Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-07

and walked by my side to the stairway
both Of us maintaining silence. was
deeply curious to know how he had en-
tered and whether he expected to GO
down the front way and out the main
door, We kept together to the third-fioor
hall could have sworn to that; then
suddenly, just as We reached the starr
way. out went the lights, and we were
in utter darkness. l smothered an ex,
struck light, and as the stick nameo
slowly 1 looked about for Bassford Hol-
lister; but he had vanished as suddenly
and completely as though trap mad
yawned beneath us and swallowed nm
[ found the third-fioor switch and 1t re-
sponded Immediately. flooding the stair
well to,the lower hall. but I neither saw
nor heard anything more Of HOLSTER.
Astounded by this performance, l con
tinued on to the lower floor to nave q
look around, and there. calmly reading by
the library table sat Miss Octav1a! !.
Late hours, Mr.. Ames!" she cried.
supposed you had retired long ago.
/ was still the least bit ruffled by that
last transaction on the stair, ana ue-
manded, little CURLY:
Pardon my troubling you. but may
inquire Miss HOLSTER. how long you
have been sitting here?
The clock on the stair began to strike
twelve and she listened composedly to
few of the deep-toned strokes before re-
plying.
knocked at my door about an hour ago.
The lights were on and / came down, saw
a magazine that had escaped my eye De-
fore and here you find me-
"Some one knocked at your door?
Il thought so. You know. the servants
have an idea that the place is haunted,
and l thought that if | sat here the
ghost might take it upon himself to walk.
/ confess to slight disappointment that
it is only you who have appeared l
suppose it wasn't you. who knocked at
my door,"
mo" l replied. laughing little at her
manner mot unless 1t was you VINO
switched off the lights as l was coming
down from the fourth floor. have been
studying this chimney from the roof.
know something of the ways of electric
switches. and they don't usually move
of their own accord.
your coming to this house has been
the greatest joy to me, Mr.. Ames L
should not have imagined, IN chance
look at you, that you were psychical, ana
yet such is clearly the fact. assure you
that 1 have not touched any switch since
7 left my room. 1t was unnecessary, as
I found the lights on. And l acqult you
of rapping. rapping at my cnamper door.
1t gives me the greatest satisfaction 10
assume that the house is haunted, ana
at any time you find the ghost I beg that
YOU will lose no time in presenting me.
IL the prowler is indeed one OF klng
Georges soldiers. hanged during the reVo-
luton on the site OF this mouse, snouio
like to have words with him. l nave
just been reading an article on the pc
litical corruption in Philadeiphia m TINS
magazine. 1t bears every evidence OF
truth, but if half Of it is fiction l still
feel that, as an American citizen. though
denied the inalienable right of representa-
ton assured me in the Constitution. we
owe that ghost an apology; for certainly
nothing was gained by throwing off the
British yoke, and that poor soldier died
in worthy cause
She wore a remarkable lavender dress
ing gown and a nightcap such as l had
never seen outside museum. AS she
concluded her speech. spoken in that
curious lifting tone which. from the be-
ginning. had left me in doubt as to the
SERIOUSNESS of all her statements. she
rose and, still clasping her magazine
made me a courtesy and was soon mount
ing the stair
/ heard her door close minute later.
and then, feeling that l had earned the
right to repose, I went to my room and
to bed.