Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1922-06-08

flames and tried to bring Mmseif TO
: analyze the Strange feelings that
seemed to grow upon him. He knew
that the old man was the keeper of
the castle, but he did not know that
he was put in the gray room because
the master, who generally spent the
summer there, had not been back from
Paris for two years and that when he
left he had locked all the rooms and
ordered them not to be disturbed. He
had left one key, which was to unlock
the gray room in case of fire or other
emergency, so that the family valua-
bles might be saved.
AS Harry sat there he must have
fallen asleep for when he looked at his
watch it was after twelve o'clock.
What was that creepy noise among
the draperies He saw the curtains
move and as he rubbed his eyes he
saw form crouching in the folds.
Surely he wasn't dreaming fot now he
could see it move along the wall Sum-
moning all his courage he jumped to
his feet and moved cautiously nearer.
AS he did so the moving figure seemed
to dissolve into the drapery. He made
a complete survey of the room. Moth
ing was under the sofa or table or
chairs, and his dressing gown, which
hung suspiciously against the wall
afforded no solution, even after he had
shaken it vigorously. He sat awhile
thinking of strange happenings, then
prepared himself for bed.
He blew out the candles one by one
but decided to let just one burn. He
placed it on the chair by the huge bed
that creaked so loudly when he sank
into it's depths.
Exhaustion having overtaken him
he fell asleep only to be awakened by
the loud noise made by hinges that
had not been opened for a long time.
He was dumbfounded and sitting up
as motionless as a rock, and saw
form so bent that it looked like gray
ball creeping backward and forward
through the curtains.
These silent movements continued
until the sky was streaked with sap
phire and opal hues. Then all at once
it seemed to shrink, collapse and dwin-
die down into the floor.
At daybreak he bathed his face in
cold water to awaken every nerve to
action, then dressed as quickly as pos
sible. This done he drew the cur
tains aside and beheld door with
rusty hinges. With an effort he open
ed it and as he did so the hinges
creaked as they had done the night
before. He found in front of him a
closet filled with boxes and trunks,
among which was an ebony jewelry
box, lined with orchid satin. AS he
picked over the trifles of jewelry which
it contained he noticed that there were
few that would bring anything if sold.
Harry was honest even if he was
poor, so he decided to leave everything
as he had found it. But as he was
closing the box his eye was attracted
by a slip of paper. He doubted his
sight when he found out that this
was just the deed for which he had
been hunting. He knew that with
this he could reclaim all his mothers
property.
Before he went down stairs he had
quite time trying to look refreshed
but nothing more. 1t was hard for
him not to look happy when his heart
had realized it's greatest hope.
He found out later that the ghost
was none other than the dwarf's mute
brother who had moved from the closet
all of the bonds, deeds, and other valu-
ables, as his master had commanded
him to do, but he had overlooked this
small slip of paper which meant so
much to Harry.
Jeanette Nicodemus, '23