It was near midnight and Parletville was , wrapp.dcin slumber.,
Prom one. cottage,., however, a--solitary., ray of light pieraed, the
surrounding gloom. Evidently , Captain, Bascom: had,, unusual
business to keep , himithus long,awake.
"Satan," he was saying to a big, green Iparrot ,which stood ont
the .mantel,." it was jest sech a night as this. that. Mis' Bascom
departed this . airth. Jest so-quiet: and dark. Why--oddso—it's
ten year, ago.this. very night... No wonder: I. felt sorter, restless,c,
Satan. I don' tbelieve in sperrits, but if ever they was to.go prow r ,
lin' and caperin" round, , Maria's -ghost ud ha' nt: me tonight."
The parrot blinked sleepilrand. walked. to the other end of the
mantel-piece,
" Gettin' sleepy; are , ye,? . Well ; w&1l ' turn "
" Yes; sleepy. Let's ' turn in,' " crokiked.,the,bird,
The:old, captain laughed. softly ,as-he , turnedto,a.heavy, iron
bound' .chest in , the corner. From ajumble , of odds and .ends hal.,
drew•out , a. worn,daguerreotype. It was the, portrait, of, a, womatin
of middle age, of portly build : and . figurei with a ,kindly . face.,
BeneathT it, was written, " Maria:"
" It's the only picter I've , got of her, Satan," said, thei old , man,: , ;
drawing his horny hand across his, dimming;eyes, " but shalooks
jest asmatcheral. as, life. Ahy well,,old bird;,,12,11, soon be with hero;
Thee time ain't long any more." Yet helittle , knew. how', pro r .
phetic were his words.
Just as he. turned to replace the miniature in, the chest, there,;
came a rap upon the window pane. Captain Bascom started up e
The.great,lid feltshut with a crash.
" Who's there ?" he cried, advancing, tremblingly, towards they
curtainedy window: Evidently Maria's , ghost, had come ; to; earth
at last.
" Opeamp,. captain.. Don? t you,. know, .3t3; oldmate's: voice".
At ;that; sound; the.. captain paled visibly,. Then he went, for-: ,
ward and quickly threw open the. window. Immediately, a ithin i;. ,,
wiry, body wriggledisinuouslyAhrough the aperture and, confronted
him. The visitor was a dark-skinned, shifty 7 ey,ed man wham
fifteenoyears younger than the:captain,
THE EYE OF SATAN