The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-22
-:- OUR DAILY SHORT STORY

story But the words were uttered me chanically. Was there-he was asking nimseIf-was there something moving between Katherine and himself? Some thing faint and shadowy misty? Yesi 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 droop- ed to her breast and arms hanging at her side. lt-she-was tall and slen- der; veil drawn over her head con cealed the upper part of her face leav- ing visible only sharp chin and pale, compressed lips She paced slowly back ana forth, from the window opening up- on the roof to the washstand set against the opposite wall, pausing slightly at each turn, and passing through the lamp-stand as if 1t were not there His heart froze in his breast,s He. lookeds at his wife, now winding the heavy | coil of hair about her head My God!" he groaned, inwardly now Katherine will turn around! She will see 1t! The shock will kill her, She | will die! She will drop dead before my eyes," Even while he strove to utter the word of warning which his paralyzed tongIe refused to frame, she came across the room. touched her warm lips to his forehead and passed on to
 
 slim hands; the woman! the thing,- Sinclair knew not how to name It. continuing its measured tread, turned at the window, crossed tho intervening space. and paused for a second beside her. The floating ends of the veil, as If blown by an invisible breath, dut- tered above Katherine's head and lay like white vapor on her golden hair
 Katherine" the words burst invol- untarily from his lips. He sprang for ward with outstretched arms.
 Did you speak, Alck% asked his wife, looking over her shoulder.
 "Yes-no-that js-,' he stammered, a cold sweat beading h,s forehead.
 The visitor had resumed her ghostly walk
 Dear Aliok." said Katharine, caress- ingly. T know you must be tiredI will be ready for bed in one moment"
 She sees nothing! She hears noth- ing! Oh, thank God" thought Sinclair, turning his hot eye from the white rohed figure kneeling in prayer by the bedcide to the gray-clad shadow nov ing up and down the room. Katherine nestled like a tired child among the pillows and fell instantly asleep. Her husband hung over her in an agony of amazement and incredul- fly. Could is really be that she was sleeping? Was she not rather dead: l her slightly parted lips, the soft aban- donment of her limbs. treasured him. l Yet how strange! How long since | she had slept thus! Thank Godr he breathed again, drawing the lace net ting over her
 Then it came nearer steadily nearer He saw behind the veil a pair of dark, sad eyes A chill sensation quivered along her veins He struck out saw | dgelN-dt nothing. He whirled about; 1t had passed through his opposing body and was already nearing the window
 I am certainly going mad" he mutt ! tered staggering back with upthrown { arms.
 The short summer night passed with tagging monotony Suddenly the watcher felt his tense nerves relax. Ii ] was gone, 4 fresh breath, as of coming dawn, stole in through the latticed win dow. He sank upon the bed with d | long drawn breath of relief. He was awakened by hearing Mrs. Lawson moving about in the hall be 1 low He arose softly and descended the stair.
 Mrs. Lawson he demanded. ab- ruptly. laying his hand oa her shoulder. ''is there anYthing-has anything ever been said about the room on the roof?"
 Don't say a word. Alick," she in. ] ttrrupted in m awe-struck whisper | T can see it in your face. She hasn't walked before, not that I know of since my mother saw her. and that was 1 before you were born. I've never seen 1 her myself. l never dreamed that she ! was walking yet. Lord, what have | done? I didn't want to put you there Poor Katherine"
 Don't worry, Mrs. Lawson" he said | kindly Katherine has seen nothing as yet, but I have" He smiled srimly. vet with q certain sense of relief. At least" he thought. it is not quite mad ness What does it mean" he asked | aloud Who was it-she?"
 They say" returned Mrs. Lawson. stfl speaking in a whisper, that old | Squire Lawson, my husbands grand | father, had that room built as a sort of | jail for his young wife. who went out of her mind, poor thing, and no wonder | for the squire was a terrible old man! He took her baby from her and shut her up in that room and kept her there 1 by herself until she pined away and died. My husband clomb up on the roof once when he was q boy and saw her through the window walking up