The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-11-06
A GHOST STORY
Of the Door that Was Only Locked at Night and Which
Opened After Weird Fight in the Dark
by Unseen COmbatants.

Edward, she said. when you come
in tonight | will be in bed. And posi-
bly,, asleep. Please go straight to your
room. Don't go out through the house.
You may be hungry and so l will leave
something in your table on tray. I'd
I-Pd-rather you wouldn't 60 back to
the kitchen or the pantries because
the opening and closing of doors
might waken me. And I've had rath-
err hard day with the club meet here
and the refreshments and all the ex-
ira work and l don't want to be dis
turbed
"'All right, aunt Marg,' I said
at was two o'clock when I got in.
And it was my intention to unlock
that door and go through to the kitch-
en-.
81 wanted to see if anything would
happen.
I'm not a coward whatever I may
or may not be otherwise
And l let my pistol under the
porch mat
Il knew it was safe there.
oo CicpL III, CuIuSu on my pOck6
electric lantern and was maxim
straight for that door when saw
aunt standing at the top of the stairs
holding a candle.
els that you, Edward?' she asked
eyes, Aunt Marg-damn you'll" I
added softly
"Of course she didn't hear and Of
course didn't intend she should But
| I was exasperated.
And although she thought I didn't
| hear her I knew she stood outside my
door until l fell asleep
II went away after that.
concluded I wanted to go west and
| try my hand at venture of my own
ut wasn't much of success so
returned
when I walked up the garden path
| saw some one sitting on the porch
"A man of forty, perhaps, with a
handsome, dissipated face.
HE did not rise as I approached
"And l saw nothing Of my aunt.
| "He looked at me curiously but
| made no sign and so l passed on into
the house.
81 found my aunt in the kitchen
| after an exchange of greetings ]
asked her who the man was on the
veranda.
81 fancfed she looked worried
"She wasn't her usual placid self.
| "And she hesitated after 1 put thu
question.
Edward she said, I wish 70,
wouldn't ask me. All I can say is tina
he has perfect right to be here ;
can't be bothered with questions anf
I cannot make any further ste temer
to you at present. All can say is thu
his presence here is necessary at tn
time and that you must treat him cor
siderately."
"Puzz1ed and annoyed I wander
| into the garden.
Il saw nothing of him at dinner
"My aunt talked placidly throw
! the meal, asked after my affairs, com
mented on my replies and loaded me
up with the gossip of the town.
Later I saw him smoking in the
garden.
| but, aunt I expostulated, surely
some explanation of this mans pres
ence in this house should be made
I'm not a boy any longer. I'm a man.
And with all respect to you I think
you owe me more of an explanation
than you have given
"My aunt put her lips together in a
way I knew and made no reply
"Perplexed and irritated l picked up
my hat and strolled down town.
81 fell in with some of the fellows
and went to the club and and it was
after midnight when returned home
81 found the front door unlocked
which impressed me oddly, as that
was not my aunt's habit.
But I was glad of it since I had no
key with me, and so slipped inside the
hall.
81 started up the stairs and hesitat
ed half way up, for what reason
couldn't explain.
And suddenly I had an absolutely
new sensation.
1T wasn't a nice one either.
For the first time in my life l was
afraid
MY heart pounded, my skin was
turned to goose-flesh, I feared to go on
and was afraid to go back.
II stood hanging to the stair-rail
sick with horror
Then heard my name in a kissing
whisper
ACKNOWLEDGMENT! Is that you
Edward? Come on up and dimly,