The Lamar register., 1923-04-04
GHOSTS
BY AGNES II. HOWARD


the driver.
Fifty cents. hope you like It
there. There's some as says there's
queer things happened In that there
house"
What sort Of thingsT' l queried.
"Oh, faint nawthin'. but there's
some about these parts as thinks there
is such things as ghosts. Wal, may
he so, maybe SO 'Tain't for me to
say. alnt never seen none" He
laughed.
81 hope don't see anyl" I eI-
claimed anxiously.
"Oh, maybe you'll have luck" he
said "She amt had no trouble lately
with that boHrdin' house. l guess that
air ghost is getting TO be dead one
for sure. Them queer people that used
to own the place has been dead goin'
on ten years now. | wouldn't worry
II nIn't worth It,"
NO. | won't" promised. but never
theless the seed Of wonder had been
firmly sown.
paid him and advanced toward the
house. ! was greeted at the door by
large middle-aged woman in II blue
checked gingham dress.
I'm Miss b. ! offered. by way
OF explanation.
"Oh. yes. Come right in. Your room
has been ready. waiting for you for
two days now"
She took me upstairs to large
room. Just of the back stairs.
ITS one Of the very best in the
house." she said. "Clean, big, and
AWAY from things" I shivered.
Make yourself to home" She went
out and left me alone.
"supper's at seven" she fairly
At the supper table I ventured a
question or two.
what is this I hear about ghosts
around herei Some Interesting legend.
is itf'
She eyed me sternly.
Nov, who's been a-filling you up
with nonsenser' she questioned,
rather too sharply. I thought. 81 say
thar amt no such thing as ghosts, and
we ain't got none here. We ain't aim.
ing TO keep them long" I wondered
whether II was the ghosts or her WIS.,
itors she didn't "aim" to keep longl
Two hours later prepared for bed.
AZ last | WAS ready. Something like
cold chill ran down my spinal col
umn as | hastily blew out my light
and crept into my cold. unfamiliar
bed.
strange and rather ciammy." !
murmured TO myself.
About three minutes later / brought
my head up with a start, opened my
eyes and peered into the inky dark
ness. Had really heard something.
or was the strange newness OF the
place working its spell on mel
Less than ten minutes later sat
upright in bed. There was no specu-
latlOn this time. / had heard some
thing | listened. A faint. light. tap
ping noise about ten times-then alb
ruptly stopped. I waited for more.
Then something slid. and / heard a
crunch, crunch, crunch.
You are foOl-a 'fraid-cat," told
myself Soon after | fell asleep.
II must have been at least three
the mingled sounds Of a retreating au-
tomobile and soft. deliberate footballs
on the carpet, which were not retreat
Ing. / clutched the bedclothes and
felt for the electric light switch. A
thousand curses on houses which are
not wired for electricity The person
coming toward me had stepped on
board which gave Il small squeak, and
then he (or she) stopped.
dared not make move. Ny
muscles were taught. was like one
frozen to the spot. l could hear my
heart beating like an automobile en-
gine and my mouth and throat were
growing dry. At last, instinctively, I
drew my feet up slowly, silently. l
tried to collect my thoughts. I began
to think rapidly There was not a
thing could do-but what could the
creature do to me, anyway He could
but kill me, at worst. But / was not
ready to die.
An unconscious prowler-a victim
of insomnia? Some one in the wrong
room--why, of course. / had III A
ghost II could have moved my lips
or lifted my voice, ! would have
screamed but | could do neither. I
closed my eyesl
Then 1t happened
The ghost grabbed mel