Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-09-08

What terrific spectacle was this that
met his eyes?
The words of the boy were fully con-
firmed; the most horrid creature fancy
could picture was surely dancing just
within the tower in full, plain view. A
hideous figure was jumping up and down,
amid n glare of what seemed sulphurous
light, while every now and then it sank
down only to reappear, going through
the same wild motions and caperS, each
one appalling enough to strike terror to
the hearts of the superstitious beholder.
But DIR. Elfenstein was by no means
a superstitous man. Ghosts, COLLINS,
specters, all were to him mere vagaries
of a crazed brain. Therefore, while
startled and Mortified for one moment by
this singular apparition, the next, he
coolly refined in his horse, and thus stood
still, calmly contemplating the scene.
While still sitting there upon the back
of his horse, lest in conjecture, the de-
moniacal hObgoblin. apparition, or what
ever the evil genius of the Haunted
Tower might be called, dropped from
sight; the strange, lurid light disappear
ed; darkness reigned over the place, ex-
cept rs revealed by the lightning flashes,
and the puzzled but undaunted physician
was free to urge his horse onward once
more towards the peaceful cottage that
he called his home.
Once within the cheerful shelter of the
library, he seated himself beside the TIA
bic, drew nearer the wax candles, and
again took up his book to read another
chapter before retiring for the night. But
he soon found that reading was impossi-
bic, for ever before the page fitted the
impish figure he had seen, with its horns,
its flaming eyes and hideous contortiOns.
Closing the book then he leaned his head
against the tall back of his chair, and
thought long and deeply. At the close
of his cogitations, as he laid himself
down upon his bed for the night, one re-
suit alone was reached. namely:
There had been murder committed
years before within Glendenning Hall,
and the murderer was still unknown and
at large. For some unaccountable rea-
son the tower was made to appear in
the possession of evil spirits by some par
ties, also unknown"
In his soul Or. Elfenstein believed the
dreadful apparition he had himself wit
messed that night was the work of some
wicked person. wrought out, probably, TO
keep up the superstitious notoriety such
a mystery would bring upon place.
Finding sleep impossible. the doctor
again arose and, drawing aside the cur
tain from tne WINDOW. gazed forth into
the darkness of the night. But while the
storm still ragged furiously, and the sky
was shrouded by an inky pail, no light APP
reared from the direction of the hall to
whisper forebodingly of the speeter of
the tower.
The young physician soon found him
self pursuing another and an entirely diff
ferent train of thought. This time the
storm passing before his eyes was trans
ferred 10 the wildl- dashed and foaming
pillows of the SEA. His peaceful home
had changed 10 the cabin of an ocean
steamer. and the gobl of night into the
graceful form of Ethel Nevergail. his
lovely fellow passenger Of few weeks
before.
All, beautiful. lost Ethel! How he
longed TO see her, to speak to her, to be
near her. but he knew that for him such
a pleasure would never again be, so with
s. weary sigh he dropped the curtain and
turned to his pillow, but not TO sleep
even, but TO toss around. and strive in
vain TO Danish from his mind thoughts
of the girl who had unconseiously sue
ceeded in leaving so indelible an impress
sion upon his heart.