Year: 1872

village of Seaford, in one Of the Callfor-
MIA mountain town, beautiful cottage
embowered in vines and fruit trees. The
proprietor's name was William Ashdale.
He was a carpenter by trade. Having
acquired a small fortune by mining, and
being a bachelor, he thought that by
building a cottage he would soon find a
young lady who would consent to become
his wife, and share his home and fortune.
But alas, like many human hopes, he
was doomed to disappointment. After
finishing his building, and spending the
rest of his little fortune in furnishing the
apartments, he found himself without a
dollar, and he was compelled to let his
abode to a rich colonel, who, together
with his wife and daughter, was visiting
at that time in the neighborhood for the
purpose of recruiting his health.


We are obliged to give short descrip-
ton of the house, because it is necessary
to the sequel of this story. On entering
the cottage, the visitor was struck with
the exquisite taste with which the car
penter had fitted up the interior. A pas
sage ran the entire length Of the dwell.
ing it into two compartments, the whole
passage panelled and painted in imitation
of oak and laurel. At the farthest end
of the passage was an oval window of
stained glass, about five feet from the
floor. The cottage contained a parlor
and dining-rooms, pantry and a scull-
cry. The only entrance was the front
dor.


The Colonel, together with his family
and servant girl, were the only occupants
Of the cottage, and nothing seemed to
mar the quietness of the family. Regu-
larly, night after night, they went to bed
about nine o'clock.


They had occupied the dwelling about
four weeks, when, about nine O'Clock one
night, the Colonel thought he heard a
low, croaking noise in the passage. The
Colonel softly opened the door, thinking
it might be robbers. He was fearless
man, believing neither in ghosts nor hob
geblins, and for other enemies he had a
revolver in hand. Peering in the dark
ness of the passage, he saw, by the faint
light through the window, black shad-
ow seemingly disappearing through the
wall.


ined every nook and corner of the cottage
but discovered no secret outlet. He looked
at and tried all the fastenngs Of the doors
and windows, but all We're rs secure as
bolts and bars could make them.


The next night the inmates were awall-
ened by the screams of the servant girl.
On entering the passage, the Colohel
found her lying upon the floor in convul-
sions. When becoming quiet, the girl
stated that, as soon as she had put things
all right in the kitchen, she had sat down
10 read a newspaper, After reading
awhile she felt sleepy, so lighted a can
die, extinguished the lamp, and crossed
the passage to her bedroom. She put
her hand on the door handle, but the
door was locked.


Not wishing to disturb the family, she
was about turning back to the kitchen,
when the light was blown out and the
candle dashed from her hand. With
a scream she fell to the floor, and lost all
consciousness. The Colonel found the
key Of her bedroom on the floor of the
passage. Telling the girl not to say any
thing to her ncighbors about the affair,
at least not until the mystery was cleared
up, the Colonel retired.


On the following morning the Colonel
went to the cabin Of the carpenter, and
told him about the mysterious noise and
the fright of the servant girl. The car
penter said that he had never slept in
the cottage, and therefore he did not
know anything about it. The Colonel
returned home, and to quiet the fears of
his family he told them that he had found
out the cause of the noise-it was rats.


Several nights passed, and nothing
was seen nor heard, but on the fifth night,
near II O'Clock, the same croaking noise
was repeated. The Colonel took his re-
volver in his hand, and approached his
bedroom door, against which he put his
ear. lie distinctly heard low shufii-
ing sound. He stepped back a few PAGES
and leveled his revolver at the door.
ready to fire. He heard key turn in
the lock and soon the door opened, and
on the threshold stood the figure of n
man.


The Colonel took careful aim and fired.
With groan the figure fell back on the
noor of the passage. The screams of his
wife and the girls were fearful, but the
Colonel with a loud voice stopped their
outcry. Procuring light, the Colonel
went out into the passage, and, on remov
ing mask from the face of the PROSTATE
man he recognized, to his astonishment.
The features Of the carpenter.


On examination, it was found that
William was still alive. The bullet had
penetrated the arm, and, as was after
wards ascertained, breaking only one of
the smallest bones. AS soon as William
was able to speak, he confessed to the
Colonel how he had entered the house.
lie said that the wash-stand in the kitcb-
en- hung on two concealed hinges, and as
the back of the wash-stand was part of
the actual outside of the house, it took
but slight push and it would move from
Its position, leaving an aperture large
enough for man to crawl through into
the kitchen. He had made the concealed
door merely for the purpose Of trying if
he could construct secret means of