The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-03-10
By
Erie Waters.

side, and in the centre a table OF
which were two lighted candles
had been a handsome apartment witt
richly painted walls and dark wains
coting. Old pictures hung On til,
walls, their Gift frames taraished anr
dusty. Opposite the tables We're Dor.
traits handsome people in the dress D,
long ago.
We began to prepare for bed Fathe,
placed his valise on the table. taking
out different articles and laying some
Of the money parcels Oh top wan
Gered about looking al everything
had an uncanny feeling and a sensa-
ton that somebody was looking at
me. and that some one vas breathing
near
'LooE At this picture. father |
! cried. pointing to the life-sized face
! II handsome old gentleman ui1l
cold blue eyes. He seems to look al
ne wherever | go"
They say that's a sign Of good
/ painting. Jim"
! | had been learning Of eyes lately
/ from an uncle who was IN Olulist ana
he had shown me how the pupil dilates
! in darkness and contracts IL j strong
light. | do not know what induced
ne to take one of the candles and 90
close to the picture
See this big moth, father [ cried.
Can | catch it for my collection?"
Going to the portrait Of the old gem
tleman | raised the candle suddenly.
and was certain that | saw the pupils
Of the blue eyes grow smaller and
smaller
"Oh, that moth" I said. and made
another move with the light, to see
again the sharp contraction of the
pupil
There. you've blown out the light"
father said BE careful. lad
In the dim light glanced hastily.
to see well dilated pupil in the pale
blue eyes To say that | was fright
ened would be to put it mildly. / was
perfectly territied-ghosts and COLLINS
were IN the very air. If ghosts could
see they could hear-I dared not speak
once more | raised the candle which
had relighted. Had been dreamingo
The eyes in the portrait were dark
brown.
What had seen. had seen, but how
was TO convince father of the fact.
ne, meantime, had repacked the valise,
leaving 1t on the table. Going behind
the PED where the eyes could not fol- |
low. wrote rapidly on bit of paper.
Again pretending to catch moth I
called father. The moment he saw |
my CHASTITY face he realized that some
hing serious had happened But for
he money he might have laughed at |
ny fears, but he was superstitious and
confessed afterward that he had expe-
fenced the same sensation of a pres
'nce in the room. He scrubbed few
ines, telling me to watch him and
Wait
We heard voices below; a door shut,
md then silence fell. We blew out the
lights and pretended to retire. Then
ather got up quietly, took everything
ut of my bag, which, you remember,
vas the duplicate of his. and stuffed
with heavy bedding, locking and
trapping it and putting it on the ia
lie. Cramming everything in the
recious valise, he put it in the bed.
We were dressed except for our boots.
We left the French window ajar and
OF into bed. The moon came up and
hone into the room
Good night, jim; pleasant Dreams"
anne in sleepy voice from father and
loud shores could be heard
ON his side Of the bed. An hour
assed. | kept shivering and seemed
} see mother watching us anxiously;
Ould we never see her dear face
gain? Suddenly we heard stealthy c
cps and nudged each other. The
loring became louder Peeping T
trough, half-shut lids. we saw S
ladowy form creeping in the window,
I'd hand stretched out to the valise r
l the table. Then cautiously and a
man and bag disappeared. q
Father argued that the men would t
Ike their plumber to a distant room S
open it, and that if they found them
Ives tricked our fate would be seal c
!. Signing me to follow, father Slip G
d out of bed. Carrying our boots s.
id the valise we gained the veranda. g
ing down the ladder, which creaked G
der our weight. Great heavens, if i,
should fall! 81
We touched the ground safely. q
owing in the shadow of the building, fl