Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-19

good for anything else; but ever since Miss
Margaret's death he has been queerer thar
before. They said he had way oi
walking about the house all hours
OF the night. So it went on until Just
lately. Now 1t seems he is worse than ever
They can hear him talking to himself and
laughing in a way as would make you
creep. Folks say as the Curse of the Carnes
has fallen on him bad, and that he is as mad
as his grandfather was. The women have all
left except the old cook, who has got q
girl to stay with her. They lock
the door at night, and they have
got the men from the stable to sleep In the
house unknown to the master. One day last
week, when Mr.. Carne was out for the day,
old Hester came out and saw the parson, and
he sent for DIR. Arrowsmith, and they had a
quiet talk over it. You see it is mighty
awkward thing to meddle with. Mr.. Carne
has got no relations, so far as is known, ex-
cept Mrs. Mervyn and her daughters, who
are away living, hear, at Hastings, and
Captain Mervyn, who is God knows where.
Of course, he is the heir if the Squire does
not marry and have children, and if he
were here it would be his business to inter-
fere and have the Squire looked after. or
shut up, if needs be; but there don't seem
anyone to take the matter up now. The
doctor told Hester that he could do nothing
without being called in and see for himself
that Mr.. Carne was out OF his mind. The
parson said the only thing she could do was
to 60 to Mr.. Volkes, the magistrate, and tell
him she thought there was danger of murder
if something wasn't done. Hester has got
plenty of courage, and says that she don't
think there's any danger 10 her, cause the
Squire has known her from the time he has
known anything"
81 don't know" Mr.. Armstrong said,
''mad people are often more dangerous to
those they care for than to strangers. Still,
this is very serious. From what you have
told me the madness Of the Carnes is always
of dangerous kind. One thing is quite
evident-Captain Meryyn ought to come
back at once. There have been tragedies
enough at Carne's Hold without another"
cay, and there will be-" put In Reuben
Claphurst, "as long as Carne's Hold stands;
the curse OF the Spanish woman rests upon
it"
"What you say is right enough, Mr.. Arm
strong" Hiram Powlett agreed. "No doubt
the Miss Mervyns know where their brother
is, and could let him know; but would he
come back again? / have always said as
how we should never see Captain Mervyn
back again in these parts until the matter
of Miss Carne's death was cleared up"
Mr.. Armstrong sat looking at the fire.
"He must be got back" he said, eff what
you say is true, and Mr.. .Carne's going off
his head. He must be got back"
Hiram Powlett shook his head.
"He must come back" Mr.. Armstrong
IL A.tfr all oxk
pleasant. 1t may be that he is on his way
home now; but if not, it would hasten him.
You look surprised, and no wonder; but /
may now tell you. what I haven't thought
it necessary to mention to you before-mind
you must promise to keep it to yourself
I met Captain MervYn out at the Cape, and
made his acquaintance there. He was
passing under another name, but We got to
be friends, and he told me his story. have
written to him once or twice since, and I
will write to him and tell him that il he
hasn't already started for home it's his
duty to do SO. I suppose it was partly his
talking to me about his place that made me
come here to see you at first, and then took
to it."
The surprise of the others at finding that
Mr.. Armstrong knew Ronald was very
great. 81 wonder you didn't mention it
BEFORE" Jacob Carey said, giving voice to
the common feeling, 1--WE have talked about
him 50 often, and you never said word to
let us know that you had met him."
"No, and never should have said word
but for this. You will understand that
Captain Mervyn wouldn't want where he
was living made matter Of talk; and
though when he told me the story he did