El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-06-27
The Ghost
A short story.

last summer uetiueu to SpC---
some time there to strengthen my
nerves. The small town where
/ stopped is situated at the end of bay
/ and is inhabaUed solely Dy tlsIi me-!
: and their families. My Iilellu Hau -. -
( me a letter of Introduction 10 ne
/ owner of a large country seat near me
] town, n. COuIven Creacncauecs VINO
{ lived a verv g1lfet life in the house
/ OF his ancestors since MS Wlle GIeu-
/ When 1 asked the people win WnOLH
/ l was living in the town Ior the W.
[ To his place. they looked at edCA
I other terrified and after long 81
/ Ience they said. The road is very poor
] and if YOU want TO go you mad DeLIer
{ start right away so as TO get ln5Is
/ before dark as ~ on might meet Win
/ unpleasant things Otherwise
! w hat do you mean are Lhefe
/ bandits or smugglers there
| No, but there are ghosts
j could not help smiling but my
I landlord was very serious ana lo-u me
I the rumOrs that were on everybody 5
J lips about Creachcadec- he IS very
. seldom seen. and he has nobody with
MIN but an old hOusekeeper, who says
Z that every night he goes into a room
/ winch faces the sea and she IS not
I even permitted TO go near the IlOOr
I or the house where he stays she
/ hears him walking up and down the
] uOOr until long after midnight she
/ eN en- lmaSi mes she sometimes hears the
{ voice of her late mistress The ru-
] NOR goes that. her ghost visits her
I husband every night
! reached the mansion, square
gloomy looking house, situated in a
narrow valley among the granite
I rocks of the shore, without meeting
anyone and sent my letter of introduce
I ton 70 the owner through the old
hCusekeeper.
He came downstairs later and re-
ccIved me very cordially, saying that
/ could hardly have found a better
place TO rest my tired nerves. We
had a long chat together and prom
lSeQ 10 WISH MIN again the next day.
The next day we had luncheon to-
gether, and I don't know how it hap
pcEed, but we were soon talking about
the rumOrs that were circulating
about him. He grew very serious
''WeH. it is really true. Ny late
wife does visit me every night not in
the flesh Of course, but she makes
known her presence by unmistakable
signs and my Intercourse with her is
the only thing that makes life worth
living Tor me-
looked az him sharply and he must
have guessed my thoughts for he said
No am not mad, as you quite
naturally believe and as I should
probably believe in your place, for I
was just as uubeIeving until I was
compelled TO change my opinion"
Wv ell. I suppose that if I saw what
you say, I too should believe"
Then YOU shall see the proof If
you viii stay here tonight
accepted his invitation, and we
talked of other things.
In the evening, about o'clock NJ
CEeachcadec TOOK me 10 his room
which was Illuminated only by a small
lamp There was only one window
facing the sea and this was covered
by heavy curtains. Opposite the
window was a large bookcase and in
the recess in the wall stood al itl-
mense bedstead and a beautiful mar
bic washstand-
Ny host invited me to sit 7ovr and
r#.
kept on staring at a large painting of
a very beautiful woman. We were
both silent for a long time
Suddenly he whispered. The mo-
ment has come, she must be here
soon"
He blew out. the lamp. and we sat
in absolute darkness. The floor shook.
the window panes ratified and the door
opened slowly Then everything grew
quiet and only the distinct noise Of
the breakers was heard
Half an hour later we saw a faint
light on the doors OF the bookcase. Tt
moved slowly along the wall until IL
reached the portrait and then il dis
NJ. Creachcadec exclaimed in a voice
OF triumph DO YOU see. she is here.
She heard US Now you are con-
WINGED.
At this moment the phosphorescent
light reappeared. flOated along the
wall and vanished
Now you must leave US alone
SAID my host. we have so many
things to talk about
He showed me into my bedroom next
door and returned to his own room
From then on until I fell asleep I
heard voices.
In the morning Z found a letter
from NJ Creachcadec VINO apOl-
OElzed for not seeing me OFF, but he
had suddenly been called to Nantes on
urgent business and begged me TO
stay until his return the next day,
considering his house my own.
The experience from the night be-
1cre letu me no peace ! believed no I
more in spirits than I did the night [
before. but 1t seemed absurd to sup
pose that the whole thing was a
fraud on the part of NJ. CreachcadeC- I /
decided however to examine his room (
carefully and found that the door was Z
Inclined to open at the slightest Z
draught. a close examination of the Z
wall showed me that above the win I
dow there was a small square opening I
with a ventilatOr and when I looked Z
through this I saw small house I
which was not visible from the lower I
part of the window.
In the afternoon I took a long walk, /
but returned before dark, and as the .
weather was beautiful remained in I
the large yard after dinner smoking Z
a cigar until at o'clock the house
keeper asked me TO so inside. as she
had to close the gate. She did this
and as I ran up TO NJ Creachcadec's
room I found that the door had
sprung open
I sat down and watched. sudden
~ the light came evidently from the
small house I had seen and which be-
lCnEed to the coast guard. 7 rushed I
downstairs, opened the heavy gate and
run across the field to the little house
where I found that with certain inter
walls the light from revolving light Z
house was reflected by the windows ]
Of the house and thrown at the ven !
-ilatOr in NJ CreaChCadeC's bedroom. Z
Satisfied with my discovery. I re-
turned home and decided to reveal it I
to my host but on second thought I !
gave up this plan. as 7 did not want .
to rob him of an illusion which made
him so happy
He returned in the morning and told
me with what great pleasure he was
locking forward to meeting his wife
lEain. and although he asked me to {
stay a few more DAYS. pretended 7
that 7 could not do So because I felt
that in spite of his hospitality he was
happier when alone.
A few days ago my friend informed
nc that ~ CreaChcadec was dead,
eavinS everything he possessed to his
lousebeeper and a number of poor
families along the coast All these
people now bless his memory but are
"a ther surprised that his ghost has