The National tribune., 1884-09-25
\ MEAN REVENGE,
A Rascally Lawyfar Gets Even With
His Murderer After Death.
[conelsded ffom last syeek.l


carried the principle Too far. Had he been a
little less rigid In its observance, he might
have been alive at this moment.
Personally he had caiised me great inconyen-
ience; | could not allow him to remain where
he lay, for ,Josepli's return might take place at
any instant, and a dead body is not usually
reckoned among the essential requisites of a
well furnished library At that moment re-
membered the furnace in the laboratory, and
at once recognized that it afforded convenient
way ont of the difficulty. It is needless to go
into Details which can have little interest for
outsiders, and | content myself with saying
that after several hours work my task was sat-
isfactorily accomplished
With a sense of considerable relief returned
to my easy chair, and, ringing the bell ordered
Joseph to make me cup of strong coffee.
When this bad been brought | told him /
should require his services no more that night,
and bade him go to bed at once.
little later the clock on the mantel- piece
chimed midnight, and / began to think the
time had arrived for following Josephs exam
pie. As, however, i rose to do this, / was sur
prised to hear some one call me.
"Come in" I said, thinking it must be the
servant; but no one stirred. For moment
stood irresolute, but on repetition of the
sound walked to the door and threw it open.
There was no one outside.
Mr.. Cliffe again said the voice, this time
| coming from the neighborhood of the fire;
Mr.. Clifei"
/ closed the door and turned back. "Who
and where are you2" | asked.
Pm here" was the answer " and I'm Sugg,
the Solicitor
"Pooh, pooh,p replied. dropping into my
chair, Sugg' g's-." Fortunately / stopped in
time; must be careful not to incriminate my
self. 'Sugg's at home, and no doubt in bed an
hour ago."
Its no use, Mr.. Cliffe," returned the
stranger, " / know better and SO do you you're
clever fellow, Dir. Ciife, but you can't argue
a bullet out of mans body" and the voice
laughed in dreary kind of way.
The last statement had It's weight with me;
| clearly, if this were not Sugg it was some one
possessed of q curiously precise knowledge of
what had just occurred.
What are you doing heRe?" I asked.
AT present I'm trying to warm myself" he
| said. One finds it a trife cold at first without
any flesh or clothes"
began to realize the position; this, then,
was Suggs ghost, probably come to take re-
venge on me for having killed its owner
suppose you mean to haunt me- sug-
gested; if So you'll certainly have your trou-
bic for nothing; my nerves are tolerably
strong,'
"0h, dear, no." he answered YOU'RE quite
mistaken; that's an absurd idea people have.
Spirits are not allowed to return to this world -
,
conclusively; when rules are made they ought
to be observed"
That's true" he said; "but an exception
is needed now and then Just TO prove that they
do exist. I'm one,n he added, with a touch Of
self-satisfaction.
"Very WELL" replied, "now that you have
fulfilled your mission, you had better go. Pm
off to bed, and I can't afford to keep up fire
all night for your pleasure"
4 must finish my business first" he pro-
tested
That's your affair."" / retorted, rising.
u know" he returned; "but for that
must have your help"
Indeed" !" rejoined "in what way?"
"Pll explain in q word if you'll sit down
again. he said.
With my usual good humor I did as ha re-
quested. After pause, during which I pre-
sumo he was settling himself comfortably on
the hob, he proceededs
"of course what gaa about to tell you viii
be considered strictly codidential. I may
count upon your discretion 2"
/ nodded toward the fireplace; its occupant
seemed satisfied, and continued:
For some time before my-Iny demise I
was large and unfortunate speculator on the
Stock Exchange. Nothing succeeded with me.
loss following loss with appalling persistency
After disposing of all my own valuables, was
forced to fall back on those of my clients
a somewhat tardy acknowledgment of the
assistance yielded to me.
" But the worst has TO be told fell into bad
company, and was hurried into the commission
of deeds from which in a cooler moment /
should have shrank what torments me most
is that indneed some of my friends, and those
precisely the most guiieless and unsuspecting to
follow my example unwittingly. My unexpect-
ed here he again hesitated-" demise pre-
vented me from destroying certain coInpremis-
ing documents committed TO my care, and
unless / can do this heavy and undeserved
punishment viii fall upon those blameless but
too confding persons"
" am sorry to hear it," interrupted, "bus
/ do not see how can interfere
:" / do not ask that you should" he returned
eagerly :" havearranged everything; in view
of the facts leave TO return to earth has been
given me, with permission to take possession of
my former tenement for one night. All / wish
from you is to say whore you have concealed
my body"
In all my experience / cannot recall having
received so inconsiderate demand. | do not
think am an unreasonable man, and had Mr.
Sugg's spirit kept within moderate limits I
should have made no demur in giving my help;
but this was proposal could not accept
THE things impossible" said q decline
to be a party to so monstrous scheme It's
against every rule of nature. Why, Sir"
eoh6lHueti, waxing WartAer, you lgnD aS we'll
| ask me to second you ID upsetting the law of
grayitation."
Ny answer seemed to diseoncert Mr.. Sugg in
no small measure. The voice trembled as it
replied:
"For PHYS sake, don't refuse me; think of
the disgrace and suffering you will bring on
the innocent if you persist. After all lisa trif-
ling matter to you"
Is it?" / said to myself rejecting on the
difficulty of bringing back his scattered re-
mains to their original form but to him only
replied more decidedly:
NJ minds made up: / refuse distinctly to
give you any such help
On hearing these words Mr. Sugg's spirit
uttered low cry of despair, and then, as I
judged, began to fly rapidly from one end of
the room to the other, wailng forth, "My
poor body where's my body 2"
When this performance had lasted for some
time lost my temper. a" Come, come, said,
you know you can't go on like this all night"
The voice was silent fer an instant, and the
next words were spoken from beside the fire.
Oh, can't |, it said. Just lsten!" and
thereupon il gave utterance to shrek go
weird and shrin that in spite of myself shook
with fear
" For heavens sake" cried, don't do that
again. or you'll drive me mad"
Ii spirits can chuekle certain am that Mr..
Suggs did so then. "Oh, that's nothingo it
observed; !" was only clearing my throat.n
The mere thought of having the sound re-
peated made me- turn cold. Look here"
hastened to say, g if you'll promise to be- quiet
III tell you the trubhn
ltad Gr,c Uf