THE GHOST'S EYES.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 979, 25 May 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE GHOST'S EYES.

f Mrs. Robert Living#tono ma a woman of laperb dignity, Yet any one o[ her city friends would scarcely have recognised her in the ratbor clnmsy figure running and stumbling up the rough canon road that led from the lower beaufield to the ranch-bouto, Her black skirts wcro not held up, but allowed to trail a little and catch tho fine dust and tar-need stain as 6ho hurried on. Nothing of trifling importance could have forced Mary Livingstone thus far to forget her elegant self, eveu alijno in a canon. The fog was coming up from the sea and slowly closing in aud deepening tho shadows of thegorgo. It was already latn twilight, and tho loneliness and gloom of the place tortured : ier over-tense nerves. A little owl flew with a shrill scream over her head, and ffc screamed with it. A belated ground-squirrel rustled in tho underbrush up the bank, and she felt that *ll the terrors of the jungle were upon her. A sharp turn in the trail brought her at last in view of the house, und the welcome glimmer of a light gavo her a littlo courage. Sho quickened her steps still more in her eagerness, forgetting that the cauon stream crossed tho iv»d at the bend, and missing the board she stepped in ankle-dcop. Even this she scarcely noticed, but splashed on over the slippery stones. It was ouly when sho reached the gate, tatbless and diihevelled, tliat she Eeemcd to be able to think. " I can't let Allen see me in this plight, nhe said to bersilf. "Ho would ask all manner of questions, and not be put olf, and I could not tell him that, Oh, uo, no!" But just then a light, youthful figure appeared at the verandah steps, standing on crutches. " What makes you so awfully late, mother ?" he called to her, " I thought you ntver would come here," and tbo thin, complaining voice was eveu a little more impatient than ufuvl. " Sing is on one of his worst rampages, and is savage as hops because dinner is late. I was event afraid to ask him to light the lamp, r.nd I'vobcen sitting out here in the dark forages, If there's a dish left out there, it won't bo his fault. Listen to that!" and jusi then a tin pan wemed to go spinning across the kitchen. " 1 am very sony, my dear," saiil Mrs. Livingstone quietly, " but I was detuned by the fujiueer. He savs the thresher machine is broken, and he must go to Seco Gruidc tomorrow fur repairs. Some of the men v.ere to bo paid off, ami I hsd their nccouuts to look over, I shall bo glad win nyuurfa'her gels home. lUrrfrliug is too impoitsut a time for me to be left alone, l'oor Allie. What a forlorn time you've had ! Come in, and we'll make up for it," aud she preceded him to tho dark little parlour. Quickly lighting the lamp, she said, " Turn it up more, dear, after it has burned a lit'lc, and tell Sing to have dinner in Jive winiih-.y' and she hurried to her room, leaving her sen wondering vaguely that Ins mother's hand should tremble as she held tho match, aud secretly wishing sho had not left him to face the irate

Siofr alone. Alleu Livingstone was 17, but long accustomed to having every wind tempered for bin, ha was naturally timid aud not a little spoiled. Mis. Livingstone lavished upon him that yearning and passiouatc tendorness that a hopelessly crippled child calls forth from a mother's pity. Bo was at onco heridol and her sorrow, aud his diphtest wish was law. Dinner nt tho ranch-boufe was even more quiet than usual that evening, Mrs, Living" stone appeared tired and preoccupied, while 'Allen fretted childishly over the rather v/armed Dp flavour of things on the table, j We offending Chinam,in c,imc and went iu sullen routine. After the coffee, Mrs, Livingstone put her arm lovingly over her son's sliouldeti, and they went out to the pirlour thus. " I have a lovely scheme, dearest," she said, " While father is a ray, I think it would be nice for you to come over and sleep in your old room adjoining mine. It will be more sociable, and we cau play at being younger agaiu. lYhat do you think?" , ' " I don't mind," said Allen, indifferently, "lighting a delicate cigarita,

i Tho house was ouo of thosn primitve Spanish structures, built of adobe, one story, and three aides facing an open square—very pleasant and artistic with the deep verandahs, vine-covered end cool, and the little court always full of flowers and sunshine, but not so convenient and practical for everyday comfort as some more modern plans for homes. The main part of the house is taken up by the living-rooms, leaving the sleeping-iooms in the wings and far ieparated.

