Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-08-14

and black barred flannel pett1coat
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 the dead man hammering to get
I'M"
Sure enough, there was a dull
-thud-thud from some place
near. 1t was muffled: one rather felt
than heard it, and it was Impossible
to locate. One moment 1t seemed to
come, three taps and pause, from
the floor under US: the next, thud-
thud--thud--it came apparently from
the wall
Its not ghost" said decidedly.
IF it was a ghost 1t wouldn't rap: 1t
would come through the keyhole."
Liddy looked at the keyhole. But 1t
sounds very much as though some one
| is trying to break into the house"
Liddy was shivering violently. |
told her to get me my slipper and she
| brought me pair of kid gloves, SO
found my things myself. and prepared
to call Halsey. AS before. the night
alarm had found the electric lights
gone: the hall, save for its night
/
across to Halseys room. l hardly
know what feared, but 1t was a re-
lief to find him there, very sound
asleep. and with his door unlocked.
wake up, Halsey," said, shaking
him.
He stirred a little. Liddy was half
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
1 a suppressed yell, bolted into the
room, and stood tightly clutching the
foot-board of the bed. Halsey vas
; gradually waking.
rive seen it," Liddy walled. "a
woman in white down the hall"
l paid no attention
"Halsey," l preserved, some one
is breaking into the house. Get up
!. won't your"
: at isn't 5our house." he said sleep
lily. And then he reused to the
exigency of the occasion. "All right
Aunt Ray" he said, still yawning III
you'll let me get into something"
1t was all l could Go to get LiddJ
out Of the room. The demands of thu
occasion had no influence on her: she
had seen the ghost, she persisted, ant
she wasn't going into the hall. Bu
l 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 have
ceased for while, had commenced
, again. but they were fainter. Halse!
, came over in few minutes, ant
, stood listening and trying to locate
the sound.
', "Give me my revolver, Aunt Ray" HI
said; and got 1.-THE one had fount
in the tulip bed-and gave it to him
He saw Liddy there and OWNED a
once that Louise was alone.
"You let me attend to this fellow
whoever it is, Aunt Ray. and go tt
) Louise, will you? She may be awake
, and alarmed"
,, So in spite Of her protests, lef
! Liddy alone and went back to tn
! east wing Perhaps went littl
) faster past the yawning blackness Q
the circular staircase; and I coul
hear Halsey crealring cautiously dow
the main staircase. The rapping, O
: pounding, had ceased, and the silenc
was almost painful. And then sue
. denly. from apparently under my YER
:. feet, there rose woman's scream,
cry of terror that broke off as sue
: denly az it came. stood frozen an
! still. Every drop IF blood in my bod
= seemed to leave the surface ali
= gather around my heart. In the dsa
:. silence that followed it throbbed as
. it would burst. More dead tina
! alive, ] stumbled into T.ouise'E be;
= room. Size was not there!
(To be Continued.)