Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1904-05-07

share my feelings, though from an en-
tirely different cause.
"Pistols and lanterns are no goot
here" he grumbled what we wan
at this blessed minute is priest will
a sprinkling of holy water; and I TO-
one
He was actually sliding off.
With smothered oath I drew hin
back.
''See herev' I cried, you're not :
babe in arms. Come on Or Well
what now?"
He had clinched my arm and was
pointing to the door which was slowly
swaying to behind us.
"Notice that" he whispered. ENC
key in the lock! Men use keys, butt
My patience could stand no more
With shake I rid myself of his clutch
muttering:
'"There, go! You're too much Of q
J fool for me- Pm in for it alone" And
in proof of my determination turned
the slide of the lantern and flashed the
| light through the house.
The effect was ghostly; but while the
fellow at my side breathed hard, he
did not take advantage of my words
to make his escape, as half expected
him to. The truth is, I was startled
myself, but was able TO hide the fact
and to whisper back to him fercely:
"Hushr'
had just heard something.
For moment we stood breathless,
but as the sound was not repeated l
concluded that it was the creaking Of
that faraway shutter. Certainly there
was nothing moving near us.
"Shall we go upstairsY' whispered
Hubbard.
mot till we have made sure that all
is right down here"
A door stood slightly ajar on our
left.
Pushing it open, we looked in. A
well furnished parlor was before us.
Here's where the wedding took
place." remarked Hubbard, straining
his head over my shoulder.
There were signs of this wedding on
every side. Walls and ceilings had
been hung with garlands, and these
still chung to the mantelpiece and over
and around the various doorways. The
clock occupying the center Of the man
telpiece alone gave evidence of life. 1t
had been wound for the wedding and
had not yet run down. Its tick-hck
came faint enough, however, through
the darkness, as if it, too, had lost heart
and would soon lapse into the deadly
quiet of it's ghostly surroundings.
"It's it's funeral-like," chartered
Hubbard.
He was right; 1 felt as if I were
shutting the lid Of coffin when I final
ly closed the door.
Our next steps took us into the rear,
where we found little to detain us. and
then, with certain dread fully justi-
fed by the event, we made for the
door defined by the two Corinthian
columns.
1t was ajar like the rest, and, call me
coward or call me fool-I have called
both, you will remember
found that it cost me an effort to lay
my hand on its mahogany panels
Danger, if danger there was. lurked
here, and while had never known
myself to quail before any ordinary
antagonist, 1, like others Of my kind,
have no especial fondness for unseen
and mysterious perils.
Hubbard, who up to this point had
followed me almost too closely, now
accorded me all the room that was nee
essary. 1t was with sense of enter
ing alone upon the scene that 1 finally
thrust wide the door and crossed the
threshold Of this redoubtable room
where, but two short weeks before, a
fresh victim had been added to the
list Of those who had by some unheard
II, unimaginable means found their
leath within it's recesses.
My first glance showed me little save
he ponderous outlines Of an old set
lie, which jutted from the corner of
he fireplace half way out into the
DOM. AS it was seemingly from this
'eat that the men, who at various
lines had been found lying here, had
allen to their doom, a thrill passed |
'ver me as 1 noted it's unwieldy bulk |
md the deep shadow it threw on the
lncient and dishonored hearthstone.
10 escape the CHASTITY memories it
voked and also to satisfy myself that
he room was really as empty as it
eemed. l took another step forward.
his caused the light from the lantern
carried to spread beyond the point
N which it had hitherto been so eff
ectively concentrated, but the result
The dead bride