The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-17

winsow looks that way and occasion.
aasy she has glimpsed this apparitiou. .
once she called me-and really
audrey, thought | saw it," AID.
mitted the harassed owner of Pine
Cottage
ne must be poor, harmless
ghostie, murmured Audrey Now
aunt Ella, let US talk of something
else!"
20 audrey banished all thought of
tne ghost of Pine Cottage, but the
story of poor, Tilted Benjamin never
lett her mind for a moment
she was occupying Dora's room.
winch overlooked the bay and the
Inlet where the pine grove marked a
grim, black shadow along the shore.
FOR several nights she watched until
the morning stars appeared, but she
saw no untoward signs from the pine
grove.
linen 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
eyes 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 flew through the kitchen garden
and across the little orchard beyond
which was the pine grove. The wind
was blowing soft lullaby among the
apple trees, but as she neared the
pines the sound became a melan-
choly flushing" sound that rather
daunted her brave heart
AS she hesitated at the end of the
orchard church clock in the village
struck the midnight hour Here were
the time, the place and the witching
hour to meet and lay a ghost. Was
Audrey Harlow coward to fee the
situation now?
She slipped off her black cloak and
was revealed in the moonlight, a tall
slender young form in white She
glided over the patch of salt grass
her alert eyes on the pine grove.
At the very edge of the grove, will
her feet on the slipping pine needles
something white doomed out of th'
darkness ahead, paused, came straigh
toward Audrey with outstretchet
hand, and would have touched he
shoulder had she net crumpled int
an unconscious heap on the ground.
1t seemed hours before she awok
to feel herself in the strong, warn
grasp of masculine arms. She opene'
her eyes to the moonlight. the pin
grove and the face of the ghost" VIII
was carrying her toward Pine Co,
tage.
"Oh-oh! Whatever you are, pleas
put me down. | can walk-really
can" begged Audrey in weak voice
That's good" said voice heartily
Feeling little shaky yet? Just hol
: fast to my arm until you feel Letter
: Say, you gave me scare! I'm frigh
ened out of years growth. The
told me this grove was haunted an
}, came over to nose around bit. IL
rather interested in that sort Of thin
running down fake spooks and
J. forth. When you came drifting owe
the salt grass toward me, l felt m
blood actually freezing in my veins
9 but, by Jove, when sew 1t was onl
d q bit Of a girl who had tainted ava
e as soon as appeared. grew qui,
e brave again" He laughed reassu
ingly.
d Audrey Joined in shaky voice
2 II came out to look for that gho
n myself" she explained in turn. "Yo'
d white clothes added to the illusion
q | am ashamed of myself"
e She dreamed about him that nigh
tall and pale and handsome In n
" white garments, his gray hair addir
e to his distinguished appearance. +
r had told her his name-he was Jof
e Barr-and he occupied the chair
d psychology at a well-known unive
K sity. His hobby was the tracing
d ghost stories and the laying OF
ID fictitious spooks.
le It took John Barr several mont
d IN eradicate the shadow from IN
e. Cottage. but he afterward claim
n that it was the most satisfacto
lie problem he had ever solved. Althoul
" he was forty-seven and Audrey W
twenty-five, one day there was
m wedding in Pine Cottage, and SIN
I'd then no one has dared to say IN
is Pine Cottage is haunted by anytni
he save the spirit of love, for the BAL
Id bought II for summer home.
at downright, 1915 by the Mcclure New
ne paper SyndicateJ