The Lakeland evening telegram., 1914-05-22

Blake raised his hand swiftly and a
loud report echoed through the 81
lence.
The ghosts screamed and would
have darted into the darkness, but
Blake and Rogers, their courage fully
returned, ran swiftly after them.
"A hot pursuit followed, in which
one ghost tripped on a gnarled branch
and went headlong to the ground.
while the other fed with degree Of
speed that made the athletic Rogers
pant.
Blake stopped over the fallen wrath
and picked it up in his arms. He
breathed heavily when an inert but
warm, living girl and not phantom
was revealed to his touch. The head
fell back against his shoulder and
Blake became tangled in the masses
Of white chiffon that hid the face.
Rogers in hot relief captured his
ghost when she would have slipped
pCAColh q lIlICu dOOl thab iCu W NhS
cellar Of the old house.
mo you don't-little wraith!" he
cried jubilantly, and caught her in an
iron clasp. You can't give me the
slip like that"
The second ghost did the only sat
isfactory thing and tainted In Rogers
arms
He carried her out to a small patch
OF moss green garden. where the moon
emerging from a bank Of fog. revealed
Blake trying vainly to lift the veil
from the face of the ghost he had cap
tured.
Don't dare take of my veil!" com
manded the indignant voice OF the
ghost. Il will haunt you for thou
sand years II you do"
Il am not In the least sure | would
mind being haunted-ln this case"
Rogers heard Blake reply The
wrath in his own arms was stirring
family, with signs Of returning con-
sciousness He heaved sigh of re-
lief.
My ghost!" he cried triumphantly,
is woman
You've got nothing on me"
laughed Blake so is mine!"
When you two are finished discuss
ing us, came a mufiled voice, we
will be glad to return to our haunts.
Rogers and Blake held fast to their
prey
we get good look at you both"
Jimmy said
Indignant shifts came from two
ihosts.
And tell us what all this monkey
business means Frightening all the
village out of its wits with your moan
ings and weird flights in this old gar
den" Calvin Blake laughed The
ghosts liked the laughter They sighed
rasignedly.
II. said one of them you breathe
ot word to any one we will tell
You all about-us.'
Not word" promised Rogers.
We are writing and composing an
operetta for a contest said the
ghost Absolute concentration was
necessary so we conceived the idea of
taking possession of uncle's old home
stead and playing the part Of haunts
while we accomplish our work"
I'VE are supposed to be in Europe"
contded the second ghost This Sc
clusion was absolutely necessary II we
were to accomplish anything The
old house is cozy inside but we had to
stop up all the cracks and muffle all
sounds The only air we get Is at
night when we come out to haunt the
garden"
Both ghosts laughed softly Both
mortals joined them
The only promise we are going to
ask in return for keeping your secret
until the opera is finished-is that
pou permit us to add two more ghosts
10 village tradtion-just sometimes
when you are taking your airing"
we have been just a trine-lone-
some, admitted one phantom
Some months later, when the
operetta had taken the prize, the
money had to be divided between Mrs.
James Rogers and Mrs. Calvin Blake
Ghosts and Cupids and mortals seemed
happily mingled, and If the village lost
its traditional haunt, what did 1t mat
ter?
tCopyriRht 1914, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)