The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-11-24
ST. GABELLE'S INN.

My Uncle Bayle was a man whom ev-
cry one loved and welcomed as a visitor.
His home was not as ours was, in the
little city of Mirepoix, but in a grand
chateau, with crimson roof and shutters,
profession and pressed with business, he
neve let a fortnight pass without com
ing to see our mother, and there were
many of us to greet him, for Uncle Bayle
was the eldest of 10 children, all of them,
with one or two exceptions, living with
their own or their children's children in
the neighborhood of the family home,
my sister and myself in the homestead
itself, with our infirm but pious and
courageous mother, whom, as l told you
awhile ago, Uncle Bayle came to see.
"Uncle," said Dorothy one evening,
the prettiest as well as the bravest of all
our cousins, tell us q ghost story, please.
We have heard all the Others"
lone cold autumn evening"" said he,
''some 40 years ago, l was returning
from Toulouse, where 1 had been called
on business. l was travelling fast and
had already passed Auterive, where
some friends had urged me to stay the
night, but I was in a hurry to reach
Saverdun, three leagues farther on, and
continued my route. Just in front OF the
monastery of Bolbonne, in the forest of
Secourien, one of those furious tempests
which spring up in the heart OF the
mountains without a moments warning
fell upon me. In less than no time it
was as black as midnight and the road
invisible. There was nothing for it but
to turn about and ask for shelter at
Bolbonne. In a little while my horse
stopped, and I saw that we were before
the door of an inn. l entered. The COM
pany was numerous and composed Of
merchants, Spanish students and the
sportsmen Of the neighborhood, sur
prised like myself by the storm.
"'Truly,' said one of the hunters, the
weather's devilish-a regular witches
sabbat.'
"'Pardon me-, cried a voice in a dis
tant corner, witches and COLLINS hold
sabbats on moonlight nights and not in
storms"
1--WE all turned to see who had spoken
and saw that it was a Spanish mer-
chant. None of us seemed disposed at
first to answer q remark made with such
solemn gravity. In fact, we were as ST.
lent as owls until suddenly my neighbor
on the right, a young man Of frank and
pleasing appearance, burst into a fit of
laughter.
Greatly said he, indicating the mer-
chant who had spoken last, it seems as
if the gentleman understood the habits
of COLLINS. Perhaps they've told you,'
turning to him s%cornfully, how much
they dislike to be wet and muddy!
1.-THE Spaniard gave him a terrible
look.
"sYou speak too lightly, young man.
said he, far too lightly of things you
know nothing about
".And you would have me believe that
ghosts exist?
".Perhaps,' said the other, if you are
brave enough to look and see. Here's a
purse he continued, rising and ap-
preaching the table, containing 80 gold
en- quadruples. wager them all that
LII dill uOuIS UilAC L Sdll OClOlO yOu t1AO
face of any n Of your friends, even if
he has been dead a dozen years, whom
YOU may name to me. Moreover, when
you have recognized him, he shall ap-
proach, embrace and salute you with a
kiss. Do you agree? And as he asked
the question the n of the man was
SO impressive and stern that we invol-
unfairly trembled. My neighbor only
remained unmoved.
"'And you can do all that? he cried.
Yes answered the Spaniard, and
willingly part with my so quadruples
beside, if 1 do not, provided you will lose
a similar amount if | hold to my promise
and force you to believe The offer was
at once accepted.
"To guard against trickery and decep-
ton, we decided to use a little pavilion
situated in the outer garden, perfectly
isolated and bare of everything but a
chair and a table. After assuring our
selves that there were no other issues
than a door and a window, the student
entered and, we left him to his fate, not,
however, without placing beside him all
the necessary writing materials and ex-
tinguishing the lights.
"When everything wa ready and We
had arranged ourselves in acircle around
the door, the Spaniard, who had waited
in absolute silence till all was done, be-
gan to sing in q low, sweet voice, a verse,
as near as / can remember. running
thus:
With a cracking noise the coffin bursts
In the tomb, deep, dark and profound,
And the phantom white places his foot
On the soil of the cold, damp ground.
"Then, elevating his voice, he called
to the student shut up within the pavil-
ion:
"'You have told me- said he, that you
desire to have q visit from the spirit Of
your friend, Francis Vialat, drowned
three years ago while crossing the ferry
of Pensagnoles. Now, what do you
seer
".I see nothing replied the student;
but stay. a white light begins to lift
itself yonder by the window, formless,
shifting and like a floating cloud
"After a moments silence the Span
lard begins to sing again, his voice deeper
and o1OOmier than before: