Bisbee daily review., 1903-04-03
q NIGHT MYTH
 A MYSTERY
tcopyright, isOs. by o. B. warner.l


 afternoon and could not be traced. She owned and was living in a large stone house built a hundred years before she bought it, and only a portion of it was habitable.
 Here was woman known by sight at least to four-ffths of the townspeo- pie She lived on the best street It did not seem that she could have walk ed block without meeting a friend. She was in her sitting room at o'clock in the afternoon. An hour later she was missing. She had not dressed for the street-had not left the room. so far as the maid could say. Scotland Yard men worked at the mystery for six months before they gave up iB- despair.
 Six months after the widows disaI- pearance the house was for rent, al though stories were already current tbat it was haunted. The place was first taken by grocer who was known to everybody as hard headed man with plenty of nerve, and yet aft er six weeks residence in the house he moved out. He had leased ii for year I-do not know what he may have told others, but he informed me, under promise of secrecy, that he be- heyed the house to be haunted.
 II was no use to ridicule his state ments, for be was serious and earnest. The fact of his moving out proved that.
 1t was year before any one else took tine house, and il was then vacat- d for good. Everybody now firmly believed in the stories of a ghost, and. though it was offered rent free to poo- people no one would move into il. When it was put up at auction safe, there was only one bid, and so TO sale was effected.
 While ready to admit that l half be- lieved in the curse" I can trutbfully declare that the stories reaching me from time to time regarding the house excited my contempt. For several months before my opportunity came was anxious 10 pass night there and see what would occur. House and grounds had long been abandoned to trampS. but yet on certain occasions these tramps had made queer state ments about what had happened there. The windows had been broken, the doors torn away, and the once fine old mansion was a bad wreck when l in- srected t one afternoon.
 The only two doors left intact were tbe sliding doors separating the par lors. The others had been used for fue! in tlle fireplaces. 1 told no one of my intentions but al 10 o'clock that night. armed with 8 revolver. candle and matches. returned to the house and sat down on the floor in a corner of the back parlor. There was doorway between this room and the dining room and one between that and the kitchen. It was a warm night ill summer, with never a breath of wind. II was as | quiet as a graveyard in the house and ! about the grounds. You must not ! think me boastful when l tell you that | wss Lot even shaky. ] was some ! what excited. but not at all nervous 1 h the first place. believed that all the stories had been grossly exaggerated and. in tie next. was of the opinion | in tie business if there was anything in iG.
 From 10 10 o'clock uothing hap pened - nothing except my going tt sleep. I heard the town clock strik' I2. and heari the first quarter chime didn't feel sleepy, and yet I droppet of, and about minute after I awok' ! -N. .Hr h.... c nf ! steps awoke me. Some one came ul the graveled walk from the gate. pass cd around 10 the Kitchen door and en tered IL was a shutiiing. draggin: step. 1t passed across the kitchen passed across the dining room. and
 firmly expected to see q person in tn doorway. Ii was not so dark but tha i could have made cut even rat. N' one appeared. ] crePt on hands ant knees 10 the doorway. No one coui' be seen
 While crouched there the step wen away from me across the room an, into the kitchen 10 tbe back door.
 followed oH tiptoe clear 10 the bacl door ! stood in the doorway whil the footsteps passed down the gravele' walk and were Lost al the gate.
 Whose footsteps: You tell.
 I returned to the parlor and sa down In about ten minutes some or slowly descended the front stairs There were DO ffoDt doors. l rose uI tiptced into the front parlor and theno into the hallway. Nothing was to b
 seen After niuute the footfaii ..,.lso,-d down she hail leading to th dining room. followed after. seen cd to .-e almost over them. Had ther been 9 person 1 should have bumpe' against him. Down the hall. throug
 ife dining room, across the kitchen an
 Gown tbe graseied walk to the gat sounded the footballs.
 Thus ] followed them and saw poif tug except the gloom of the night Pee pie had tod of hearing women weeI
 of sigts and groans and curses. of sud deD drafts of cod air and the souIsd hi Ss Isows. ! searf nctti1S exc-rt .. foothills went away not because
 was afrgid, bu. because l had fouD
 out ali that could /
 In a year or more part of the roo \ fell in, and tbe house was a sort o
 ruin, wherein tramps bunked whe'