The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-13

preciate Mr.. Homer's artistic purpose in
enveloping his sketch in that dreamy,
mysterious. Indian-summer haze. Is there
not something ghostIy in that wreath of
mist stealing along the middle distance.
behind the big butternut tree?
l should have mentioned another reason
for the local suspicious OF Mr.. Coryin. We
have seen that Matthew was a wealthy
man. his money was invested chiefly in
real estate and railroads. But it became
known that, shortly before his disappear
ance. he had been calling in these invest
ments and turning them into hard cash.
with the design of putting the money in
certain Western enterprises that paid
higher interest. He must, then, have had
d great many thousand dollars actually In
his hands; for there was no trace Of his
having deposited any of IL IN the local
banks. What had become Of IL? Like him
self II had dissolved. every dollar Of it, in
TO thin air IL was gone. but, on the other
hand, Mr. CorVin soon after began TO show
symptoms OF decided solvency His luck
took a turn; he was looking up in the
world at last. Instead of FORGETTING his
estate TO the Billops. he presently found
himself ia a position to add some Of the
BiiIops acres to his own. Nancy, being
so unexpectedly reduced I'm circumstances
and having 70 more head for business
than a hen. was thankful 10 exchange par
cells OF her land for a little cash. The
peghbors shook their heads, but what
could they do or say even above their
hreathsf Corvin was n lawyer, and'a hard
one he would have been down on any one
of them 70 whom he could trace an insin-
uation against his perfect integrity. They
might think what they liked; but he was
much more apt TO put them in jail for libel
than they were 10 get him hanged for
murder They had not even corpus de-
lictl
Z a4aasse 70 FsTna hDf
Corvin meant hit BY bit TO possess him
SELF OF tho entire Blilop estate. house and
all. and turn poor Nancy out 10 SHIFT for
herself For u was remembered that at
the time Nancy had been hetrothed 10
Brent. Corvin bad himself been paying at
tentlons 10 her. and that he had taken the
rebuff very III OF course, his marriage
with M!ser Billop's sister would have
been the making OF HIM. lie had married
another girl Immediately afterward. but
he was OF temper 20 cherish Erudgcs,
and. now that he had his chance, he
meant 20 satisfy g.
Thus do the guilty triumph in this
world. and there IS no help for IT, In
this case. though. one hone was stiu In
duiEed by a few of the moro innocent and
crtdulous Of the community. IL was re-
called that. during the lifetime OF Mat
thew. the Billop house was believed 20
be haunted Matthews spirit. instead Of
adding 20 the supernatural crew, how
ever had apparently taken the existent
ghosts away from IL. AT all events tho
manifestations had come 70 a stop with
his disappearance. But e was plausibly
argued that house which had once been
haunted IS likely TO De haunted again:
/ Indulgence In spirits cliuCs Ia house just
as II docs ~ man Now tsrEued these
phl.souhersl although Matthews imma-
tcrial past might very Wei forhear 20 dis
turh tho peace ~ his good sister who had
never dome anybody amy harm. but who
was mortallv afraid o. dlsembodlcd intel
/ Iecuccs. sea thc saturnIae old miscr fore
seeing the future. might he only hiding
bits time. and saving up his energies TO
harry the man VINO had shed his blood
! SO soon as the latter should venture 10 set
/ foot in his ancient doml-.lc Yes. he
would haunt Lawyer CorVi0 as never law
/ Yer had heen haunted before. and q wouid
go hard but tho whole secret az the muir
dsv-is murder there had beeu-woaId be
revealed. the lost money recovered and
Nancy reIrstated anre nore ia her own.
Certainty that wug}3 be poetrsl Justice.
aud things Bs strange are saIH On have
! happened. We shall see what ala happen.
shortly.