The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-09-27
The Ghost i'm the
Secret Chamber
BY T.. Phillips OppeHheim
Copyright, by Joseph Il. Bowles.)

here from Tom Sadlcr's place where
few of us have been stopping since
last Thursday, when | came upon
young lady in distress She had been
trying TO ford swollen stream. and
her mare, a narrow chested brute, had
pretty nearly come to grief. II was
! close thing, and no mistake. They'd
| have been down the stream anyhow
In another minute, and ! doubt II the
great br;te wouldn't have dragged her
under even II she hadn't been able to
swim. OF course ! managed to pull
her out, and found her not much the
worse for her ducking | took her
home, as she really wasn't fit to go
alone. but I'm thankful 10 say that
escaped the parental blessing. The
old gentleman tca.planter-
was out
November 2O--I can't get that girls
face out Of my mind | don't know
that ever saw a more lovely one.
Strange thing for me to do. but rye
actually drcamt of her three nights
/ following What an absurdity!
| am going mp country to seek her at
the house
December 2O.-Just returned
found the house shut up. and learned
that the late proprietor and his daugh-
teT had gone to Europe
December 30.--Thc mail has brought
me strange news. My uncle and cousin
have died suddenly, and | am Sir
Reginald Shagshaft Of Shagshaft cas-
tie. northumberland Good.by to In.
dIa, and the army! ! sail for England
I'm a week.
February 2O--I am at Shagshaft
castle. and "A grand old place it is, but
terribly dosolale. II is built on the
summit Of a clitf The scrcech of the
sea gulls alone is enough TO give one
the horrors. and in all this great
place there are only three servants,
for not a girl in all the countryside
will come here because of the ghost.
which is said to inhabit the western
wing and TO walk in the black copse
Mrs. Cross. the housekeePer. seems a
decent sort Of person. but she firm
IS believes in the ghost, and came to
me yesterday with tears in her eyes
implorinE me not to intrude upon It's
hauuts.
February ell cant understand
Mrs Cross at all To-day she would
persist in telling me the story OF
a terrible tragedy which took place
near here a few months ago--a man
murdered by girl-and insisted upon
my giving my opinion about it, said
that II the story she told was true, 1t
served the man highland so It did
She seemed unaccountably pleased at
my answer.
February al walked in the black
Copse tonight Unless my eyes lie.
have seen ghost was in the gar
den last night and distinctly saw n
white figure move along the battle
ments of the western towers and dis.
appear II was the figure of a wom-
an. and strange though II may ap.
rear, II pmnd somehow familiar to
me
February 26.--Ths morning | asked
Mrs. Cross for an old manuscript copy
" tho history of Shagshaft castle, as
fancicd that ! had heard something
about a secret room in the western
wing
What n nervous woman she is
had scarcely got the words out before
she tainted, There is something all
about this which ! cannot understand.
When she came TO- she declared sol.
EMMY that she had never heard of
such n book. This must be false, for
| have often been told about 1t; any
how, was only the more determined
TO thoroughly explore the western
wing, so | commenced at once. On
the topmost story, starting from the
center tower and going to the right.
| counted 10 rooms, all large, empty,
and in a neglected state. When |
reached the furthermost turned round
with u start to find Mrs Cross Just be-
hind me.
You have found the book?" she
gasped. "Yon know about the secret
chamber"
Precisely" | answered And IL
will go Ill with its tenant"
Then she fell on her knees before
me.
For the love of God. don't hurt her,
Sir Reginald" she moaned, Don't
give her up; so young as she is, and
so beautiful, and so innocent like.
She'd never hurt hair of old Roger
Martins head II he hadn't offered her
an insult worse than DEATH and she
ne'er meant to kill him. lie tried to
take the gun from her, and It went
OFF. What could | do wher she came
to me for help but hide herr"
Stand up, woman. and tell me
whom you have been hiding" cried.
She who killed old Roger Martin.
the wickedest man in all the country
side Her father left her to his care.
Little he could o knowed what sort
of man he was; and she came from
India here last"
She stopped snort My eyes follow
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