The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-08-23
The Woman Who
Walked at Night
"a GHOST STORY
BY M. E. NJ. DAVIS
Copyright, by Joseph b. Bowles,J

sons house, he slackened his some
what nervous pace. and halted with an
air of indecision. But Mrs. Lawson
had caught sight Of him from the
porch where she sat, with a huge hand
bell on her knee, waiting for her
boarders to come home for supper.
There was a shade of embarrass-
ment on his handsome face.
Mrs. lawson" said Sinclair. with
visible effort, II came by to see If you
would take Katharine and myself to
board"
In the name of the blessed Lamb"
calculated AIRS. Lawson, staring at
him over the gate pickets, whatever
has happened? What do you want to
60 anywhere and board for? Amt the
Ca,alpas-"
''lt is a wrench to me to leave the
old place" Sinclair interrupted, "and
my father will be very lonely now that
my mother is dead. But Katharine
has set her heart on 1t, and If you will
take us"
II haven't sign of a room left,
Alick." Mrs. Lawson broke in, except
the room on the roof" she added
obviously.
We'll, what is the matter with the
room on the roof" demanded Sinclair,
whimsically.
He threw back his head as he spoke,
and screwed his eyes up at the box
like structure planted on the roof Of
the low cottage.
Nothing" returned Mrs. Lawson,
hastily, nothing at all. except that 1t
is so small. Besides the stair Is like
ladder. Katharine would never"
"All right; I'll take 1t at your own
price, Mrs lawson"
She was very beautiful, the golden
haired girl whom Alick Sinclair had
brought, bride. TO his fathers house
less than two years before. The mys-
terious malady which developed short
ly after her marriage. and which con-
tinued TO baffle her physician, had
robbed her cheeks Of their color and
bloom. But IL added an indescribable
charm to her delicate face and fragile
hgure. An unearthly expression
dawned into her large blue eyes-a
prescient gaze, as If ner vision, like
her sense Of hearing, had become alb
normally acute. Something almost
akin TO awe filed those around this
exquisite young creature at sight OF
her strange and inexplicable suffer
ings. She had, apparently, no bodily
ailment. But the slightest irregular
sound thrilled her win nervous alarm;
her attenuatsd frame shook with con-
vulsions at any unexpected appear
ance; she paled at a Whit of unaccus-
toned perfume. She ate but little,
and seemed TO have lost the faculty of
sleep. Latterly, morbid distaste for
the old Sinclair homestead had pos
sessed her. She breathed with diff
Guilty within its lofty walls; she was
oppressed by the atmosphere of its
sna9owy earqep -x s1as-ers ,sSss.-.~.
the same night saw them installed
IN Mrs. Lawson's room on the roof.
Inc room was small. A four posted.
mahogany bedstead, with balduchin
and side steps, occupied at least one
quarter OF the floor space.
Sinclair. seated on the side of the
bed, smiled as he compared this
cramped rookery with his wife's ample
dressing-room at the Catalpas. But
he felt an unwonted lightness of spir
1t. He could see the reflection of
Katharine's face in the mirror oppo-
site. She stood with her back to him.
brushing out her long hair. There
was a look Of content on her white
brow; he even fancied a touch of color
In her lips; her golden hair seemed TO
nave regained somewhat of its lost
luster.
She was right" he thought "the
change has already helped her."
He watched with delight the rhyth-
mic motion of her slender arms.
Meanwhile he chatted gayly of his
boyhood days, and the recollections
aroused by Mrs. Lawson's motherly
gossip. Katharine listened, turning
from time to time with a nod or a
smile.
He stopped abruptly, staring con-
fusedly into space. He passed L.s
hand across his forehead and contin-
ued his story. But the words were ut
tered mechanically. Was there-he
was asking himself--was there some
thing moving between Katharine and
himself? Something faint and shad-
owy?-cloudlike? misty? Yes! No.
He shut his eyelids tightly and opened
them again. Yes! He could see It
plainly now, the gray-clad figure of a
woman with head dropped to her
breast and arms hanging at her side.
MY God!" he groaned, inwardly,
"now Katharine will turn around!
She will see IL! The shock will kill
her! She will die She will drop
dead before my eyes"
'Katharine!' the words burst invol-
unfairly from his lips. He sprang for
ward with outstretched arms.
did you speak. Alick?" asked his
wife, looking over her shoulder.
"Yes-no-that is, -" he stam-
mered. cold sweat beading his fore
head.
The visitor had resumed her ghostly
walk.