Year: 1870

would L.


One morning Tom was called away. He
was going to town some twenty miles dis
tant, and would not return until late in the
night, perhaps not until the next day. He
invited me to go with him, but / declined.
l had project of my own on foot.
meant to pay visit to the haunted house,
and | did not want Tom to know of it. So
his absence was the chance coveted.


Tom took an early start, but did not;
had less than mile and half to 60, and I
was in no hurry. So I fingered about the
house, making company for Toms mother
until nearly the middle of the forenoon
Then took down TOMS rifle, and, with
the remark that was going out shooting
for an hour or two, left the house.


Ipromised to be back by noon, in season
for dinner, so, once out of sight Of the win
dow where I had left TOMS mother sewing,
increased my pace to a smart walk, and
i'll half an hours time l stood in front Of,
and curiously contemplating, the haunted
house.


There was nothing very peculiar about it
to distinguish it from other old houses that
had been deserted for a number of years.
1t had the same lonesome, weather-beaten,
deserted appearance that all such old build
ings have, and as there was no one to stay
the ravages of time, it was fast going to de-
cay. Beneath the caves the swallows had
built their nests, and were flying busily to
and fro in the sunlight. They, at least,
were not afraid of the blood stain, or the
ghostly sounds that came sometimes from
within.


The front door was fastened, so I could
not effect an entrance there, and l Chamber
cd over dilapidated fence and went round
to the backside, III search of another cn-
trance. Here found one, and the door,
instead of being fastened, found stand
| ing open foot or more.


may as well confess that paused for q
moment before I went in. may as well,
also, own up, that I caught myself listen
ing to catch some sound that might come
from within. But all was still as death so
pushed open the door and entered.


found myself in sort of back hall, or
entry, from which door opened upon
either side. One of these rooms, reasoned
must be the kitchen, and in it should find
the token of the terrible deed which had
helped give the house its bad repute.


turned to the left, and pushed open the
| A o,1oY o1,n11t fba clo
that | was in the kitchen. So I was stand
ing in the room where murder had been
committed, in the years that had passed.


must confess that l did not give the sur
roundings more than passing glance. My
eyes, almost in spite of myself, | found
were sweeping the floor, and they were not
long i'll resting upon the blood-stain. There
it was, about half way from the broad open
fireplace to the sink on the opposite side
of the room, and what was more, it was of
a blood-red, as though the life-fuid had
been spilled there ten minutes before.


This had not expected notwithstanding
the story which Tom had told. / did not
believe that the blood-stain could change
llS COlOl, DllI IlClc was VIC PROOF IlBIU De-
fore my eyes. l knew that it could not
have retained it from the first therefore
what could it mean? What l had before
learned now flashed upon my mind The
blood-stain turned only to a crimson when
there was to be q new manifestation. To-
night, then, the ghost would walk again
Leaving the kitchen, and the stain, which
would riyet my eyes in spite of all that I
could do, walked over the rest of the
house. But l made no new discoveries
there To all appearances the house had
not been disturbed since the family of the
murdered man moved out of it. After ex-
aminiug every room ventured down into
the cellar. will here acknowledge that l
had hesitated a moment before doing so,
but went, and there made u discovery.
= Near where the stairs descended there