Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-29

That night the sunnyside ghost be
gan to walk again. Liddy had been
sleeping in Louise's dressing room on
a couch, and the approach of dusk
was signal for her to barricade the
entire suite. Situated as 1t was, be.
yond the circular staircase, nothing
but an extremity of excitement would
have made her pass 1t after dark.
confess myself that the place seemed
tome to have sinister appearance, but
We kept that wing well lighted, and
until the lights went out at midnight
1t was really cheerful, If one did not
know its history.
On Friday night, then, had gone
to bed, resolved to go at once to sleep.
Thoughts that insisted on obtruding
themselves pushed resolutely to the
back Of my mind, and systematically
relaxed every muscle. fell asleep
soon, and was dreaming that DR..
Walker was building his new house
Immediately in front of my windows;
could hear the thump-thump Of the
hammers, and then / walked to a
knowledge that somebody was pound
ing on my door.
| was up at once, and with the
sound Of my footstep en- the floor the
low knocking ceased, to be followed
| Immediately by sibilant whispering
through the keyhole.
miss Rachel! Miss Rachel!" some
body was saying, over and over.
"1s that you, Liddy?" asked, my
hand on the knob.
"For the love of mercy, let me in!"
she said in low tone.
She was leaning against the door,
for when I opened it, she fell in. She
was greenish-white. and she had a
red and black barred flannel petticoat
over her shoulders.
Listen" she said, standing in the
middle of the floor and hciding on tc
me. ooh. Miss Rachel, it's the ghost
of that dead man hammering to gel
int"
Sure enought, there was dull thud
-thud-thud-it came apparently
from the WALL
Its not ghost" said decidedly
''If it was a ghost 1t wouldn't rap; il
would come through the keyhole.'
Liddy looked at the keyhole. "But IL
sounds very much as though some one
is trying to break into the house,
Liddy was shivering violently.
told her to get me my slippers and
she brought me pair of kid gloves
SO I found my things myself and pre-
pared to call Halsey. AS before, the
night alarm had found the electric
lights gone; the hall, save for its
night lamp, was in darkness, as went
across to Halsey's room. I hardly
know what feared, but it was a re
lief to find him there, very sound
asleep, and with his door unlocked.
Wake up, Halsey," said, shaking
him.
He stirred little. Liddy was hall
IN and half out of the door, afraid as
usual to be left alone, and not quite
daring to enter Her scruples seemed
to fade, however, all at once. She
gave suppressed yell, bolted into the
room and stood tightly clutching the
foot-board of the bed. Halsey was
gradually waking.
I've seen it, Liddy. walled. "A
woman in white down the hall!''
I paid no attention.
"Halsey," 1 persevered, some one
is breaking into the house. Get up
won't you?"
ut isn't our house." he said sleepf
ly. And then he reused to the ext.
gency of the occasion. GAIL right
Aunt Ray" he said, still yawning. ri
you'll let me get into something
1t was all could do to get Liddy
out of the room. The demands of the
occasion had no influence on her: she
had seen the ghost. she persisted, and
| she wasn't going into the hall. But
got her over to my room at last
more dead than alive, and made her
lie down on the bed.
The taDpings, which seemed to have
ceased for while, had commenced
again, but they were fainter. Halsey
came over in few minutes, and stood
listening and trying to locate the
, sound.
Give me my revolver, Aunt Ray
he said; and got 1.-THE one had
found in the tulip bed-and gave it tc
him. He saw Liddy there and OWNED
at once that Louise was alone.
| "You let me attend to this fellow
whoever it is, Aunt Ray, and go tc
Louise, will you? She may be awake
and alarmed"
| So in spite of her protests, left
Liddy alone and went back to the
east wing. Perhaps 1 went little
faster past the yawning blackness Of
the circular staircase; and 1 could
hear Halsey creaking cautiously dowr
the main staircase. The rapping, OF
pounding, had ceased, and the silence
was almost painful. And then sud
denly, from apparently under my very
feet, there rose woman's scream, 8
cry OF terror that broke off as sudden
| ~ as it came. stood frozen and still
Every drop of blood in my body
seemed to leave the surface and gath
er around my heart. In the dead 81
lence that followed it throbbed as II i,
would burst. More dead than alive
! stumbled into Louise's bedroom. She
was not there!
CHAPTER XVI.
In the Early Morning.
stood looking at the empty bed
The coverings had haen thrown hock