Bisbee daily review., 1915-01-12

were both in their rooms. presumably asleep The servants doubtless had their doors barred against ghostly yis- itors. and the house was mine to eX- plore as l pleased.
 think ! was hummiug slightly as l mounted the stair, which. fin keeping with the general luXuriousness that characterized the furnishing of the house. was thickly carpeted even to the fourth floor 1 was slipping my hand along the rail and mounting, 1 dare say. a little jauntily as ] screwed my courage to an unfamiliar notch when suddenly. midway of the first half and just before I reached the turn where the stair broke. the lights
 failed again with startling abruptness. This was carrying tue joke pretty far, ana 3pstaptv. ! clQpped my hand 10
 my pocket for the box or satety
 matches, dug it out and then in my
 haste dropped the lid essential to igni- tiou and stopped to find it.
 The stair had narrowed on this
 flight, and as l sought with futile eageruess to regain the box lid could
 have sworn that some one passed me. Still half stooplng. ] stretched out my
 arms and clasped empty air. and so suddenly had ] thrown myself for
 ward that l lost my balance and roll ed downward the space of half dozen treads before l recovered my
 self l was badly scared and hardly less angry at having missed through my own clumsiuess the joy of grap- bling with the ghost of one of King Georges soldiers But the matches having been lost in the pitch darkness of the stair ] could get my bearings again only by clinging to the stair rail until l found the second floor switch. I should say that two full minutes had
 passed between the loss of the matches and my flashing on of the lamps
 From top to bottom the lights shone brightly But mo one was visible. and ! heard no sound in any part of the house.
 As l began 10 analyze my sensations
 during the temporary eclipse of the
 lights l was conscious of two things The being. human or other. that had passed me had been light of step and fleet of motion There had been some
 thing uncanny in the ease and speed
 of that passing was without con-
 viction as to its direction. whether up or down though inclined to the for. mer notion for the reason that the em. ployment of a concealed switch above seemed the more reasonable argument And n faint an almost imperceptibe
 scent. as of a flower had seemed to
 be a part of the passing. Mine is a
 sensitive nostril. and l was confident that it did not betray me in this. l gathered up my matches and start
 ed again for the roof The trunk room door opened readily. as on my morn
 ing inspection of the chimney pots,
 but as glanced up 1 saw that the hatch was open. Through the aper- ure shoue the heavens a square of
 stars and bright with the moons ra- diance. Pocketing my matches, 1 ran nmbly up the ladder
 had been surprised to dnd the hatch open, but it is not too much to say Chat l was greatly astonished by what
 suw on the moon flooded roof There.
 midway of fiat area that lay between
 the two larger chimney pots. two per
 sons were ntpntH engaged not in ! ghOstly promenading or posturing or even iu audible conversation. but in l spirited bout with foils l stood with
 head and shoulders thrust through the opening. starring at this unusual spec. tacle and mot sure but that after all my
 eyes were lrlckiug me.
 "Iouche"
 lt was womans voire. faint rom ] bIeathessnrSs Sur threw nn urr
 mask and dropped her ioi and With
 most humuu and fcmiuue gusturs ] put up Der hands Co adjust her hair 1 It was Cecilia Hollister in a short skirt and fencing coat!
 Gro be continued)