Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-03-02
our illustrated Story
EXPOSING THE GHOST
By PERCIVAL S. PRINCE

the specter. He remained with the
there was cry of alarm in the yard.
and he rushed out to find the men all
staring at the huge smokestack.
There in the swirling wreaths of
smoke floated the dead engineers i'm
age. Once or twice the specter van
ished only to reappear again, and for
twenty minutes the men stared. Then,
as If moved by a single impulse, they
went to their lockers, and an hour
later Ted and the old Waterman were
left alone in the yard.
The day shift went to work, as usual,
but 1t was not long before the men
grew uneasy. There were no appari-
lions In the daytime, but they felt
nervous at the thought that the spirit
of the murdered man lowered over the
works.
At the noon hour they talked it over,
and when the whistle blew for the re-
turn to work they went to the office in
a body. They found Ted busy with
some bits of glass covered with red
paint. He looked up as the spokes-
man entered.
Better make it short" he said Quiet
~. II suppose you do not want to
Leep on working in a haunted foun-
dry"
That's right" declared the leader
1--WE can't stand it,
'1Think you can hold out through the
afternoon he asked. 1--WE are going
to give a little ghost party tonight.
Keep at 1t until knock-off time comes,
and the two shifts will have supper
together"
won't that ghost be around to-
night?" demanded the leader suspi-
ciously. 1T may be all foolishness,
but you saw it yourself last night"
Il hope to again this evening"" he
said. THAT is where the fun Will
come. Like to be a ghost yourself to-
night?"
Something in Teds manner con-
WINGED the committee. The members
went out into the yard and advised a
return to work. All the afternoon
there was an evident dislike of going
into dark corners alone, and the engi-
neer shivered every time the draft
made the furnace roar, but they all
party at o'clock.
ut will be dark enough by 9 to
have the party" declared Ted when
"
and don't be afraid"
Just before 9 Nettie and her father
came whirling up, and a few minutes
later the whistle blew it's summons.
The men trooped into the yard and
gathered about in little knots, whisper
ing to themselves. Presently from the
stack there arose dense white smoke,
and almost Immediately the ghost of
the dead engineer appeared. With a
cry the men drew together, and a mo-
ment later Madison, the spokesman of
the morning, came toward Ted.
1.-The boys want to know If you are
going to keep your word" he said
roughly. you said you was going to
fix that ghost"
$50 am" said Ted evenly. ST said,
too, that L was going to make a ghost
of you. Look up"
With a shrek Madison fell to the
ground, writhing in terror. There In
the smoke wreaths was his own face.
Ted's face followed and in turn a
dozen of the others. Then the light
died away, and Ted mounted the steps
Of the office.
Boys" he said in a voice that pene-
trated every part of the yard, 81 prom
ised you that I would lay that ghost.
I think have done so. 1t was a clever
stage trick. The strikers are using
Jones' hall across the street for their
meetings. You can see that the tower
is about level with the stack. When
fresh coal was put on and the smoke
was heavy 1t acted as q screen for a
magic lantern In the tower. That was
all there was to It When they went
up to work the lantern tonight had
the police there to catch them, and my
own man worked the lantern for this
little seance. One of the men they
caught was the engineer himself. He
Is no more dead than I am Are you
satisfied to go back to work? We have
big contract, and want to know that
you boys VIII stick"
"You bet we wiIlr' came the chorus,
and Ted turned to Nettie.
Lets go over to the house and have
our own celebration" he suggested.
Ruins of India's Old Capitals.
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