ark figure coming up the stem of
the tall tree close by, hand-over-hand, like a sailor or a monkey.

"Two can play at that game, my friend; you scare me, and I'll scare
you." And with an actual sense of relief in breaking the silence, I
suddenly flung up the curtain, and leaned out.

I brandished my dagger with what I intended to be an awe-inspiring
screech; but, owing to the flutter of my breath, the effort ended in a
curious mixture of howl and bray.

A most effective sound, nevertheless; for the burglar dropped to the
ground as if he had been shot, and, with one upward glance at the white
figure dimly seen in the starlight, fled as if a thousand ghosts were at
his heels.

"What next?" thought I, wondering whether this eventful night would ever
come to a close.

I sat and waited, chilly but brave, while the strange sounds went on
within the house and silence reigned without, till the cheerful crow of
the punctual "cockadoo," as Margie called him, told me that it was
sunrise and laid the ghosts.

A red glow in the east drove away my last fear, and I soon lay down and
slept quietly, quite worn out.

The sun shining upon my face waked me, and a bell ringing warned me to
hurry. A childish voice calling out, "Betfast is most weady, Miss Wee,"
assured me that sweet little spirits haunted the cottage as well as
ghostly ones.

As I left my room to join Margie, who was waiting for me, I saw two
things which caused me to feel that the horrors of the night were not
all unreal.

Just outside the back bed-room door was a damp place, as if that part of
the floor had been newly washed; and when led by curiosity, I peeped
through the keyhole of the haunted chamber, my eye distinctly saw an
open razor lying on a dusty table.

My seeing was limited to that one object, but it was quite enough. I
went up the hill thinking over the terrible secret hidden in my breast.

I longed to tell some one, but was ashamed; and, when asked why I was so
pale and absent-minded, I answered with a gloomy smile--

"It is the clams."

All day I hid my sufferings pretty well, but as night approached and I
thought of sleeping again in that haunted cottage, my heart began to
fail. As we sat telling stories in the dusk, a bright idea came into my
head.

I would relate my ghost story, and rouse the curiosity of my hearers, so
that some of them would offer to stay at the cottage in hopes of seeing
the spirit of the restless Tucker.

Cheered