The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-09-30

OF the roau. lt maue the cOlu cnills
run over me, though 1 have no pa
tience with those who tell of visits or
communications With the departed.
al was determined to enlighten
myself and secured agood saddle horse
as companion of my vigils. The
second night the ghost few by and
] 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 n fence
corner l crept nearer. Sowely /
made out that the ghost was a woman
of stately proportions wearing dain-
tily ruflled night robe. She leaned for
brief time over the hollow stump
that had been her evident destination
and then turning mounted her flying
machine, which was a modern bicycle,
and went scorching back over the
course she had come. Again l fol-
lowed and did not stop until / saw
her disappear in the side door of the
Denzil house. fastening back TO the
hollow stump explored the interior"
"And found the stolen property, of
course" interru pied listener.
"Not a sign of it. could discover
nothing that did not naturally belong
there. Failing to find the thief in the
ghost, became n member of the
Denzil household, ostensibly as his
private secretary. My first discovery
was that the ghost was the beautiful
Miss Denzil. She was somnambu-
list, and in utter ignorance of the
weird night rides she had taken. But
when told of them the explanation
was an easy one. When she and her
young lover were children, that hollow
stump had been the postoflice where
their ardent missives were mailed
and called for. The memory of those
days was a delightful one to her, and
the strange mentor of her unconscious
action prompted her visits to the old
spot.
"My next important discovery ex-
planned the mystery l was employed
to solve. Watching secretly in the
Railways, 1 saw old Denzil, with eyes
wide open and set, come out of his
chamber, climb the stairs to the attic,
unlock an old desk stored there, open
secret drawer and deposit money as
well as jewels. His action showed me
that his daughters habit of moving
about at night was an inherited one.
The next morning he gave me ter
rife blowing up as careless, incom-
petent and worthless detective who
could not catch thief when in the
house with him. l was more inter-
ested in that charming daughter of
his than in my case, and scheme
flashed into my mind as if inspired.
"'Mr. Denzil, said, can you
stand the shock of knowing that your
daughter is seriously threatened with
the loss of her mind because of brood
ing over separation from the man
whom you say she shall never marry,
and that because of her mental infirm.
ity she is innocently robbing you un-
der a delusion that in no other way
can she provide for the future happi-
ness of herself, aud that young chap
she honestly thinks, poor girl, she is
going to marry
IT'S lie." he roared, "a miser-
able plot. You're discharged
81 did not take Miss Denzil into my
plans. I secretly transferred all the
stolen wealth to the old stump, had
trusted officer on guard and then told
the old gentleman that could prove
all had said and insisted on the right
to vindicate myself. He and watched
at the primitive postoffice till his
daughter came and repeated tho con-
duct I have described. Then we
brought out the concealed treasures.
Denzil was beside himself for fear he
might act too late. He sent post haste
for the young lover, made handsome
settlement, insisted on an immediate
wedding and had me as one of the
guests. Did ever matchmaker do q
slicker job than did?"-Dstroit Free
Press