The true northerner., 1874-12-11

What is your opinion of Monsieur
Rigelot ?"
"Try him."
"That is what mean to do if you
will help me. There is ghost who is
said to haunt churchyard near here.
Do you think Monsieur Rigolot is afraid
of ghosts p :.
have little taste for them myself,
but Frenchman may be above such a
prejudice"
"And do you think Monsieur Rigolot
would like to be awoke at night by two
armed burglars pointing revolvers in
his face ?" asked Miss Ruth, fixing her
large eyes on me.
81 can only answer for myself, and
confess that night 80 disturbed would
be most disagreeably noted in my
memory"
"Well, L think that will do, then, "
said the pleasant young lady grayely ;
"and tomorrow, if he gets through the
two trials creditably, L will tell him
that papa has received telegram say
ing that his fortune is in jeopardy. l
shall see then whether your friend cares
for me or my money"
l laughed, she laughed. and between
us we agreed to submit Rigolot to as
uncomfortable series of ordeals as L
have ever heard devised. So that even
ing at dinner, just as the soup was being
removed, and before any of the guests
had time to draw an artificial courage
from wine, Ruth Cumleigh remarked
quietly "Papa, it's tonight the ghost
pays his yearly visit to Gravefill
Churchyard.
"My dear child, how can you say
such foolish things ?"
Mademoiselle believes in ghosts
zen ?" inquired Rigolot, displaying his
white teeth on the other side of the
table.
"In undoubted ghosts, Monsieur
Rigolot, and this one has frightened
several persons to death. I'm sure it
makes ones flesh creep TO think of it.
Don't you believe in ghosts ?"
Rigolot'S handsome face at once be-
came serious.
"Zere are more zings in heaven and
earth zan we dream of, as your Shake
spirie says, Mademoiselle | cannot
deny vat L know nozing about but /
care not for ghosts mock myself Of
zem-for vat can zey do to me?"
"The answer of q sensible and brave
man, Mossheer Rigolot," exclaimed Mr..
Cumleigh with approval, and the other
city men, their wives and mobile in
concurred. But Ruth
calculated, smilingly, as if skeptical
We'll, would you dare to go and
stand in Gravehill Churchyard alone at
Monsieur Rigolot ?"
My friend made one of his inimitable
French bows, and asked whether Miss
Ruth would favor him with her COM
pany; but she answered that the test
of POGO curaateism in these cases con-
sisted in being quite solitary. Accord
ingly it was understood that the French
man should set out for Gravehill unat-
tended at half-past II and 1 am bound
to own that the prospect of this eXcur-
sion did not interfere in the least with
Rigolot's good humor or appetite. He
ate, chatted and ioked as usual, took
rather less wine if anything than his
wont, and at the appointed time, not
the discussions of Mr..
Cumleigh, who begged him not to con-
slider the whims of spoiled child, he
donned bis hat and overcoat and sailed
forth. 1t was especially noticed that
he did not take stick or umbrella.
AS soon as he was gone Ruth has
tened to her room, and in ten minutes
reappeared, having changed her dress
and put on thick shawl and bonnet.
was in waiting to give her my arm,
aud together we walked out, going at a
fast pace to reach the churchyard be-
fore midnight.
II was about five minutes to II when
we arrived, and, looking through
crevice in the low wall that surrounded
-he churchyard, eperceivedt the French
man sitting unconcernedly astride
tombstone. There was no rain, no
moon was beaming, and tall, very
funereal, shadows were cast into the
depths OF the buttresses and on one
side of the spire. which rose straight
aud high in the clear air, Rigolot's face
stood full in the moonlight, and we could
see that his indifference was perfect.
Humming tune, he drew a cigar-case
rom his pocket, and struck fusee on
he tombstone.
"Manly, but prefane," whispered
Ruth, clinging to my arm.
1t was at that very moment when
midnight changed from the steeple (;
and, precisely to the hour, a towering
white apparition glided from the gloom
Of the church porch and walked straight
.oward Rigolot. Not to alarm anybody,
t may be stated that this apparition
vas nothing but gardeners boy, who
vas q great ally of Ruth in these adj
ventures, and who played his part by
,he customary means of a sheet and a
pole with phosphorized mangel-wurzel
1t the top. This gardeners boy then
advanced but the instant he began to
1e seen stalking among the tomb, Rigo-
ot raised bright, joyous laugh-with-
1ut quaver in it-iumped from his
grave, and walked to meet him. The |
ghost was not prepared for this move,
md receded; Rigolot follow d. The |
ghost, thoroughly mystified, broke |
ground; then, seeing the Frenchman
continue to approach, turned tail and
AN. Hereupon Rigolot's merry voice
'ang out in reiterated peals, and he |
,alled ont, with wonderful intrepidity |
md archness:
r