The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-23

HfrH ANAN aHAAN+aAHl aAN-HtHH4 AafsAs-
ion They do say that Doume IS real (
" haunted
"oh, what funl" I cried. Eve never /
been In a haunted house,
Il can't see where the fun comes
in, she replied. III I saw anything I /
should simply lie down and die
And what is there to see here7# /
questioned, eagerly.
Nothing" sne answered, with q
shrug; mo one knows. People are
found dead in their beds without any
marks OF Violence-and you know
dead men. and women, tell no tales!"
"But how hideously mysterious!"
yes; and there is u O'Clock strik-
ing, and I must ask you to see, me to
my door, and safe inside it"
The next week went like lightning
what with drives, rides, acting. dan
cling and games the moments few.
Lurline had the knack Of keeping
things going, and Mr. Rainsford was
an accomplished host. and entered in
to every scheme with zest. The one
drawback was his mother. who re-
manned reserved and sternly unap-
proachable. She was by 10 means
an agreeable old dame. and said az
much to Maud Anstruther. There
is something peculiar about her, am
convinced
"And about the castle, she added;
Capt. Forde says So His brothers
place is within a few miles, and he
declares that he knows for a fact,
that within the last Eve years three
people have died here quite sudden
". He firmly believes in the ghost
They say it comes only when the
moon is full--a tall figure, that stoops
over people, and strangles them. A
man he knows, assured him that he
awoke one night smothering- and
struggled and shouted, and the thing
disappeared. It always comes by
moonlight"
Bennett, my maid Ga severe elderly
person, who kept us all in order).
was anxious that we should bring our
stay to a conclusion.
Miss Dolly" she said as she held
my hair firmly in her hand, will you
make some excuse. and go? There's
something not right in this house; a
lady was found dead in this wing
years back-a young footman came
to a queer end once-and it's not
is12 months since a housemaid met
her death. They are all alike in one
particular-not mark or sign upon
the corpse-it's just the work of the
dead"
Il have no intention Of leaving this,
Bennett, simply because you choose
to listen to stories" | answered. If
people have died in the castle-peo-
pie must die somewhere
"But not as they die here she re-
sponded, in hollow voice-"w without
sickness or warning" And she tug
ged at my hair till | could have
screamed.
Two nights later-when it was full
moon-I pulled aside the curtains, anC
suffered the searching white light K
food my room For some moments
gazed out Of the window on the grea
park, with its somber woods. and up
lands bathed in silver. Then. as
was very tired, l got into bed, ans
4 slept soundly. But what was thii
! which awoke me-this horrible sen
! sation Of uffocation?-was it SO
! called nightmare? No; somebody wa
steadily pressing, with a pitiless deaf
), weight, the pillow over my face.
struggled, at first uselessly and wild
ly-for the thing. whatever it was
!, leaned over me with redoubled force
! But / was muscular girl Not il
4 vain have l rowed and swan; m,
strength was often the subject Of MI
q Rainsford's jokes, and now I put
forth to save my very life. With a
: extraordinary effort I wrenched asid
y the hands that pressed the pillow-ar
4 other frantic struggle, and tore th
\ pillow from the thing-whether ghoa
: or fend, | must breathe. or diel
= / breathed; l uttered a faint excls
. mation--for in the apparition. tn
d would-be murderer. / recognized N
Il kind host-Mr Rainsford. Mr. RAIN
II ford-wearing a long gray dressing
gown-his face distorted with an e
. preston of diabolical fury-in hi
i eyes the wild glare Of maniac!
d AS i sat up painting and staring, b
n lalished, and there was nothing wha
n ever to recall the recent scene, bl
At my labored breath, and the di
4 placed pillow AS lifted it, sign'
ring fell on the floor. This I carrie
IS to the window, and recognized Il
" Rainsford crest my hosts own pro
erty.
IA Now understood Lurline's gra
q hairs, the old lady's repugnance
n. strangers - unhappy womeni tbs
: were both in the secret; they wei
a aware of the strain Of insanity IN Il
"A family-the curse of homicidal mani
q. But If his mother half-suspeeted. h
wife never dreamed that her husbaI
,s- was the cause OF the various myst
II rious deaths at Doume
Id 1 have strong nerves, but after tn
life-or-death encounter with lun