The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-23

Cottage.
"He must be a poor, harmless
ehostie." murmured Audrey. Now.
Aunt Ella, let us talk of something |
else!"
So Audrey banished all thought OF |
the ghost of Pine Cottage, but the
story of poor, Tilted Benjamin never
left her mind for a moment.
She was occupying Dora's room,
which overlooked the bay and the
inlet where the pine grove marked
grim. black shadow along the shore.
For several nights she watched until
the morning stars appeared, but she
saw no untowarde signs from the pine
grove.
Then came a moonlight night when
all the world of Quemiss lay under
the white magic. Audrey sat in the
open window. listening to the lap of
| waves on the beach, barking to the
myriad insect voices of the night. Her
ewes never left the dark blur of the
pine trees.
Suddenly something white appeared
and slowly walked in and out OF the
moonlight. Was Benjamin's ghost
walking at last?
| Audrey was quite fearless. She
picked up a long, dark cloak and
wrapped it around her thin summer
frock and tiptoed softly down the
stairs and out .of the cottage. Lightly
she few through the kitchen garden
and across the little orchard beyond
which was the pine grove. The vino
was blowing a soft lullaby among thu
ample trees, but as she neared tht
; pines the sound became = melan
choly flushing" sound that rathel
daunted her brave heart.
As she hesitated at the end Of tn
orchard. q church clock in the villag
1 struck the midnight hour. Here wer
I the time, the place and the witchin
r hour to meet and lay ghost. wa
q Audrey Harlow coward to nee Tn
situation now?
|, She slipped off her black cloak an
was revealed in the moonlight, tai
g slender young form in white. Sh
glided over the patch of salt gras
y her alert eyes on the pine grove
II At the very edge of the grove. wit
Y. her feet on the slipping pine needle
'e something white doomed out OF II
: darkness ahead, paused, came straigl
toward Audrey with outstretcht
n hand. and would have touched N
If shoulder had she not crumpled In
tn an unconscious heap on the ground.
We 1t seemed hours before she awol
IT. to feel herself in the strong, war
grasp Of masculine arms. She OPEN
ed her eyes to the moonlight. the pi
nd grove and the face of the ghost W
is. was carrying her toward Pine G.
ny tage.
SIX "Oh-oh! Whatever you are. plea
ay put me down. ] can walk-really
ne can" begged Audrey in weak vol
That's good" said voice hearth
ne Feeling little shaky yet? Just HI
ar fast to my arm until you feel Gett'
he Say you gave me 4 scare! I'm frig
'ed ened out of years growth. tn
told me this grove was haunted q
lie. I came over to nose around q bit.
q rather interested in that sort OF tn
of running down fake spooks and
as forth. When you came drifting o
AVS the salt grass toward me. felt
his blood actually freezing in my vel
he hut. by love, when saw 1t was o
Ind a bit Of q girl who had tainted AZ
ose as soon as I appeared. I grew q
he brave again." He laughed reas'
ingiy.
sed Audrey Joined in a shaky vol
rty- II came out to look for that 81
in myself" she explained In turn. ~
and white clothes added to the illusio
ne l am ashamed Of myself"
he She dreamed about him that nj
tall and pale and handsome IN
for white garments. his gray hair adj
he to his distinguished appearance.
Dor had told her his name-The was
lose Barr-and he occupied the chail
had psychology at well-known uni
ex- sity. His hobby was the tracinl
and ghost stories and the laying OF
cred fictitious spooks.
. he II took John Barr several mo
Used to eradicate the shadow from
. de- Cottage, but he afterward clai
Ben that It was the most satisfas
he problem he had ever solved. Attn
liv- he was forty-seven and Audrey
twenty-five, one day there wa
from wedding in Pine Cottage. and I
aged then no one has dared to say
mis- Pine Cottage is haunted by any'
one save the spirit Of love, for the
and bought it for a summer home
that tro,,,r,.b, ,.,s nv the Mcclure 4
! Sup IL