Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-07-09
LUKE HAMMOND,
THE MISER.
BY Prof. VIM. Henry Peck,
1T Is well FOR us to be careful,
Copyright 1895,
by ROBERT BoNNER's SONS.
Gu rights rcserred.)
Author Of the Tho Stone. Cutter
Of Lisbon Etc.

| ~ ~ WciA LUZ 10 w oe heLuA' oAhH
Harker."
"Now, not word, Luke Hammond
Here's the dining-room. Give ME you
hand and l will lead you to the righ
place"
1T is as dark as a pit" said Ham
mond.
"All the better-but you see the ligh'
in the parlor shining through the cur
tain of the door. Come, your hand, o.
| you will stumble over something
Luke, your hand il as cold and linn
as a dead man's!'
! "And yours burns like fire."
"Slence! Here we are-llsten' sai(
Mrs. Harker, as they stood close to TIN
broken pane Of the glass door.
Dear Kate" were the first wordt
! that reached Hammond's ear, II fcal
you still think these groans, whicl
have disturbed you so much at night
are made by other than human means
! You uncle has taught you to believe
1t, no doubt, for reasons Of his own
and as l know he is too shrewd an(
wise q man to believe 1t himself.
must conclude that he is bad man
and has an evil purpose in deccivinS
you"
The voice that spoke was n full and
manly one. and was Immediately rec
ognized by the listeners as belongini
to James Greene, a young and self
educated carpenter.
"But, dear James," said Kate Elclni
sweet and gentle voice, Mrs. HaTker
the housekeeper, has also told me, {:
thousand times. that such things Al!
ghosts really are, and that she has seer
them"
II have seen Mrs. Harker sevcra
times" said James Greene. with ligh
laugh, land l know from her face ant
the sound of her voice, that she is no
woman to believe in any such thing
and that no ghost could live peaceabl.
in the same house with her. Believe
me when / say l have no doubt sh'
and your uncle have bad purpose il
view-or something to conceal In thl'
house"
Something to conceal, dear James
What can they wish to conceal from
me-" exclaimed Kate.
You have asked my aid to learn
in attempting to pry into what doc
not concern me-"
"For my sake" pleaded Kate.
For your sake, dear Kate, l woult
be tempted to do many things which
my own mind might leave alone" re
piled James. II am doing wrong evcI
in being here now unknown to Mr.
Hammond, Katy; and nothing les.
powerful than my love for you coul(
have placed me here. Still, you have
asked me to call and confer upon this
matter, and our affection must be my
excuse should your uncle enter anj
find me here"
II am not afraid to tell him, nor any
one else, that l love you, James," salt
Kate, placing her hand within his
This morning l heard those noises
for the first time during daylight, and
sent for you. After you came, that
old prying woman, Mrs. Uarkcr, kept
so near us that l had no chance to tel,
You all, and so l asked you to come
tonight"
"Wcll, will do all I can, and IL Mr.
Hammond is angry, l will tell him
what | think of him-a man like him
to fill young girls mind with sucf
fancies" said James Greene, indig
nantly. First, how long have yor
heard these alarms"
For nearly month";" replied Kate
at first | thought nothing of it. sup
posing the noises came from the street
or from the adjoining houses. Finally
l became convinced that they origi
mated in this house. l spoke Of it tc
my uncle"
"And what did lie say, or rather, how
did he look when you spoke to Linn?
said James.
"He turned very pale, and said M
doubt the house was haunted" re
piled Kate. He said he had been tol(
rs much by others-pcoplc whom H.
knew. | then questioned Mrs. Har
kcr. She said it was all fancy, ant
that l dreamed it; but ayowed a firm
belief in ghosts. Then my uncle, with
out any request from me, had m.
| clothes, books, etc. removed to TIN
room I now occupy in the front room
above. For several days my night
| were undisturbed but soon after ycl
repaired my uncle's desk l heart
| groans again, and they seemed to grow
louder, stronger every night. l hav'
| asked my uncle to let me go to II,
| fathers relations in the country, bur
| since my fathers death, a year ago, II!
| uncle has grown very stern and unkini
to me-"
as there any part Of the house II
which your uncle denies you access"
asked James.
"The eastern wing Of the house ha'
been rigidly locked, doors and win
lows, ever since my father died there
said Kate.
"You are sure there is no one con
dned there" asked James.
| Luke Hammond started so Cuickl,
rs that question fell upon his ear tina
Mrs. Harker whispered:
"Steady This is no fool, but clear
headed man we must BATTLE"
mo" replied Kate to James "WhJ
! DO you ask?"
"Mr. Hammond is O man who naxi