The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-06-23
THE GHOST LAID
BY MILDRED WHITEA
- - ~ N - ~ a - I" n " ~f@ 49,
Copyright, 1929, Western Newspaper Union,

S@@@ m N = N n = n - N NJ s m ~
Copyright, 1922, Western Newspaper Union
The coupe came to stopt at the
top of the hill. The driveru Burned,
smiling reslgnedly to Cecily.
mo gasoline" he explained. 'That
is the result of leaving the entire care
of the car to my chauffeur. /. am
sorry. VIII you sit In the car while
l go in search Of gas, or would you
prefer to wait on the veranda OF that
deserted house? | can promise you
that no ghost will trouble yoal--the
place has not that interesting reputa-
ton. remember, however, when its
inmates were prominent and happy res
ldents a long line of successive Web
sters. May take you over theTe-the
garden is beautiful in the moonlight;
and / will be back shortly"
II will wait at the house, Ceclly
said.
Wonderlngly she gazed after the
tall figure.
"Why," she asked herself, do not
love Stephen Ware? What does he
find to care for in me? Or is there,
after all, no love-such as the poets
and writer's have prated Of, through
out the centuries? Father is right; /
must keep Mr.. Ware waiting no longer
for his answer, and by all that Is
reasonable, 1t should be the answer
OF his desire" The girl sighed Yet,
If one might only have some sign by
which to know"
Her little slippers tapped the We
randa floor Of the old house, a sweet
honeysuckle vine sent ghostly shadows
across it. Through long French win
dows she glimpsed desolated rooms;
at farther end white marble man
tel also cleaned out ghostly. Ceeily
pictured the rooms gay with young
folk of former time-little happy
children grouped about their mothers
knee; young women, these mothers,
like herself, now gone on TO their rest,
or dreaming, perhaps, over some far
freside, of this same old home and
days long past.
Something warm, caresslng, pressed
against her Cecily bent down to touch
dogs furry head. why" she said,
"you might have been savage, threat
eIsng; and you are companionable, In
stead. Where did you come from:",
Madly the dog wagged his tail.
"He is lonely for a woman's pres
ence," remarked a pleasing voice near
by. don has had to camp with me
for few days, and misses the women
at our apartment, who spoil him with
pettlngr
III see" Ceclly spoke doubtfully.
Then. as the stranger remained. she
added: II am waiting here to he called
for. Our car ran out of gasoline, and
It was necessary to go for more"
Calmly the man sank down ION the
step, while the friendly dog rested
his head on Cecily's lap.
"You like this old homer Pretty
tangled garden, isn't it?"
81 was trying to people the house
in fancy, with those who have lived
here" Cecily answered dreamily--"the
mothers and little children" The
man leaned toward her.
81 was one Of those little children"
he sald land mine was happy child
hood. So happy that the years have
brought nothing to compensate. There
was n fishing pond down by the hill
slde--we used to spend hours there
and a leafy grotto, where my mother
used to give picnic suppers to us chill
dren."
"Why," he demanded, lam j pouring
this all out to youY-a chance victim
He laughed shortly.
Ceclly touched her face, to find 1t
wet with tears.
"Why," she asked shakll% IAN l cry
ing about lit"
Down the road came an erect figure.
IL must 60" she said breathlessly.
The man at her side gazed more in
tently into her sympathetic face.
us that your husband?' lie asked.
Cecily shook her head.
~ am not married." she answered
gravely. "Mr. Ware, with whom am
driving, Is my fathers frlend-and my
own. / am stopping at White Towers
for the summer"
81 have heard of Stephen Ware, of
course. He Is as gifted In our pro-
fesslon as ! am humble. Ny name is
Paul Webster"
I'VE will be ready to start immedi-
ately, Ceclly," called voice; the vines
hid her. Paul Webster put out his
hand. Cecily's was in his clasp.
"You are going back to the clty?'
she asked him,