The Red Cloud chief., 1885-07-10

.Ohr'
Take q chair" said Smile.
II will stay but . few moments" re-
| piled the stranger.
OF course neither of the young men
knew all the hundreds Of students al
| the University. but they thought the
stranger belonged to one Of the depart
ments. although it seemed odd that he
should enter without rapping.
Have a cigar" said Wentworth.
pushing the box towards him.
Il come on business" said the other.
land do not smoke. That is my skele-
ton"
''Oh, excuse me-" cried Wentworth.
Il articulatcd John w. myself"
'.Whom?'
John W. We call him Stodgers.
John w. Stodgers."
.'Oh. you do"
"Yes. For convenience. Don't sup
pose that was his name"
1T certainly was not"
'How do you knOw?'
because | tell you the skeleton Is
| mine
SHOW him our receipts for the body.
| John. You don't unde stand. guess,
| that Wentworth and l bought the body
and have the receipts. 1t, not a store
skeleton. 1t is Johns upper and my
lower and SO We fixed up the bones u
selves"
Il wish to see no receipts. You don t
appear TO understand me. When l was
alive that skeleton was the frame work
of my body"
when YOU were aireF"
Certainly"
What are you noW? You don't
mean to pretend that YOU palm your
self of as a ghost on US
IF you have any doubts about the
matter. just throw that ruler at me-"
Smile at once took the stranger at
his word and the ruler met no oppO-
sitiOn. but apparently passed through
the spester and fell Gathering to the
floor. A. that instant the jaw of the
skeleton fell with its sudden click, and
in the silence that ensued il seemed to
regard the spirit with q sort of CLEAN
of recognition. Wentworth walked
across the room and picked up the
ruler. Coming back he snapped the
jaws shut again and sat down.
That's singular, to say the least,
john" said Smile. helplessly.
At this moment there was q knock at
the door.
Come" shouted Smile.
In the gloom they recognized Tom
Fulmer, one of the students.
Excuse me-" said Tom, seeing a
stranger present and preparing to with
draw.
mo. no. come in. Tom; you're just
the man we want to see.
Tom took the chair offered him.
Il don't just know how to introduce
YOU" said Wentworth. Tom. this is
-a-ah-gentleman who clai ms to be
the original pOssessor of this skeleton"
"Ah dispute as to ownership, eh?"
''That tendency" answered Went
worth. HE is, in fact, a-well, .
ghost"
"A what?"
"The gentleman has been dead for
some time" put in Smile. the task of
explaining having seemingly got be-
yond Wentworth. "And while alive
this was his skeleton"
''Oh, come now. Smile, what are you
giving us?'
Fact" sad Smile. ..just tossed this
ruler through him. Try it
Fulmer hesitated.
1T will perhaps convince you quicker
than anything else. and don't incon-
venience me in the least" said the ap-
partition. Fulmer tos ,ed the ruler, with
the same result as before. He was very
short-sighted and he adjusted his eye
glasses and peered across the table ut
the ghost, who stood impassively as he
had lone from the first.
81 say. Wentworth. just strike q light.
will you"
Wentworth lit the large lamp that
stood on top of the bureau. The ghost
appeared an ordinary-looking man.
dressed rs any man might be. Fulmer.
with corrugated brow, gael at him
while Smile and Wentworth felt a sort
of momentarv pride of ownership. as if
their possession Of the skeleton gave
them a kind of proprietorship in the
specter.
The amiable skeleton, which now
shone white liz the bright light. seemed to
beam in q benevolent way On its former
owner.
.'Sit down." said Fulmer. Il hate 10
talk to a-persOn-standing."
The specter sat down.
'.Now. what use is this skeleton to
you?" began the young lawyer. his pro-
fessional inst net getting the better of
his amazement.
THAT. if. you will pardon me. is no
ones business but my own. l NAV say
l want it placed where l will know where
to lind it-Or l may say that l don't
choose to have it remain here, the sub
ject of scoliing and con,umely."
.1Oh. you're wrong there" said Went
worth. I'VE both have the greatest
respect for John w. He is q guide,
philosopher and friend-as well As in
structor."
Just let me handle this case" said
Fulmer, with q backward wave of his
hand: Nov what shall l call you?"
''What you please"
well. we will say the plaintiff. Now.
plaintiff. in the first place you would
have to prove to the satisfaction of a
jury that this is your skeleton. We
deny that it is yours"
1O course we do" put in Smile.
1--WE bought tho body and John wired
it"
Il don't mean that The defense
takes the ground that this particular
skeleton is not the bones OF the plain
it'd. but the bones Of John W. Stodge..,
deceased. Now it would rest with you
to prove that this wa your skeleton.
and "a people are not in the haht of