j It was a trying time for Mrs. Livingstone, ,irhen her husband insisted that Allen should give up his little bedroom next to theirs, which to had always occupied, and go across tho court. The boy was no longer a baby, he said, and lie had always ikwlm that room for his owu private use. He wanted a place for his desk and his boobs aud tho big safe which held the family valuables and often considerable

aums in gold and silver, as he preferred to pay lis men iu coin rather than by cheque iu the usual way,

But his wife had never been reconciled to having her delicate child out of the sound of her voice at night, and many a time had she stolen out in tho darkness to listen at his window to see that her darling was sleeping well, and to indulge in a long moment of adoring ■worship, as she strained her eyes to see the jiale face on the pillow. " I will go around the verandah now, dear,'' she said, asAllen smoked, "aud bring you thiugs for the uight. Tho couch is very comfortable, and it will be lovely to have you back,"

The chill air struck her unpleasantly as sho opened the door. She shuddered a little and drew'her shawl closer.

" What a fog 1" she exclaimed, " The terns will be again delayed, It's worse than •the conflict of haymaking and showers iu New 'England,"

Coming out of her son's room a few moments liter. Tilth her arms full of her clothing, she was startled by a slight noise across the court, It seemed like some heavy thing dropping with /less Bound than its weight would suggest. In ,the misty darkness sho could see nothing. ,Kary Livingstone was known for and near as a iworaan of unbounded courage and self-reliance. 'Unringher husband's frequent business trips to Ban Francisco she stayed and ruled the little jJrimrdom liko a queen. Not a man on the ranch Jbnt was glad when Mrs. Livingstons was i" boss," The house in the canon was her .aastle, where she and Allen, with the faithful iSing, abode in security which none dared to molest, If anyone had told her a week sgo that this night she would be a haunted creature, iro sibling and unstrung, tormented by an evil presentiment and dreading she knew not what, «ho would have laughed the prophet to soorn. ■ 'He parlour door bad been left a little ajar, pud she pushed through it and op to her own apartment. "Pleasedrat the door, Allie. My hands *l6 foil. IH be ready for you toon." : Drawing the shades, she set resolutely to .work about making her son's room comfortable for the night. / She dared not think, or she jelt that she should screain from sheer nervousBBS!.. I' The dainty silver toilet articles which were bis pride she arranged on the broad desk, and aoon had the lotr loungiDg-couih transformed Into an inviting bed, with oven a Lot-Water bag tucked in at the foot. She took from her) eloset-shelf his littlo toy-lite nigbWamji, which hid been. .one of his childish idols, and lighted ft, and, after' one or'two

" It's timo small boys were asleep. Lock the' f rout door, dear, and come. I have auoh a fuuny story to read to you," Alleu hobbled in, n slight frown on his delicate faco at being b.ibyeiJ, and surveyed the little room. " It's as cold as a barn in here," he said. " What makes it so cold 1 I don't want tj go to bed yet." " Ob, yes, you do. It's getting late. You'll soou bo nice and comfortable in your old nest. You will iind it warmed." " Oh, well, 1 supposo there is nothing else to do," he complained. " Where's the slory ?" "I'll begin it now, while you're gotting ready," and Mrs. Livingstone settled herself by her lamp to lead, In less than half m honr she quietly peeped in to Ond her boy fast asleep. She wanted to stoop and kiss the uliito forehead, but denied herself lest she aliould awaken him. Nearly closing tho door, she walked restlessly about her room a few moments, aimlessly touching Ibis and looking at that. Sho took lier atcouut hook nut of tho draggled dross she hod worn down tho canon and looked it over a little, soon putting it aside. Sho tried to read, but tho words followed each other under her eyes in an unknown tongue. She took up her Bible, and ercn that seoined to hold no word of peace.

Sometimes aa peoplo in great peril go over llieir past life, sho fell to thinking of hers, but she was soon brought back faco to faco with the present. The thought that she was struggling so to keep in abeyance, at last seemed to break ils bounds and lill her soul with an irresistible fascination; she dwolt upou it and did not try to [nit it aside,

0 liree nigiils ago, at midnight, sho awakened suddenly, being conscious of a noxious presence nenr, ;.inl slowly there had grown from it Iwo oaik, glittering eyes cioso to her own, which held her g-ze with terrible iuteatne>s. This evening in the canon they had been there beforo her »li tho way, aud the had almost succumbed to ihoir terror, For ihe first timo she had noticed that the brows and corners of tho eyes were slightly upturn, d, like the Mongolian. M hat did it all moan ? The ind was not yet. What would it be'( Thess thoughts seemed to enthral her.

