Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-06-23

in this room tie latter had been stab
bed there. Since then every one who
had tried to sleep in the chamber had
been driven out by the appearance Of
the murdered man.
The most natural thing in the world
for lover is to try to make hero
Of himself. Virginia was full Of mill
tary heroes and as such ! was merely
one of thousands. resolved to do
what ! could to show my courage by
sleeping In the haunted room. Miss
Rutledge begged me not to try 1t since
the last person who did was thrown
into fever which. being followed by
other symptoms, finally carried him Off.
was resolute, because In the first
place believed haunted chambers
to be a myth, and in the second
II anything marvellous did occur 1t
would give me the desired opportunity
to show my pluck. The evening be-
fore Klrkwood was moved sent word
to the general that If could be spared
night at the plantation with Kirkwood
He sent back an order for me to re,
main.
pledged Miss Rutledge to say moth
ing about my intention to sleep In the
haunted chamber, hoping In this way
to head off any one who might be dis
posed to play ghost. She prepared the
room herself for my occupancy, keep
ing watch that no one should see her
doing so. waited till n late hour be.
fore going to bed, when not person
besides myself and Miss Rutledge, ex-
cept in the lnvalid's chamber, was
stirring. Then l went to the room
had occupied whenever had remain
ed for the night and, removing my
boots, stole in the dark to the haunted
chamber.
That my presence there might not be
betrayed took OF my clothes in the
dark. Feeling sure that the parts of
ghosts are always played by persons In
the flesh and that no one on this side
Of the dead line knew that tho room
was occupied. went to sleep within
reasonable time.
awoke with start. At the other
end of the room / saw glimmering
such as appears in the east at the first
faint dawn. watched Il and soon
saw that It was increasing, both
spreading and growing In intensity.
II grew till that end Of the chamber
was illuminated. or, rather. II seemed
that there was no end to the chamber,
but a misty. III defined space. Then
saw In this space the bed In which
lay and asleep In It a figure A door
opened. and man dressed In the cos
tune in vogue at the end of the eight
zenith century stole stealthily toward
the bed. Reaching 1t, quick as flash
he buried knife in the sleeper's hos
ON. Then all was dark again.
I felt all the horror one experiences
in seeing a murder In cold blood. For
more than year | had seen men
killed continually. sometimes thousands
at time, but that was under the ex-
hilaration OF battle The vision. or
whatever II was. left me all Of trem
BILE. There being no further use for
concealment. | lighted candle that
stood on a small table beside my bed
would have given half my fortune
I was rich-to leave that bedroom, but
my love for Lillian Rutledge was
greater than my fear. ] had come
there to show her my pluck. and I did
not propose to show the white feath.
err. Yet l would have Infinitely pre-
ferred to lead n forlorn hope against a
battery or hundred guns
had not long to walt Tor dawn ana
when through window came us nrst
beams ! blew out my candle ana WIN.
in half an hour had so far recovered
from my dlsngreeabie sensations M 10
fall asleep.
Shortly before O'Clock ! went down
to breakfast, feeling at liberty TO play
the hero, since no one had seen me dur
ing tho night shaking IKE lear IN tue
wind. However, that's what we boys
did often during the war III we rem
porarily lost our grip on our courage
we looked about to learn VINO had seen
us Miss Rutledge's mother ana other
members of the family were present
30 nothing was said about my expert
ence. assumed careless deport
ment, though ! confess ! had not yet
recovered my nerves. Finally | was
alone with Miss Rutledge and she
looked at me inquiringly. ] confessed |
that had seen vision OF murder.
"And stayed In the roomT' she asked |
quickly.
Eyes I only left It just before brenk'
faatn