The People's Journal PICKENS S. C. F"ift y-Ninie... Theodore and I hadI been tralpiiig about lalifax all day. We had pulled our feet fromi the asphalt pavements for the sun was hot; we had toiled to the wiud.slapped citadel, and gazed at Dartmouth, gleam1in1g white across the water, and watched the seething foam in the far haze at the harbor entrance. We had sneered at the gowns of the women, and had been stared at by the nonkey-clad privates. We had praye(l in the dusk of St. Mary's, and driven through the gardens, and oven out the Bedford Basin road for a few miles. I had dragged 'T'heodore to moth-eaten shops and boul-ht vile candy and acted generally in what Theodore calls my i Amerilan girl" m1anne'. There was a touch of the spring-time weariness Upon mIe when wce got back to the Halifax liouse, with spare time in which to dre-, lor dinner. It was early in May, mnCh too soon for the tourists, and every person, not a Troy to their linger tips, was spotted in the hotel. That is the reason that Ted and 1, when we Wtent into the dining room were imme.iiatt-iy taken over to a table where ahreatly two people sat waiting for their dinner. The girl was an American. That. nucl --and 110 more--I knew. ''he man- Now, Theodore had 'o)me to Canaula on busi ness, and I hua at oilpalied himln in the hope of meeting the very man, who sat talking in his u it uticing style, to an titter stranger, not live feet away. I had meant to be so :,rentle with Tom Merrill when I met hi, for the last time 1 hal seen him, I had refused, with great haughtiness, to ac'onpaniy him, as a loving wife antI helpmate, to this end of the world. After six months of abject misery, though I was quite willing-- -to have himli ask me agaim. It gave mhe an unreasonable pang to see how well be looked and I put on my most di'nitied air as he pre sented the girl, whose highly interest ing conversation had been broken uponl by our entrance. I loathed that gill before 1 met her. I knew, before she opened her lips, 1 that she would talk through her nose -and she did. 'he was a native of I some mountain village in 1'ensyivauia I and her reason for leinlg so far from home was- -business. In a few min- I utes wo had her history, and knew i that she was a bookkeeper in the Inost I up-to-date hardware shop in IIalifax. She had met Tom on one of his trips to Halifax, antd seemed to know him very well ie l'ed. At least, she called him "Tom," and looked at him as though he belonged to her, aiit acted altogether disgracefully. "Tom and I were just tdiscussing the suicide,'' said Miss Reynolds as we began our soup. " You have heard of it, of course"' "Ni)," 1 rephed untr'uthfully, I knew all about it. but I wan teditolhear her talk sime more. There was a wild faiscination foi'rme iln listening to her ra.seng A' and awful i's. T1om Merrt'., Now Y ciker to the core, niever wince. H Ea had indeed comforted himise.'. "Its a -' a- to go wvith a meall" she i.d - - T . . a woman, young, and ar~ . A::-.:. :;. :hat, shot herself' her a 2g , . three days ago. Poe 2 : uv : intrst day ahe car~ - ' :a2.'u -. f the week, -i V e '' n umui; o i n, if--?. - , sh e tr. -::,. :*. mii :mi Il(!:n. >he shot he.' :;i *t-u,':''Om No. : 1'. ii ..' inig that woe wt:.a.y. lBurned a.. he: -&-? o . i her rings. Three -ra.u-:..-. :rImondis were fours .: 6 .m: .d among the "a I': . .. out who she in, rs a .t.. - -ave butriesd her in the por te(' b. ut don,t you think itawe -at her 'waiting foi' that mes ag,adh':r de-pair when she got it? 1 uased to hear he- wa'ilking the floor at night. lf:r room was jtust across the hall from rarne. It' a uLpposedl to be haunted now.' " It must have iinnei'ved you. Were you here when she dlied?" asked Thieo dore, with the first glow of interest ho had displayed. .Dear old chicken. Hie never bothers with-some girls. "1 0, dear niol" said Miss Reynolds. "1I was at the ollico, and indeed, I had my room changed at once. I couldn't bear to be near the place. In fact, I couldnr't sleep at all in my room." It was nothing except a spiteful de sire to beat the girl, to dlo sometinig she was afraid to do that made me re ply like a boastful child: " I abouldn't' be afraid to sleep in number 59. 