The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-09-18

| couch, and the approach OF dusk
| was signal for her to barricade the
entire suite. Situated as it was, ~
| yond the circular staircase, nothing
but an extremity Of excitement would
have made her pass it 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 it's history.
On Friday night, then, I 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 l systematically
relaxed every muscle. I fell asleep
soon, and was dreaming that Dr..
Walker was building his new house
Immediately in front of my windows:
I could hear the thump-thump Of the
hammers, and then walked to .
knowledge that somebody was pound
ing on my door.
| / was up at once, and with the
sound of my footstep on 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.
is that you, Liddy?" / asked. my
hand on the knob
For the love Of mercy, let me in!~
she said in a low tone.
She was leaning against the door.
| Co ,6o 7 Oh Fol In bA
was greenish-white. and she had .
red and black barred flannel petticoat
over her shoulders.
Listen" she said, standing in the
middle of the floor and holding on to
me. oh, Miss Rachel, it's the ghost
of that dead man hammering to get
in!"
Sure enought, there was dull thud
-thud-thud-it came apparently
from the wall.
Its not ghost" l said decidedly
IF it was ghost it wouldn't rap; II
would come through the keyhole."
Liddy looked at the keyhoae. But 1t
sounds very much as though some one
J is trying to break into the house"
Liddy was shivering violently.
told her to get me my slippers ana
she brought me a 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. / hardly
y know what feared, but 1t was re-
v lief to find him there, very sound
l. asleep, and with his door unlocked
Wake up, Halsey," l said, shaking
e him.
e He stirred a little. Liddy was hall
" in and half out of the door, afraid a.
l, usual to be left alone, and not quite
n daring to enter. Her scruples seemed
r to fade, however, all at once. She
gave suppressed yell, bolted into The
room and stood tightly clutching the
IS foot-board of the bed. Halsey was
r gradually waking.
D. I've seen it," Liddy walled. "A
, woman in white down the hall"
\ l paid no attention.
\ "Halsey," l persevered, some one
\ is breaking into the house. Get up
n won't your
Il 1T isn't our house." he said sleepi
VI ly. And then he reused to the ext
\ gency of the occasion. "All right
Aunt Ray" he said, still yawning. Il
you'll let me get into something"
1t was all | could do to get Lidd,
out of the room. The demands of tn
! occasion had no influence on her; sh'
had seen the ghost, she persisted, ami
she wasn't going into the hall. Blu
got her over to my room at last
= more dead than alive. and made he
lie down on the bed.
The tappings, which seemed to hav
ceased for a while, had commence,
e--in bat they we're fainter. Halse
came over in a few minutes, and stoo,
:, listening End trying to locate tn
- -ourd.
" Give me my revolver, Aunt Ray,
he said; and | got 1.-THE one l ha
al found N the tulip bed-and gave it
ng him. He saw Liddy there and divine
I'm at once that Louise was alone.
as you let me attend to this fellow
ad whoever it is, Aunt Ray, and go
he Louise, will you? She may be awak
and alarmed
sh- So in spite of her protests, l LEI
his Liddy alone and went back to tn
"a east wing. Perhaps l went lit
ng faster past the yawning blackness ,
let the circular staircase; and l coul
he hear Halsey creaking cautiously dow
ed the main staircase. The rapping. (
In pounding, had ceased, and the sileps
as was almost painful. And then sn
he denly, from apparently under my vel
an feet, there rose a woman's scream,
zen | cry of terror that broke off as sudde
it'll | ly as it came. l stood frozen and sti
ar Every drop of blood in my box
seemed to leave the surface and gat
vos er around my heart. In the dead
orc lence that followed it throbbed as il
the would burst. More dead than aliy
l. l stumbled into Louise's bedroom. 81
40. was not there!
ely
700 CONTINUED Tomorrow
was