Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-11-28
The STORY Teller.
ROBBED HIMSELF.

"It's not more than year ago" !"
said the veteran detective, when asked
for story, "that I had the strangest
experience of my career. That's say.
ing something, for, while I'm not one
of these men in novels who can put
on half dozen disguises in an even
ing or look at little heap of cigar
ashes and identify the man who
smoked the cigar, I've seen a great
deal that's way out Of the common.
San old gentleman named Denzil
called at my Office one afternoon to
employ my professional services. 1
knew him by reputation as a stern,
grasping, money-making man, who
loved nothing but his possessions and
his beautiful daughter. On her he
had lavished wealth, but had sad
dened her life by preventing her mar
riage to a manly young chap who was
a fitting match for her in appearance,
attainments and disposition. He was
fast making a record in the world OF
business, but it was rich old bachelor
who had passed the years of romance
and endowment that Denzil had elected
to have as a son-in-law. Even under
the threat of disinheritance the girl
would not yield to this mercenary
arrangement, the result being a
strained state of neutrality which
left both aspirants for her hand with
out any apparent hope of getting it.
"My caller went direct to business.
I'm a constant and heavy loser be.
cause of the theft of money and
Jewels from my own house, he told
me. Things that are of. the most
value constantly and mysteriously
disappear. Now don't start off with
the usual questions about the servants,
have taken pains to test their hon.
esty for years and they are above
suspicion. I am completely in the
dark, without any theories to embar-
rass you or any explanations to help.
You have the whole job without a
ray of light thrown upon it, and if
YOU find the thief there will be no
haggling over the fee. 1t will be
worth much to me TO get this worry
off my mind. Burglars that make no
noise or marks and leave ones house
shut up as tight as a drum tend to
shatter mans nerve
81 went at once into the country
and neighborhood where Denzil lived,
pretending to look for bit of land
where could build within easy reach
of the city. put up at little road
side tavern, much frequented in the
evening by farm hands. 1 was soon
interested in their gossip about ghost
which they declared had been seen at
different times and by different people.
Their awed tones and scared faces
fitted the subject, and there seemed to
be some substantial foundation for the
uncanny story. One husky young
fellow who did not look as though he
would be easily frightened told of his
encounter:
"I war a gittin' home kinder late
of Sunday night, an jist as 1 kim
to tn woods ayond ole Denzil's
mighty near had a cerlission with tn
ghos'. It warn't no white COW er
gray boss er sheep er nothin' else as
war flesh an blood. 1t whizzed by
me list like it war flyin' low an orful
swif' on a broomstick. A feller's got
to believe his own eyes, hasn't he? l
war never soberer in my life an never
so skeered. l bet my footprints war
20 feet apart tn res of the way home,
fur I had idee that thar pesky thing
war sailin' long jist ahind my coat:
tails
81 heard like experiences from sew
eral others, and in some way connect
ed the ghost with the Denzll robber-
| les. For two nights stood dreary
watch in the woods referred to with
out making any discovery. The third
night I received a shock. 1t was in
tensely dark in the shadows of the
trees, and as sat at the root of big
oak some white object glided swiftly
and noiselessly just above the center
of the road. 1t made the cold chills
run over me, though I have no pa
thence with those who tell of visits or
communications with the departed.
II was determined to enlighten my
self and secured a good saddle horse
as companion of my vigils. The Sec
ond night the ghost flew by and l
galloped in its wake at all the speed
my horse could command. A mile
ahead the 'apparition' swerved to the
right of the road and ended our mad
race. Tying my horse in fence cor
ner I crept nearer. Slowly I made
out that the ghost was a woman of
stately proportions wearing nothing
but daintily ruffied night robe. She
leaned for brief time over the hollow
stump that had been her evident desti-
nation and then turning mounted her
flying machine, which was modern
bicycle, and went scorching back over
the course she had come. Again l
followed and did not stop until l saw
her disappear in the side door of the
Denzil house. Fastening back to the
hollow stump I explored the interior.
"'And found the stolen property,
of course interrupted listener.
"Not q sign of it.. / could discover