The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-03-15
"'She died two years ago. said the
neighbor, and since then the house has
been empty

.Impossibler
9" If you have come to buy it, continu-
ed the neighbor, apply at No.12. There
is a gentleman there who will give you
the information you want.
81 thanked the obliging neighbor, who
shut his window again, and | went i'm
mediately to No. y, with the hope that
this person towhomI was directed could
help me to unravel the affair, which
seemed to become more puzzling since
had determined on solving it. Myfriend
and presented ourselves at No. II and
M. Bourbon was wonderfully polite to
us as soon as l told him Iwanted to buy
the property he had for sale.
''It's good bargain, he said, when
you have looked at the house
s.'I know it, replied.
"'You know it?' said he, turning to-
ward me the most astonished look in the
world. Impossible! It's more than six
months since / myself have put my foot
in it, and as yet 1 have the keys of the
house in my desk-Ah! beg your par
don,' he quickly added, you were there
before the owners death?'
81 was there yesterday evening" l
replied, and l stayed there about two
hours in the company of charming
young lady
IN. Bourbon suddenly looked at my
friend, as if to ask whether / was in
sane understood his meaning, and
without being offended l continued,
hoping to make him change his mind
about me, and wishing to furnish him
with the most ample details of my
visit.
81 know said /, in conclusion, that
you place little faith in my words, since
can not give an exact account of the
truth. But there is an unanswerable
way of verifying my assertions. On
| leaving the house in question | could
not find my handkerchief, and l think l
remember having left it on the sofa in
the salon. VIII you come with US, and
prove it9 If we find my handkerchief,
what will you say?'
"'My dear Captain, said NJ Bour-
| don, 4 shall say nothing, but | shall
sell you the house at your own price
Il would not have it at any price,
said in a low tone to Dulaurier.
.'M. Bourbon did not hesitate to ac-
cept my proposition, and on reaching
the door triumphantly pointed out to me
the cobwebs in the lock.
"'Do you give imp
"'Not yet
s''But this door has not been opened
| for six months.
"'I tell you | crossed this threshold
Yesterday morning.
1--WE entered. Everything about the
mournful aspect of the house expressed
desertion, neglect, solitude. The walls
were mouldy, thick dust covered the
floor, the ceilings were cracked and
cobwebs overran the staircase. On en-
| tering the salon, the first object that
struck my eye was my handkerchief ly-
| ing on the sofa.
He paused After time he spoke:
There's my story, my dear friend;
| what do you think Of it?''
'.Are you a somnambulist, captain?"
Il don't know. was never aware
| of it"
''Were you-how shall l say it?-a
little - when you left the barracks
With your friend Dulaurier?'
Hum! | remember very little about
it,
sit is necessary to enlighteL me on
these two points before asking my opin-
ion of your adventure. otherwise can
explain it in this way-you went to
sleep lying on your back and had bad
| dream"
Captain Duchamps was killed six
| months afterward in Italy, without hav-
ing answered the two questions.-Saaa
Francisco ArgOaaut.