapped citadel. and gased at Dartmouth. gleaming white across the water. and watched the seething foam in the far haSe at the harbor entrance. We had sneered at the gowns of the women. and had been stared at by the monkey-clad St. Mary's. and driven through the gar- dens, and even out the Bedford Basin Road for few miles. had dragged Theodore to moth-eaten shops and bought Theodore calls American girl" manner. There was . touch of the spring-time weartneas upon me when we got back to the Halifax House. with spare time in n ay 70 nass too Us soon for the and every person. not Tory to their nnger tips. was spotted in the hotel. That 10 the reason that Ted and I, when we went into the dining room were i'm. already two people sat waiting for their dinner. The girl was an American. That much--and no more-I knew. The man. Nov. Theodore had come to Canada on in the hope of meeting the very man who sat talking in his most enticing style. to an utter stranger. not i've feet away.
 had meant to be 50 gentle with Tom had seen him had refused with great hAughdness. to accompany him. as . loving wife and helpmeet, to this end of the world. After six months of ab1ect misery. though. was quite willing-to have him ask me again. It gave me an unreasonable pang to see how well he looked. and put on my most dignihed air az he presented the girl. whose high iy interesting conversation had been
 T ioathed that girl before. I had met her. knew. before she opened her lips. that she would talk through her nose-and she dtd. She was native of some mountain village in Pennsylvania. and her reason ness. In a few minutes we had her his- tory, and knew that she was . book keeper in the most up-to-date hardware shop in Halifax. She had met Tom on to know him very well, indeed. At least she called him Tom" and looked at him as though he belonged to her. and acted altogether disgracefully.
 suicide" said Miss Reynolds, as we be- course"
 No" replied. untruthfully. I knew talk some more. There was a wild fas- cination for me in listening to her rasp- ing as. and awful r's. Tom Merrill, New xorker 10 the core. never winced. He had Indeed comforted himself.
 "lfs horrid tale to go with a meal" she said. You sec. q woman, young, and an American at that, shot herself here, In the hotel. just three days ago Poor thing I saw her the first day she came. haunted the telegraph and postoffices fromm orning till night. She was always beautifully dsessed. and would have been handsome. if she could but lose that ter eHsansf faf of ts sss h Gt ay sessrsn s a night shot herself through the heart in Room No. bs. She left absolutely noth- Ing that would establish her identity. Burned i;urn rsl all her letters, and even her found In the twisted gold among the ash es. They can't find out who she is, and the police have buried her in the pot ters field. But don't you think 1t was her despair when she got itf I used to hear her walking the floor at night. Her It's supposed to be haunted now"
 hers whsn SaSe .hs asked Tssc dore. with the first show of interest he had displayed. Dear old chicken He never bothers with--sorne girls. E" "Oh. dear. no" said Miss Reynolds "I was at the office. and indeed. I had my room changed at once. I couldn't bear to be near the place. h fact. I couldn't sleep at all in my room"
 It was nothing except a spiteful desire afraid to do that made me reply like a boastful child: T shouldn't be afraid to sleep in Number 59. think I'll have my things moved tonight"
 Tom Merrill raised his eyebrows and looked at me steadily for a moment. ! saw by Teddie's expression that he was plainly aware of my intention. and also aware of his incompatabllity to cope with 'WGl." at last I inquired. as Tom still Mr. Merrill?''
 "No." said that young man. slowly and with emphasis. T don't think you Miss Reynolds looked her supreme scorn and unbellef. Indeed, it's ali very we'll to talk that way" she said. but nrs when vn It comes aa to S.o the thing I'm quite any woman know who has nerve enough to sleep In Number 59."
 "Oh." I rippled out quite sweetly, but you see you don't know me. or any of my friends. Wouldn't Betty Parker or Til Bliss just give their very souls for Margaret" replied Ted. and knew he wanted to be strict. He always tries to be when ne forgets to call me Peg. 1T don't like you to talk this way. You haven't any idea, I hope, of carrying out your absurd scheme?"
 Now. I might have given up the idea, but just at that moment Miss Reynolds, who had apparently forgotten that we were there. looked down at Toms hand. idly crumbling bread crumbs on the white cloth and archly said: 'I must have my | ring. Tom. All my luck has flown to the winds since gave 1t to you. I botched half dozen things today" must be a heather at heart, for I felt. at that moment, exactly like taking my fish knife, and slowly saving that wretched girls throat with 1t. But in- stead I dimpled. and replied with my best grade of coax. "Tiddlewink, please have my things sent over to Number 59 That's where I'm going to sleep tonight" {" And then l looked at Tom Merrill, sit ting across the table, with a girls ring on his finger. Bah! but he had grown