The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-09-20
A GHOST STORY.

 cling alone in a compartment of a railroad car as well still have them in German, and Clara felt this very dis tinctly and regreatted that she had not started on her journey earlier in the day She was now sitting star ing at the door on the other side of the car as if she expected that it would open and some terrible passen- ger would come in who would try to murder her.
 Looking out of the window even the white clouds of steam and smoke from the engine took on fantastic forms which added to her discomfort while the express train was speeding through the flat, uninteresting, treeless- eoun try. It seemed to her as if the trip would never end.
 At last, however she reached the small station which was the end of her journey by train and where the ex- press stopped only to let her off The conductor hurried her and threw her hand baggage down on the plat form in anything but polite manner in his eagerness to start on his trip again.
 Outside the small station building she found carriage waiting for her, and an old coachman politely tipped his hat to her, saying My master asked me to tell you that he is ex- ceedingly sorry that it was impossible for him to meet you in person, but he was certainly compelled to take q trip which will kept him away until to-marrow."
 Clara replied in her friendly voice that it did not matter at all and en- tered the carriage, which immediately started off The feeling of anxiety which had been with her all the eVen- ing had not left her-in fact, she was more afraid than ever, and did not like the appearance of the coachman although she was evidently in his power, She seemed to have noticed Q peculiar glean in his eyes, and something in his manner which she could not exactly explain did not please her. although he was exceed- ingly polite.
 She sat in one corner of the car riage, making herself as small as pos sible and thinging of everything which had happened to her since she for the first time in her life life the city for a visit to part of the country which she imagined was still in most uhciv- ilized condition.
 The fact that the husband of her friend whom she was to visit had been compelled to leave so unexpectedly worried her greatly, and she wondered if there were now any more men left in the old mansion besides the ser- wants She knew that there were a great many other guests there, but she imagined that they would probably all be women,
 The country through which the car rage rambled, on a road which was in very bad condition from the rains of the spring, grew more and more deso- late. One moment she was riding through endless moors, while in the next she was in the midst of a dense pine forest
 She did not understand why the coachman did not speak to her at all, although she would probably have been very much offended had he done so But having been alone the whole afternoon and evening, she needed somebody to talk to-so much that at last she spoke to the coachman her self. Upon her question how far they were from the estate owned by her friends husband he replied politely enough that they would be there soon, and, pointing to very large rock near the side of the road some distance ahead. which appeared white as mar ble in the moonlight, he said said: When we have passed that stone it will take us about ten minutes more to get home. That stone is quite a landmark in these parts, since a man was murdered there a few years ago, and people say that his ghost walks there every night"
 The coachman was eveidently ready to explain further details, but receiv- ing no encouragement from Clara, who sat in her corner tremebling and to much afraid to even open her eyes, he relapsed into his former silence and not another word was said until they at last drove up in front of the medieval mansion, which was the home of the former schoolmate and dearest friend The building looked dark and gloomy, and the thought of what she might experience in this old house, which had been in possession of the same family for more than 400 years, made the young girl shudder Her fears soon disappeared when she was received with open arms by her l friend, who met her at the door and led her into the old-fashioned sitting room, which was of enormous size compared to the rooms of which she was familiar. The immense fire place in which large oak logs were burning, was the most prominent fea- ture of one wall, and, sitting in front of this, she was soon telling her friend of her fears, and they both laughed heartily at her foolishness.
 She did not see any of the guests however, as 1t was already late, and they had all retired to their bedrooms an example, from her journey, soor | followed
 As soon as the maid left her alone in her room, after braiding her hail
 for the night, all her fears came back
 to her. The room was illuminated only Eby two candles on the dressing table and the fiickering light was far iron
 strong enough to dispel the gloom il