It was nearly 11 o'clock. Would it come tonight ? Outside the night was so deathly still and so Icucly. Why didn't tlio wind blow! Anything that would break the spell upon her. ».-ht! turiien tho light doirn, jtnd tLreiv herself wi siily on the he*J as she was.

With tliß first Ktroiai of the clock at midnight she woke from a troubled sleep. In ut moun-nfc sbc bec:une distinctly conscious of a smoky odour, (he unmistakable scent of a Ohiiwman'a clothing, A siiylit noise on the ileor caused her to sit uji quickly. A mail's lieatl und shoulcen were slowly emerging from under tlio bed Oae sickening worn nt rfje wirered, then sprang out upon him, holdin« him down for an '"slant; but he turned, and there plaied up at her those same eyes-the liend-Liko eyes of her vision, and the nun w.is Sing. »S!jc ftappk'd with him in superhuman strength, how many desperate, stranding moments, fiie never knew. It seemed an«tfrnitv.v Not a word was uttered, the saw that li'is superior slrenglh must gain in the end. Ho constantly Iriod to reach for a knife which evidently was caught in sumo way, for lie failed to Ret it in his hand.

At last Allen heard the noise and appeared st the dcor, almost faiuliag with fright. His mother spelled out to him, "G-e-t- t-h-e n-s-o ci-n-i-c-fc," aud thin added, "Go to bed child."

Ti:e boy had presence of mind to go around, as there were nuuiy locked deors in tho way through tho huuse.

The Chinaman, afraid of some oulsiile assistonce, began to beg. "Me calcine money-mo nj kill. You gib *ey—me no kilt. You uopib, wH«e you, killie Allie, too. You (jib key ?» idrs. Livingstone said nothing, and in an incredibly shut time for him Allen came in, panting and drugging the gleaming aie. The liend saw it and became like a madman. Hd shrieked and hit at the strong while wrists that held him like a vice. He foamed at the mouth iu his fit of rago and fear.

"Allen," she ssiu, "get tho trunk rope in the clcset—be miick."

After an almost hopeless struggle and a little weak help from her sou she managed to tie one hand, then both trgcthcr, and had Allea make the other end fast to the bedstead,

The rope was old, and if it gave tray they wsro lost, for it was the only thing of the kind available. Her knees wore still on his chest,

" Allen,' 1 , she commanded, "go from the room aud shut your door tight after you."

He was almost stupcSed, but obeyed blindly. In another instant he heard an awful blow aod a short sbuSing sound, then a long moment of silence, but he dared not go in again.

, Presently his mother appeared, holding her wounded hand. She looked to him, in the dim light, like an old woman, Her face was ashen aud drawn, and her dark hair bad turned almost snowy white. He looked at her mutely. _ "My dear," she said, slowly," God knows it ivas the only nay. He gave rou the power to save us, or you aud I, Allen, would this moment have been in the traitor's place." Sho gavo an involuntary shudder, but turned and locked tho door on tho ghastly scene. Taking some antiseptic solution she bathed her hand thoroughly and bound it up with some of Allen's handkerchiefs. She then sipped a small glass of whisky and water,aud lay down beside her son, So the long night wore away,

■ There have been few changes in Seco Valley. The lima beans grow ou the broad, sunny lowlands, are harvested, and grow again. The cauon brook still sings its love song to the blossoming hillsides. The owls and the mocking birds, the squirrels and the lizards, live as before, but the vines run rampant over the broad pinzzaß of the ranch-houss in Seco Canon. Only a few complaining doves have their home in the low garret.

When Mr. and Mrs. Robert Livingstone re turuod to live in Now York their friends wel corned the a back with opoa arms. It was hinted that, not being to tho manner born, Mr. Livingstone had not covered himself with glory or lined his purse with gold in his ranching scheme; but it was the change in Mrs. Livingstone that excited the most comment. The snowy hair, the restless, hunted expression, and absent manner spoke of some stupendous change from her own self,

| To only one trusted friend did she confide the mystery of her life. Every night at twelve o'clock there appeared to her two fierce, hard eyes, which would not turn till she was nearly beside herself with horror.