Year: 1878

preston of diabolical wickedness as |
never again wished to behold. He made
no movement nor spoke word to ex-
plain himself. But right there under
the window, in black. shiny broad
cloth coat, an old silk hat that had seen
many changes in fashion set jauntly on
one side of his head, for all the world
like a second edition of the village
schoolmaster; his face wan aud pale,
with high cheek-bones, his chin covered
with a stubble of short beard. But
most startling of all. and what filled me
with horror, was his throat cut from ear
to ear, the blood oozing down drop BY
drop over white shirt-front! 1t was
horrible! Those dead eyes looking into
the room-the man standing there as if
he had been statue cut in stone.


There was something SO horrible in
his face that for minute or so | stood
by the chair as if struck dumb. Where
had seen that shiny black coat and old
plug hat? Somewhere, it seemed to me,
in my own family. His features, too.
were not those of stranger. Then /
named over to myself several individ-
uals whom [ thought he resembled.
There must be some one-yes. there
was one-my wife's brother had
heard her say that younger brother
had disappeared under circumstances
that led them to think he had been
murdered. This. then, must be his
ghost returned to see his sister.


But pooh p thought |, there are no
such things as ghosts This must be
some poor traveller who has cut himself
by accident.


"At all events. l made up my mind
to address him. | took one step for
ward, and as l opened my lips to speak.
the figure disappeared. There was no
waving of the curtain now-nothing
to show that there had been ghostly
presence behind it. Outside the wind
made fearful racket around the cor
ners of the house ard among the bare
limbs of the elms. Occasionally the
slam of door reached my ears. telling
how the wind was using it. Presently
| distinguished the tramp, tramp of
horses feet. The stable was connected
with the shed, but, strange to tell, the
sounds were approaching the kitcbed,
seemingly but few feet away from the
very door. In a second more | was hor
.ri6ed to hear horses hoofs stamping
across the kitchen floor.


There is something awful in such
sounds at such an hour; for the first
time | felt my hair begin to rise from
my scalp. Looking round, 1 saw the
odd figure once more at the window.
The sight of that ghostly face and those
glazed eyes watching me so lntently
drove me to decide upon acting at once.


".Speak 7 l cried; are you man
or ghost?'


There was no response; only a side
motion-.a slight movement of the head,
and the spectre had disappeared again.
No sound of wind this time, but those
hoots meandering here and there were
more dreadful, and | conclunded il
must be some horse-thief who meant to
rob and murder me at the same time.


Reaching above the fireplace, | took
down my double barrelled shotgun
cooked both barrels, and deliberately
pointed it toward the window, resolving
to fire it at the first glimpse of his
ghostship or, as more than half sus.
pected-horse-t All at once, there
came terrific gust that shook the whole
house from foundation to chimney II
made the old clock stop for the first
time in a dozen years roaring down the
fireplace, scattering the ashes about the
room, and half binding me.


Through the cloud of dust l saw the
face again at the window. In another
second my eyes were nearly demolished
by the report of my gun. Both barrels
heavily loaded with buckshot, had gone
right through that west window, taking
nearly the whole sash with it, and send
ing me fat on my back by the force o
the conclusion.


Whats the matter. Tom? Wha
ye been shooting at this time o night ?
were the first words I heard, after pick
ing myself up from the floor.


There in their night clothes stoot
the old folks, and right behind them, il
the doorway, the two boys-John ant
Harry. Grandfather held candle il
his hand, and looked at me with ALARM
in his face. The boys were whimperini
with the cold.


"'Ghosts or robbers, amt quite sur
which, | replied.


81 started toward the window. Oh
, looking out, | beheld the figure stretch
! ed at full length on the ground. Th
| sight gave me courage.


That ghost won't want to haun
| these parts any longer. / guess, said
He has two charges of buck shot in hi
! body somewhere enough to kill even


rrboof HILL A. 1oo&o.o ~x.cDd no