The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-06-27
The Red Spot
on theWater
A Story of the Borderland
Of Immortality
By F. A. Mitchell


Merci" Qhe beautiful woman without
mercy or Heine's water fay, not be-
cause we believe either the woman
| or the fairy to have existed, but be-
cause Of the sensations aroused by the
weird pictures drawn.
Nevertheless there Is q class Of peo-
pie among us who are not disposed to
break down the barriers between the
natural or the supernatural And have
we not societies for psychical research,
composed Of earnest and many Of
them extremely intelligent persons,
who make 1t their business to gather
information about supernatural APP
pearances7
Personally I am neither convinced
nor unconvlnced as to the feasibility
of such investigations, though I have
had an experience calculated to throw
me on the affirmative side. That ex-
perience will give Just as 1t occurred
or, rather, as 1t communicated itself
through my senses, leaving each read
er to make for himself or herself an
explanation to fit the case
During the spring l worked hard In
order to get ahead with my Office
duties that I might enjoy a vacation
during the summer. Nevertheless
when I left home about the LIST of
July I never felt better In my life.
mention this because the state Of ones
health Is an important factor in COM
ing to an explanation Of such happen
ings as the one that came to me. 1t Is
well known fact that persons suffer
Ing from bodily Ills are more apt to
see ghosts than persons In good health.
The scene Of my outing was on the
coast Of New Hampshire. stayed
at hotel where there were great
many young ladies and but few young
men. thought at first that I would
be in clover. but since knew no one
to Introduce me l was obliged to see
them going about in each others com.
pany, ignoring me completely.
was told afterward that there was
scarcely any Of them but would have
been glad to meet manageable man,
and ! considered myself fair speci-
men Of a bachelor. Why should
have been so completely ostracized
don't know. l am of opinion that II
was the spirit of clique so strong in
these girls that II overpowered their
natural disposition to mate.
After trying in vain to break
through the she'll that kept me away
from them undertook to amuse my
self In other ways. was fond Of
boating and spent a part OF my time
on the water. I took long walks.
did not battle, for the water was too
cold.
hotel was cliff hundred feet high
A path led around its edge. fenced by
rail over which one could look down
Immediately below was fiat rock
surface against which the waves roll
ed, then detected, pushed Off in an
other direction, surged In through a
cleft, then out again. All day long
this process continued, and as I watch
ed II could not but wonder why.
And why was there looking down
upon it? All was query. no answer.
Nevertheless the place was fascinat-
Ing to me, and went there often. One
evening. when at twilight the great
globe OF the moon was rising out Of
the water. ! thought ! would like to
go to the cliff and see II as II would
appear under the different light. The
young ladies' of the hotel were walk
Ing in couples and patoons. with their
arms around each others waist, back
and forth on the piazza, and as they
saw me start off. evidently for moon
light walk. ] thought ! could detect
usefulness in the faces of some who
saw me depart. If any Of them would
have liked To I've my companion she
was Obliged toerestrain Ter desire, for
she had not been Introduced. and even
II she had did not belong to the set
Of her associates and she would have
been shocked at herself to become In
innate with any other.
The distance to the cliff was about
three miles. md when ] had traversed
II | approacl I'd the rail cautiously, put
q hand on il, then stood looking over
The moon was exactly in position to
cast its rays into the recess In the
rocks below. Slowly q wave, resem-
bling for all the world levlathan
Of the sea. would suggishly lumber in.
roll against the rock. seem astonished
at having been stopped. swim over to
q perpendicular surface on the other
side, glance and move on into the cleft
But what Is that red spot on the wa.
ter beside the rock? Is 1t an afghan, q
shawl or some other wrap that has
fallen from the cliff. or has It been
washed In from some boat out on the
ocean? So intent on It was that I
leaned over as far as ! dare to get n
better view of II. When n wave pass
ing the place where 1t hoatcd was IN
shadow the red spot was not visible;
then when the moon struck full upon
It II was like blood.
+ ! was suddenly conscious Of the pres
ence of some one beside me. Why
know not. for | heard no sound, not q
footstep nor even n person breathing.
drew bac'i and turned my head.
There, leaning upon the rail in the
same position as |. was young girl.
IT occurred to me that she must be
] ------------------------ -