Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-09-14
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The Owners
Unexpected
. Return
Did He See a Ghost ?
By PAULINE d. EDWARDS
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4ue cOcleIy Ut IsgCulCtu 1keSehTCu
is doing some good work lately" said
Gilbert to his friend Slade as they
sat beside the open fire. Il believe the
time VIII come when it VIII show a
scientific relation between mortality
and immortality"
Il do not believe In ghosts" said
John Slade emphatically.
Daniel Gilbert drew his chair nearer
to the cracking blaze.
Il never believed In ghosts-until last
year." he said quietly.
What happened last yearT SHADES
tone was skeptical.
Il saw a ghost"
Where had you been diningT laugh
ed Slade.
81 hadn't dined at ALL came down
to the Fins quite Unexpectedly. 1
wanted to look up some papers that l
knew to be In the library. The house
had been closed all summer, and at
this time even the caretaker was away
for few days.
MY plan was to dine at the village
inn, go up to the Elms, spend the even
ing searching for the papers, sleep In
my old room and take the first train
to town after breakfast. Ny train was
several hours late, and when We ar
rived in Elmville the inn was shut up
for the night. If you are acquainted
with our village boniface you will I'M
derstand that for neither love nor mon
ey nor 'auld lang syne' would be open
his doors to a guest after midnight
So it meant a dinnerless tramp up to
the house.
ut was nearly / o'clock when en-
tered the avenue, and / was surprised
to find the iron gates of the drive wide
open. That was against my orders.
at was a dark night The stars
shone bright, and young moon threw
a thin silver veil of light In the open
spaces. As | came In sight Of the
house stopped still In my tracks.
you may not believe me, John, but
my house was a blaze of light from
basement to eupOla, and from behind
the lighted windows came the strains
of an orchestra, while forms foated to
and fro in swaying rhythm to the
waltz melody.
AS spood rooted 10 the spot the
church CLOCK IN the village struck once,
and as II by magic the music ceased
and all motion stopped behind the thin
curtains An instant later every ngq'
IN the mouse died out as II ext1nguish'
eu Dy some mighty breath. ran VI
the steps ana atted my Key In the
great lock. 1t yielded, and the heavy
door swung outward 10 my touch.
i threw ray OF light about the
| great entrance nan ana reached Tor the
button to switch on the electric lights
Ihe button clicked without response
Again and again tried, but In vain.
"A search of the drawing room ant
library revealed the same condition
Inc current was smut on and probably
had been since the departure OF th'
caretaker'
4 hghted the large oil lamp on Tho
library table. 1t was an easy mattel
TO dig out the documents 1 wanted
ana store them into my leather bag
AS set the bag on the floor l saw
lying on the turkish rug white rose
fresh and fragrant, as II just plucked.
rms was no earthly blossom l de
clded as ] laid 1t before me ON the ia
Die And then / had another shock
Tor almost under my hand and In thu
very spot on which had placed IN!
Dag when entering the room was
small lace handkerchief. Across on
corner was embroidered In tiny letter
girls name.
Gilbert blew cloud of smoke tina
obscured his face. John Slade leane'
forward In his chair.
And the name-the girls name" b
asked quickly
"Niola-just VIOLA" said GLIDER
dreamily.
Ihat-is not all OF the story" sat
slade impatiently. Go on. old man.
mo; that is not all. l turned t
the mantelpiece ana leaned my heal
against the high shelf, trying to solv
the mystery OF my house, Tor to m,
knowledge no woman save the care
taker, an old black nanny, had dark
ened-or snail say brightenedf-m
doors Tor several years.
When l turned back to the tabl
the handkerchief was gone!
with hardly thought as to whethe
l was seeking shadow or substance