Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-25

ful Of shadows which. as | watched,
/ seemed TO assume shapes-vast nebu-
ious and constantly changinE-down
mere amid the purple gloom Of the
uees' indeed II looked an unholy place
IN the half light. a pit framed for mur-
oers and the safe hiding OF tell-tale
ooIpses. the very haunt Of horrid COB
Inns and spectres. grim and CHASTITY.
! 50 evilly did the place impress me that
/ u needed an effort OF will ere I could
bring myself to descend the precipitous
slope. Bats fitted TO and fro across my
pass; now and then, emitting their sharp.
neeulehke note, while from somewhere
IN the dimness beyond an owl hooted.
BY the time ! reached the cottage II
had fallen quiet dark, here In the Hol-
low though the light still fingered in
| the world above. SO took out my tin
DER box and one OF the candles, which.
atter several failures, succeeded in
nghtlng' and. stepping into the cottage,
began to look about me,
The place was small. and comprised
TWO rooms shut or from each other by
a strong partition with a door midway.
Lltting the candle. I glanced at the
staple on which the builder of the cot
tage had choked out his life SO many
years ago. and, calling to mind the An
clients fierce desire to outlast II, even
| reached up my hand and Rave Il a
the iron felt as strong and rigid as ever,
SO that It seemed the old mans inno-
cent wish must go unsatshed after all.
Inc second room appeared much the
same size as the first, and like II in all
respects, till, looking upward. 1 noticed
square trap door in corner. while
underneath, against the wall, hung n
rough ladder. This proceeded TO lift
down. and, mounting cautiously lifted
the trap. Holding the candle above nv
| head to survey this chamber, or rather
garret, the first object my eye encoun-
tered was a small tin pannikin. and be-
yond that a stone jar, or demijohn.
Upon closer inspection / found this last
to be nearly full of water quite sweet
and fresh to the taste, which of itself
was sufficient evidence that some one had
been here very lately. ! now observed a
bundle of hay in one corner, which had
clearly served for a bed, beside which
were cracked mug a tin plate, a pair
o. shoes and an object 1 took to be part
OF flute or wind instrument of some
Kind. But what particularly excited my
interest were the Shoes which had evil
dently seen long and hard service for
they were much worn and had beef
roughly patched here and there Very
rig they were, and somewhat clumsy
thlck-soled and square of toe, and with
a pair OF enormous silver buckles.
AhVSc NNlNNugtS leQ me TO DeleVe that
whoever had cen here before was likely
to return, and, not doubling that this
must be he who played the part of ghost
so well, / determined to be ready for
him.
So. leaving all things as / found them
l descended, and, having closed the trap,
hung up the ladder as had found 1t.
In the first of the rooms there was
rough fireplace built into one corner, and
as the air struck somewhat damp and
chill, 1 went out and gathered a guam
tty OF twigs and dry wood, and had soon
built cheerful, cracking fire. I now
set about collecting armfuls of dry leaves
which pilee against the wall for a bed.
BY the time this was completed to my
satisfaction the moon was peeping above
the treetops, filing the Hollow with far
flung shadows.
L now lay down upon my leafy couch
and fell to watching the FIRE and listen
ing to the small. soft song of the brook
outside. In the opposite wall was a win
dow. the glass of which was long since
gore. through which could see a square
OF sky, and the glitterlng belt of orion
My eyes wandered from this to the glow
OF the fire many times. but gradually my
head grew heavier and heavier, until at
length the stars became confused with
the wlnking sparks upon the hearth, and
the last that remember was that the
the voice OF the Ancient croaking:
"a hijious thing, Peter. a hijious
thingl
must have slept for an hour, or nearer
two 0or the room was dark, save for a
few glowing embers on the hearth and
the faint light of the stars at the win
dow). when suddenly sat bolt upright
with every tingling nerve straining as II
to catch something which had but that
very moment eluded me. 1 was yet won
dering what this could be, when, from
somewhere close outside the cottage.
there rose a sudden cry-hideous and ap-
palling a long-drawn-out, bubbling
scream (no other words can describe iD
that died slowly down to a wall, only to
rise again higher and higher, till II
seemed to pierce my very brain. Then
all at once II was gone, and silence
rushed In upon me-a silence fraught with
fear and horror unimagfnable. lay
rigid. the blood in my veins jumping with
every throb OF my heart till It seemed to
shake me from head to foot. And then
the cry began again, deep and hoarse
at first, but rising, rising until the air
thrilled with a scream such as no earthly
lips could utter.
Now the light at the window grew
stronger and all at once a feeble shaft
Of moonlight crept across the floor.
was watching this most welcome beam
thing. indefinable at first but which
gradually made out to be very like a
human head, peerlng In at me; but, II
this was so. II seemed a head hideously
misshapen-and there, sure enough, rising
from the brow, was a long, pointed h Irn
AS l lay motionless, staring at this
thing, my hand, by some most fortunate
chance, encountered the pistol in my
pocket and from the very depths OF my
soul / poured benedictions upon the hon-
est head OF Simon the Innkeeper, for its
very contact seemed to restore my be-
numbed faculties. With a single bound
/ was upon my feet and had the weapon
leveled at the window.
Speak" said I, speak, or I'll shoot"
There was a moment of tingling suspense
and them
"Oh, man, dinna do thatl" said d voice.
Then come In and show yourselfl'
Herewith the head incontinently dis
appeared, there was the sound OF q
heavy step. and a tall figure loomed in
the doorway.
Watt" said /. as. fumbIinE about, I
presently found tinder box and candle,
having lighted which / turned and be-
held a man-an exceedingly tall man
clad In the full habit OF a Scottish High
lander. By his side hung a long,
straight, basket-hilted sword, beneath one
arm he carried bagpipe, while upon his
head was-not a horn-but a scots BON
net with long eagles feather