1 think L'll have my things moved to night.' Tom Merrill raised his eyebrows, and looked at me steadily for a mo ment. I saw by3 Teddie's expression that he was plainly aware of my in tention, and also aware of his incom patibIlity to cope with his adored and very much spoiled sister. " Well," at last, I enqjuired, as Tom still staredl at me, " do you think I'm afraid, Mr. Merrgl?" " No,'' said that youiig man slowly, and with emphasis. " I don't think you are." Miss Re~ynolds looked her supreme acorn and unbelief. "111(deed, it's all very well to talk that way," she saidi " but when it comes down to the thing, I'm quite sure you would baek down. There Isn't any woman I know who has nerve enough to sleep in No. 69." " Oh," I rippled out quite Sweetly, " but you see you don't know me,. or any of any friends. Wouldn't Bletty Parker or T'ill Bliss just give theor 'very souls for this chance, Theodore?" " Margaret," ' replied Ted, and knew he wanted to be strict. He al ways tries to be when he forgets t< to call nme Peg, " I don't like you t< talk this way. You haven't any idea I hope, of carrying out this absurd scheme?" Now, I might have given up the idea, but just at that moment Miss Iteynol(s, who had apparently forgot ten that we were there looked down at Tom's hand, idly crumbling bread crumbs on the white cloth, and archly said : " I must have my ring, Tom. All my luck has flown to the winds since 1 gave it to you. I botched half a dozen things today." I must be heathen at. heart, for I felt, at that moment, exactly like tak ing my lish knife, and slowly sawing that wretched girl's throat with it. But, instead, 1 dimpled amid replied, with my best grade of coax, " 'Tiddle wink, please have my things sent over to No. 5I. That's where I'm going to sleep tonight." And then I looked at Tom Merrill, sitting across the table, with a girl's ring on his linger. labI but he had grown cotmmon in his tastes since 1 had denied hin, a wife. I won der if he knew what miy eyes said? Miss Reynolds laughed outright when she heard ily order. "(11iou can't make mile believe that you will go into that suicide's room, with its hor rible associations and sleep tonight. You'll get out of it some way or other. You brave, high-spirited girls always do in the end. I'ags down in No. 5i, while 1 stood dly at the low window watching the liekering white eye in the mouth of he ocean. A soft-voiced maid brought is chairs, and we sat at the broad win low in the hall until eleven o'clock. l:very time that I forgave Tot, and wished that he would come near, and 'all ime Peg, the light wouild glhnt oin lint hateful little ring, and somnethiing m my) soul1 wouldl shut with a click. 1 was drowsily weary~ wh'Ien I at last. ihut, the doo of' the hi.aunted roonm t11)0n three faces* one crful,n Lenderly solicitions, and one full of luimb pleading. But the hland( which ield open1 the dloor for a last glance vas muarredl by a good band. How I iated that girl I Number 50) was a match for he heavy, 01(d silver in the dining-rooml he qjuaint, carvedh furniture in the >arlor, and those weirdl works of art udorning the mantels. A ponderous valnut bed stoodin one11 coi ner of the 'oomn. At the side was a smiall ire lace, now clean and brushed of the oll-tale a4hes. Over b)y tile window, vbere the gray light from the sea utruggledl through in the early dawni tood a huge bureau. I went and1( ooked at myself in tihe glass. And ,hen a horrid fear crept upon01 me. tin ler my feet stretched a great rug, miuchi too large for the room, ando pushed0( imder the legs of the bed t.o get rid of the extra corners. I did not dlare look Linder t,he