Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-02-21

Anu Wudt Nll you dOs asked.
81 went and shut the door, he replied
with a manner that prevented me from
asking il he had had any difficulty in do
ing 80.
"You saw and heard nothingt'
Nothing but what have told you"
"You are sure the door was locked and
opened the wrong wayyn
II can't swear, but am sure about the
dog"
"Ah! What Of the Incompatible one.
He says he has heard strange sounds
and seen odd sights, but be doesn't mind
them. l don't think hes much Of d sens
tive
"Well, went on, sit appears to me
that you have got some very undesirable
and unlimited guests at Grey Towers"
THAT IS my impression returned
Morton: 'and now perhaps you under
stand why am bent on sticking 10 the
house.
"Quite SO. At the same time you can't
live there without any servants, and if
these disturbances, however caused, 90
on, that IS what it viii come to"
Exactly" Morton said land that is
why have come TO you for help and
counsel"
on I said, "you like to try an exper-
iment--"
"Why, Of course / do" he interrupted.
"You viii get int e hanson with me
and come TO a certain house in the Adel-
phi"
81 am with you, said Morton, and we
accol lingiy started
When / discharged the cab we found
ourselves opposite the door of a house
divided into cham ers, with the names
of the owners written Up lu tGr passage.
First floor and ground loor 3lr Pere-
CRIME, / read oIl from this llst; "that's
our man.
"Prre2rine said Morton Haven't
[ seen hl, name 10 connection with a pri-
vate inquiry Oiiea:
ayes, ! replied, "but not q private in
Iuiry of aI ordinary kind, as you viii
find out. He is an old friend Of mine
and a somewhat remarkable person.
Quite young still; has travelled a good
deal, knows many languages is very
agreeable, and takes great interest in
magic, which he studied in the East
Come, come, Darsie,' said Morton,
'your taking all the Grey Towers stories
so quietly was odd enough, but | thought
it was explained when | saw that this
Peregrine was kind Of head of a de-
tectiye Office"
$50 he is, l replied.
"But now you say he's sort of ma
gician."
$50 he is, repeated. "But instead
Of specializing about him, let us come up
and see him. think ne may be able to
help you, but ] cannot be sure
Every well, said Morton, shrrgging
his shoulders, and we assembled TO Pere-
grimes office. This was like most offices
in that it had an office chair and table,
but unlike most in having walls hung
with good pictures and little tables COW
cred with articles Of biioutry and vertu.
In the office chair, with the mouths of
various speaking tubes within his reach,
sat Peregrine himself-a slight, tallish
man Of between 30 and 40, clean shaven,
and with a curiously Oriental cast of
face. He rose and came forward to
shake hands with me, and then / intro
duced Morton, whom NE received with
pleasant, If elaborate courtesy. We
talked awhile de omnibus rebuS, and then
Morton proceeded to tell Peregrine what
il was that troubled him, making tbs
narrative as concise as possible, but not
forgetting any of the points that he had
told me. Peregrine sat listening with a
notebook in front of him, but, so far as
| could Judge, confined himself to enter
ing each variety of Notorious Appear
ances as Morton detailed it, When Nor
ton had finished his story Peregrine con-
sidered for q moment and then said:
"You have not told me how long the
house had been empty before you took
it. Do you know
eyes replied Morton; Give years"
Sand do YOU happen to know if it had
any reputation for being-well, let us say
strange before them"
81 have made all possible inquiries, y
answered Morton again, land l cannot
find that six years ago there was supposed
to be anything more odd about it than
n vague tradition of the figure of priest
being sometimes seen in the Priests
Room"
"Ahl common enough, rejoined Pere-
CRIME, in a dry, business like tone. Give
wears ago. Let me see. With this he
gave a turn to a revolving boOk-stand
that stood at his elbow, and took from
one of ITS shelves n thick manuscript vol
ume, the leaves Of which be turned over
with deliberate swiftness. Give years
ago" he continued. half TO himself, as he
looked at page after page; 1T Tits exactly.
Black Abbey burnt down, Grange Mount
rebuilt. the room at DrippIngwell Hall
stripped to the stone walls and new pam
elled the Convent Walk at St, Jude's
unturfed and graveled, and-yes, here's
another-of course that IS It.. As for the
practical Jokes, they're not worth tracing
I Might happen anywhere. Kuhleborn-
a piece Of mpertnence, but rot ILL
meant Wei, WELL All this Peregrlne
said with his face bent down toward his
manuscript book, while Morton looked
at me in much surprise raising his eye
brows as if to question whether Pere-
grine was playing the fool, or was, IN
. deed, something more than fool. sud
denly Peregrine looked up
ANY old women about the passagesF'
F he asked in a sharp tone, as a doctor
might say. ANY pans in the head.'
/ "No, said Morton, still astouished;
/ "none that l know Of
/ "No Indies i'm purple or gray, or any
other color that come 70 meet you and
I suddenly vanish, uE
ono, said Morton again; none that
. I-.,.,t,- ,f