The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-02-07
A MIDNIGHT RUN.
By
Erie Waters.

| uereu ABOUT LOOKING at everything.
had an uncanny feeling and sensa.
tion that somebody was looking al
me, and that some one was breathing
near.
Look at this picture, father"
cried, pointing to the life-sized face
Of handsome old gentleman with
cold blue eyes. "He seems to look al
me wherever l CO."
They say that's a sign of good
painting, jim"
had been learning of eyes lately
from an uncle who was an oculist and
he had shown me how the pupil dilates
in darkness and contracts in a strong
light. | do not know what induced
me to take one of the candles and go
close to the picture.
See this big moth, father" ! cried.
Can | catch 1t for my collection"
Going to the portrait Of the old gem
tleman l raised the candle suddenly,
and was certain that I saw the pupils
of the blue eyes grow smaller and
smaller.
"Oh, that moth" | 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 a we'll dilated pupil in the pale
blue eyes. To say that was fright
ened would be to put 1t mildly. was
perfectly terrihed--ghosts and goblins
were in the very air. II ghosts could
see they could hear-I dared not speak
Once more I raised the candle which
had relighted. Had I been dreaming?
The eyes in the portrait were dark
brown!
What had seen, | had seen, but how
was to convince father of the fact.
He, meantime, had repacked the valise,
leaving II on the table. Going behind
the bed where the eyes could not fol-
low, wrote rapidly on bit of paper.
Again pretending to catch a moth
called father. The moment he saw
my ghastly face he realized that some
thing serious had happened. But for
the money he might have laughed at
my fears, but he was superstitious and
confessed afterward that he had expe-
rienced the same sensation of a pres
ence in the room. He scribbled few
lines, telling me to watch him and
wait. O.
We heard voices below; a door shut,
and then silence fell. We blew out the
lights and pretended to retire. Then
father got up quietly, took everything
out Of my bag, which, you remember,
was the duplicate Of his, and stuffed
1t with heavy bedding, locking and
1t and putting it on the ia
BILE. Cramming everything in the
precious valise, he put it In the bed.
We were dressed except for our boots.
We left the French window ajar and
got into bed. The moon came up and
shone into the room. ''' t,
Good night, Jim; pleasant Dreams"
came In q sleepy voice from father and
presently loud snores could be heard
from his side Of the bed An hour
passed. kept shiverins and seemed
to see mother watching us anxiously;
would we never see her dear face
again? Suddenly we heard stealthy
steps and nudsed each other, The
snoring became louder. Peeping
through half-shut lids, we saw a
form creeping in the window,
and a, hand stretched out to the valise
On the table. Then cautiously and
noiselessly man and bag disappeared.
Father argued that the men would
lake their plunder to a distant room
10 open 1t, and that II they found them
selves tricked our fate would be seal
I'd. Signing me to follow, father slip
ped out Of bed. Carrying our boots
and the valise we gained the veranda,
going down the ladder, which creaked
Under our weight. Great heavens! II
t should fall! 'es
We touched the ground safely.
Moving in the shadow Of the building,
We reached the barn; hiding behind 1t.
what did we hear! clutch
I'd fathers arm and we covered down
N the high, rank burdocks. The door
opened, and four men came out, laden
with trunks and bags. They hastened
10 a wagon already loaded. The poor
Did stage horses were harnessed to it.
II was evidently a "fitting." There
was not time to examine their spoils.
They'll not wake till morning."
he blue-eyed man whispered hoarsely.
The old one is snoring like rusty
saw"
To our unspeakable relief they Jump
I'd in and drove rapidly toward Oak
ION, evidently to catch an early train.
When they disappeared we ran rapidly
iown the road. At last we reached a
house. Waking the inmates we told
,ur story. One by one the family hur-
lied down, and little brown-haired
girl was greatly excited, watching US
We thought them suspicious charac-
.ers." the farmer said, "and only to-
hight hint Wa given ne that they