The Washington critic., 1886-02-13

Dcttcf 10 1OllOW Ine SnOSt lluO 10 re-
main in that room.
"The footsteps seemed to be on the
flight above, and were running now.
At the top of the last flight we came to
a stand still. There was nothing therel
There was one room at the head of
the stairs and the candies ray showed
q big bare place, not possible for any
thing TO be hidden there. The inspec-
Tor looked at me with blank face. lie
was surprised. lie did moi believe in
ghosts, but he had heard those foot
steps, followed them, and where did
they go? II was certainly something
lire that made the noise and ii could
not have vanished into thin air In
vain he sounded the walls and floor,
looking for secret door; nothing
could be found.
at was ineXplicablcl
What next p | asked.
He was about TO reply when we
heard the footsteps rctreatng down
the stairs. We both made rush for
the staircase and down the steps four
at time. AS we turned around one
landing, we saw on the stairs below n
dim white figure. The inspector fired
at it, but seemingly TO no effect. On
we rushed and seemed to gain on the
ghost. AT the bottom OF the stairs IL
ran down the hall TO room just be.
yond ours and dartcd In, slamming the
door in our faces.
with muttered curse the inspector
threw himself against the door till it
quivered. In few moments we had
kicked the door down and entered.
This room was a counterpart of the
one up stairs--no windows and no fur
niturc
"We have the ghost now said the
inspector lie is around here some.
where, I'll warrant.
1--WE both set to work examining the
floor for trap door. At last discov.
ereda spot that seemed to be hollow
underneath. Holding the candle down
we discovered the outlines of trap
door Gordon went into the next room
and got the hatcbet with which the
officer had cut up the kindling wood
to make our fire. With few blows
he demolished the trap. A ladder led
down into the dark beneath. Holding
the candle in one hand and his pistol
in the other he descended | following
with the hatchet. At the foot of the
ladder we found ourselves in u damp,
dark hole, kind of stone cell.
"a low archway in one corner in.
dicated passage to another room.
STOPPING over we followed this pas
sage for twenty yards. 1t was of stone
and seemed that it might once have
been sewer. At the end of it we
found ourselves in q room; plank
H4n, ,<1a To-,
bed, another charcoal furnace, with
the remains of a supper on the hearth. In
the centre of the room was large book
case full of rare books and on table
were strewp papers and manuscript.
The fun niture in the room was of a
good quality, indicating that the owner
was not poverty stricken. The bureau
drawers were opened and their con.
tents strewn about, showing hasty
flight of some one.
"Well, said the inspector, the
ghost theory is exploded; now for the
ghost There was another passage
leading off from the room, seemingly
continuation of the entrance. We
| followed this for about one hundred
yards and came out under big wharf
on the bank of the Thames river. Our
ghost had escaped. We retraced our
steps and came out of the gloomy
building. The next day / had two
columns in the Pm MaU Gazette about
the mysterious affair, much to the dis
gust Of the other morning papers.
"The police made q thorough search
of the premises, but found no papers
indicating who the ghost was, and to
this day do not know any more about
this than do you gentlemen listening to
me-"
Such was Caziac's story. At the
conclusion Of It Roots rose up and said:
Gentlemen, l have the sequel to that
story"
His declaration caused sensation.
This was quite coincidence.
Il got 1t from an old man who died
in the New York hospital" continued
Roots.
Lets have it," we all cried.
"All right; here goes"