Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 2 — page 126: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

308 stillness of the old house, he heard the handle of the study door turned. CHAPTER V._ GHOSTS. N the clear sunlight of an early June | morning, the Rev. Arthur Grant found himself half doubting the apparition on his staircase the night before. Yet, when he had gone down, lamp in hand, to inves- tigate, he -had found the front door un- bolted, and he had not been able to per- suade his wife that she had imagined a listener in the hall. Of his glimpse of the figure itself he had told her nothing. This morning his attention was attracted to the condition of the flower-borders under the front windows. Some of his rose- bushes had been trampled yesterday under the feet of curious neighbors attempting to look in, and as he bent to straighten a broken stalk, he was aware of a shadow on the grass. Will Davis came strolling toward him. | “T stopped in on my way to the mill,” the young fellow exclaimed. “ It’s not about my own affairs I’ve come,” he added quickly. “He’s not the kind to speak of those to any one,” the minister reflected. “You know Flora’s.mother, sir. There -aren’t many people as set as she is, once she’s made up her mind about a thing. I walked home with them from here last eve- ning after we had seen Joel Benton le@ away, and Mrs. Winslow told us to wait on the door-step. She said she was going into the house for something. When she came out she handed Flora her purse, and told her to go over and pay Hetty Ives for making that wedding dress. She wouldn't listen to argument. ‘‘'There didn’t seem to be anything for Flora to do but to obey her mother, so I walked over with her. There was a light in the Ives house, but no one came to the door. We knocked twice. Finally Flora —she’s been going there so often lately, that she’s got into the habit—walked in. I waited outside. By and by I heard crying. It seemed ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. she found Lucy in the kitchen taking on terribly. Flora couldn’t find out what the matter was, but Lucy kept saying over and over that Hetty couldn’t see any one. You know how queer they’ve always been living by themselves so. Anyhow, there Was some- thing about it that frightened Flora. She didn’t dare stay. But she wanted me to promise that after I took her hompe, I’d stop at the parsonage and tell you and Mrs. Grant. I said I would, but we stood talking for a while after that, and when finally I got to the gate here, I didn’t see any light down-stairs. So I made up my mind to wait till morning. Of course, it may be all Flora’s imagination, but we both thought you ought to know.” © Vou were right to tell me,” the minister agreed. ‘“‘I’ll ask my wife to go up to see them. They’ve always looked upon her as a friend. Yesterday was a dreadful experi- ence for every one.”’ His glance searched the young man’s face. ‘But I’m glad, at any rate, Will, that you and Flora have made up your quarrel | —that some good has come out of all this horror.”’ Will Davis flushed under his tan. “It was more my fault than hers, sir, really. I lost my temper at being teased. But I’d never been sure she cared for me.” The click of the gate made both men turn. In the sunlight, a woman dressed in shabby black was coming toward them up the path. A crape veil hung from her bon- net, and between its folds her small face showed pinched and colorless. “Who is it?” the minister asked under his breath. “It’s Hetty Ives,” the young fellow an- swered. ‘‘ But what has she rigged herself up that way for?” She was advancing toward then with no sign of recognition, and the strangeness of — her dress, the unnatural tension of her whole manner checked any word of greeting on their lips. Instinctively they drew aside to let her pass. She walked up the steps, entered the hall and passed before the study door. Then she lifted her hand and knocked. COMICIDOS Ss CO ww ; =