Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-08-15
The Woman Who Walked at Night
Copyright. by Joseph B. Bowles.l
"A GHOST STORY
By M. E. M. DAVIS

UT oI ndecision. But Mrs. Lawson nad caught sight of him from the porch where she sat, with huge hand Dell on her knee, waiting for her Doarders to come home for supper.
 mere was a shade of embarrass- ment on his handsome face.
 Mrs Lawson," said Sinclair, with visible effort, T came by to see if you would take Katharine and myself to board"
 In the name of the blessed Lamb!" elacuiated Mrs. Lawson, staring at nm over the gate pickets. whatever mas happened? What do you want to go anywhere and board for? Amt the Catalpas--"
 1t Is wrench to me to leave the old place." Sinclair interrupted, land 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-'
 haven't sign of room left, Alick, Mrs. Lawson broke in, except the room on the roof" she added dubiously.
 Well, what Is the matter with the room on the roof?" demanded Sinclair, ,whimsieally.
 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 g 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 baffie her physician, had robbed her cheeks of their color and bloom. But 1t added an indescribable charm to her delicate face and fragile figure. An unearthty expression dawned into her large blue eyes--a president gaze. as if ner vision, like her sense of hearing, had become ab- normally acute. Something almost akin to awe filled 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 thrsl laI har rx.ytt al her attenuated frame shook with con vulsions at any unexpected appear ance; she paled at a whiff 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 diffi- culty within its lofty rwuiis q ,slfe was oppressed by the atmosphere of It's shadowy garden.
 The same, night saw them installed fin Mrs. Lawson's room on the roof.
 The 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 wifes 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 touch of color in her lips; her golden hair seemed to have regained somewhat of It's 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. Yesl He could see 1t 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 aroundl She will see it! The shock will kill her. She will die, She will drop dead before my syes,"
 "Katharine,' the words burst invol- untarily from his lips He sprang for ward with outsfretched arms.
 aDid you speak. Alick!" asked his wife. looking over her shoulder.
 "fes-no-that is, -" he stam- nered, a cold sweat beading his fore head.
 The visitor had resumed her ghostly walk.
 Dear Alick." said Katharine. ca ressingIy, I know you must be tired. will be ready for bed in one mo- ment."
 ~she sees nothingi She hears noth- ins, Oh. thank God," thought sin- clair. turning his hot eyes from the