cious manner all their suspicions. Their plan of action
had been formed and they proceeded at once to carry it out.
On that evening- Armstrong and Miss Seymour had met
at the usual place and proceeded to the narrow platform out
side of the cupola. A beautiful full moon shone bright; the
air was mild and pleasant. What a night it was ! In mod
ern language it was “a peach of a night !” The two were
seated on the steps leading from the cupola down to the long'
platform. As they sat there, all unaware that others knew
of their whereabouts, a small party of young fellows, all in
soft soled slippers were slowly ascending the cupola stairs.
They carried with them a long lanky object that rattled a
little now and then. Steadily, silently they bore their
burden upward.
Armstrong and Miss Seymour from where they sat
could, by turning slightly about, see the top of the stairway
within the cupola. A broad band of moonlight from an op
posite window fell across the floor just in front of the stair
way. The two had sat there, the space between them grow
ing smaller by degrees, what seemed to them a very short
time, but which was really an hour or more when a slight
noise on the stairs caug'ht their ear. It was a faint creak
ing as though some one was cautiously ascending.
“Did I hear a noise, Steve?” asked the girl, starting per
ceptibly. “Oh, I guess not, Marne !” was Armstrong’s re
assuring reply as he turned his head to listen.
A minute of absolute quietness followed and then a sud
den sharp scraping noise sounded within the cupola. Both
turned on the instant and no sooner had they done so, than
the girl uttered a short frightened scream. At the same
time both rose to their feet, staring with startled eyes to
ward the stairway.
There on the floor of the cupola, plainly visible in the
bright moonlight, stood (could they believe their eyes?)—a
skeleton ! Yes, a hideous g'rinning skeleton ! !