The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-04-12
YVette's Ghost
(Copyright 1911. by Associated Literary Press.)
By LOUISE HEILGER

sSOSAoSSN AsSA0AS 4AVo0e1
shoes. The door few open suddenly
and the noise Of a gay voice tumbled
into the rom.
Dreaming in the dark. as usual" 1t
called. while It's owner stood hover
ing at the threshold. shall I come In
and disturb your"
NO." said Yvette," scrambling hur'
riedly to her feet, almost stumbling In
her eagerness. Il was just coming
down."
She passed her arm beneath that
| OF the intruder, but her heart was
fluttering still as they descended the
| stairs. Surprising he had been dis
covered? She needn't have troubled
Had she glanced back into the room
| as she came out she would have seen
that anybody entering would have
found nothing but the twilight and
emptiness.
Some few days afterward Yvette
CHANGING to be in need of some quaint
garments to help in the dressing OF
some quaint characters she was get
ting up, persuaded the old housekeep.
er to let her rummage in an old attic
| at the top Of the house, where all such
treasure trove was to be found
Yvette was repaid by the rare spoila
brought to light. Yvette's laughter
and chatter filed the somber room
and deadened the sound of the rain
outside. But presently the laughter
stopped, and only the rain beat loudly
on the SILL
"Who-who is that?" asked Yvette,
white Tipped as she held out a dusty
photograph to the staring housekeep-
er, the photograph of a tall young
man in tweed, with an exceedingly
merry smile.
why, bless me-" said the house
keeper, IF 1t isn't the picture of the
young squire-him who owned Fox
Craft manor. He was killed out hunt
ing-a terrible stir it caused in the
countryside, I remember"
How long ago was this?" asked
Yvette duly.
Let me see," said the housekeeper,
bordering; "a matter of 20 years or
more, l should say. was 'tweeny'
maid in those days in this very house.
Many and many time have l seen
him come riding up to this door, He
was engaged to our young lady--a fine
young lady she was, too-he was fair
set on her. 1t seemed as II he was fair
keep away from the house. She took
on terrible when he died."
rs she dead, too, them" queried
Yvette, still in that pale. small
voice.
she married a London gentleman
afterward," said the housekeeper, "and
had seven children. But l have heard
she wasn't happy. She's been dead
these four years or MORE" she added.
why did you think it necessary to
lie to me?" asked Yvette very coldly
of the ghost that evening.
The ghost, who was lounging com.
fortably In his favorite arm chair, sud-
denly sat upright. His dark eyes lin.
gered long on her white face.
so, little Yvette, you've found me
out at last" he said quickly. well. l
had meant to ring down the curtain
myself on the little comedy long be.
fore this; but l was coward. Yvette,
afraid to face the dark, for l shall be
very lonely, little Yvette, out there, all
alone in the cold and the never ending
night"
But it wasn't me you came to see,"
said Yvette, standing before him, slim
and dropping, in her white apron; it
was that other girl-the one you were
engaged to-"
The CHOSE rose suddenly and came
and stood beside her.
II came to see you always after the
first time," he said softly. This first
time admit it was to revisit the spot
where l had spent my happiest days,
but afterward- All, Yvette. no one
has eyes so blue as you. They make
it hard for me to say goodby."
But why should it be goodbye"
cried Yvette, sharply, and moved to-
ward him with extended arms. Ghost
or no ghost, l love you!" She strove
to clasp him. but gently he eluded
her
mo one may love the dead" he told
Der gently. "The dead are beyond love,
:hey are beyo"g life. My little Yvette,
it must be g1odby."
Then if that is So" cried Yvette,
weeping, "ah, kiss me once before you
go! Only to feel yoar arms around
me, only tc feel your lips on mine, will
comfort me- in all the empty years.
She stopped. A st~angled cry broke
from her, a great gu:f Of cold air seem
ed suddenly to envelop her. She was
frozen, frozen to tn, bone; then a mer-
ciful darkness cance upon her, and she
fell forward on hGr face.
In after years 1vette married, and
was happy In her choice, but she