rug! Instead of my own race, young and heavy-eyed wit,h sleep I seemed to see the wretched ::ountenance of another woman, alone, md sinking t.o an agonized death by her own hand. I mnovedl from the spot. If the mirror hadl helped ini the doing of the evil deed(, th e rug was guilty of' hidimg tihe dark stains. I remiember thinking of everything in a hazy way. I was very unhappy, but fell asleep at my prayers, and finally chimbed into the great bed, to slide through three thousand miles of heavy, stohdo slumber. It was early in the morning when 1 awoke. Too early for the dawn t,o show. It Was raining, too, and the windl howled about tIhe corners of the roof, like an enormous man who was ill. It was a small soundo that brought me cloar-minded, and keen-earedt to my senises. A gurgling slop, 8101), some1 thing thick like blood. Weirdl and bumbhng, the noise grew nearer. Then sU(ldlen, uncanny, horrible, I heard my heart boats in twos and threes-wit,h startling jumps. My hair si,ood on endl, my hbody laid lhelpl1ess in the great. lbed. For t,here, moving in that tiny room with me-was something! Some thing white andl long andl lean, commng nearer and nearer wit,h a beast,ly 8101), slop, gurgle and bubble of b)l00d. 1 remember of wondering why there was so much blood in a bullet wound. God in heaven! the thing was coming to ward me. It fumbled with the covers, striving to. turn them uip from the bottom. Livid fear held me, tongue tied andl trembling, to the bed. And then something in me broke at the sound of the figure's voice. (Clear and golden, English all over, .came the beautiful modulated tones: " Dear me, but I have had the trouble this night. My feet like ice, and never a bit of hot water. This water :will never get them back to their prqe tte, I have a mind to rne, the y'prietor." I sat bolt upright with a serbamn of laughter. The old lady, for such she was, turned a ghastly face, upon me. sheer. horror tied-he1r t,ongue thiat had but a moment gone been so ilmber. " Do you know where you are?" said I, "You are in 190. 59.' I shall never forget her face. The principles of a lifetime were forgotten. She thought I was a ghost, and the The.Wo s Greatest, ure for Maiaria A i' Jr all forms of Malarial osleon. ng take Johnsoun's Chill and Peve. 1ont. , A taint of Malarial poison. ' hn yoar biol ineasmiseryand taure. l(ood modlel nvs can't curs Malarial poisoning " "ho antidoto (or it is 4 OHNSO,v'S TONIC. et a bottl e to-day. ilmsts 50 Cents If It Curse. ghost of an American, at that. W'itl a terrible screech she was gone (owl the hall, spreading her fright like dis ease through the hotel. I moved it the bed and the gurgle again fell upon my ears. I picked up a lukewarm gun water bottle and I was still howlin,< and hugging that awful instrument of torture when Theodore and Ton Merrill burst into my room. I havt always tokti Tomw 811nce that he actuall~ patted mne on the back that night and called me "darling," while he was at t,ired in a bat,h robe and1( pajamias, anit I in a most fetching nightdress, cover. e(1, ala-, with a blanket. I couldn't make them understand. They wanted to soothe me, and quiet my nerves, tu anid thiose two idliots of men aotnally ap)illeI a half pint of good Overholt before I could get anything into their heads. They might have known that it was i huge joke instead of hysterics, through I never, never told how that mistaken old Englishwoman hid really scare me into a lit. At last, aided by my faith ful water bottle, I got the story out and was left alone. But not before 'T'om had whispered: " You'll have to marry me the first thing in the morning, m1y Peggy, love, to save my reputation." And that's why I went to sleep the second time that n1iht the happiest Lirl in the world, amd the sunishiny Iawn of my wedding (lay streamed Lhrough the broad window of No. 59. BILL ARP REVIVES A SERMON. II 1M110R ()I 'Tl'i E L()NG A((. 6:A n<( He I'lay)'e