Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-02-08
CHAPTER XXXIII.
HALLOWEEN.


David Curtis never recovered from
the awful shock occasioned by that
midsummer night specter, stalking out
from behind the mill. What 1t was he
never learned, for Meier kept his Sc
cret well, old Cy and Martin had never
lisped their suspicious, and the spook
OF Scar Face remained a mystery in
Greenvale.
its effect on the ghost-tainted mind
Oh David, combined with the gnawing
conscience, the daily fear that legal
proceedings would be taken against
him, and nightly dread of another
spectral visitation, became more and
more apparent He had-thanks to
Aunt Comforts nursing-recovered
from the first shock and brain fever.
Aunt Lorey and the wife of one of his
workmen now kept house for him, for
he was willing to pay any price for
company, but for all that he failed
rapidly. Old age was also against him.
He could not eat or sleep, and long
hours OF each night were passed in
nervous dread of something. The
grist-mill was closed and had remained
so since that fatal night, for every
one considered it haunted; but the
force of long habit kept David pot
tering about the sawmill each day. and
would as long as sufficient strength
lasted.
Meier also renewed his prosecutions
after recovering from the fright occa-
stoned by his ghostly Indian masoue-
rade, and though intermittent. they
aided in the merciless retribution now
pursuing David. These acts were all
peculiar and mysterious, and quite like
Meier. With a strain of Indian blood
In him, perhaps, he had never forgot
ten or forgiven that moment of agony
when he leaped into q network OF
barbed WIRE, and, with diabolical cum
ming, meant to obtain ample revenge.
Once or twice week he visited David's
premises by night and added one more
mite to 1t. Tools were again taken
from the sawmill and thrown into the
hume or transferred to the unused
grist-mill. Pieces of belts, bags, meas
ures, and other fittings from there
were hung on trees about the house.
On two occasions the grist-mill gate
was raised and millstones set rumblins
while David listened with fearsome
dread, and then, to crown all, Meier
rugged tick-tack over the house He
used long fish-line for that, one end
secured to a bush back of the house
with lead sinker tied on at suitable
location, another. larger one fastened
TO the other end of the line, enabling
Meier to throw 1t over the house and
secure it again, hide himself behind
a fence, and bangle the mid-line plum
met against the roof
What the effect of such a regular
tick-tack sound heard by one in Dayid's
state OF mind at the midnight hour
would be, can hardly be imagined
For the first two or three times he
aroused and sent his hired man out
with lantern, but naturally that
availed not except to stimulate Meier
to longer enjoyment of his trick
when the foolish search ended. Time
and again did Meier perpetrate this
weird trick. always on dark nights, and
after an hour of fun. secure his rigging
for use again and sneak away. He was
like an Indian in his methods. select.
ing nights just right and not too
dark, stealing on to David's premises
behind bush-choked fences and keeping
out Of possible sight, listening with
keen ears and eyes until sure no one
was watching. and making his visits
with foxlike cunning.
David Curtis had lived his life OF
misery pinching and sharp scheming.
forgetting every law OF justice and
honor in his grasping greed. had come