, 1896-12-22

that door to the left. Not the right, re-
member. If Won want neer or wine, You
Will find them in the bar and can help
yourself. Candles you have here. I wish
you a quiet night" She moved toward
the door.
"But look here. Good heavens!
Where are you ~going?" cried the cap
tain.
Into the dark" she said, and the
door closed behind her.
"rtey must all be mad in this part
Of the country" said the captain to him.
self. "Well, / am in "a good inn, with
plenty to eat and drink, and if my host
ess chooses to go into the dark, as she
calls it, it is no business of mine.
Though l should like to know what she
means by that expression"
The great outer door closed with a
bang as he spoke, and he sprang to the
window Just in time to see a slender
figure cross the path Of light thrown by
his lamp across the road. Into the
dark apparently means out in the rain"
the captain said. Now, what on earth
is she doing. and why am I left alone
in this most uncanny of inns? | will
take some supper and a good draft
of beer to strengthen my nerves aud
then l will explore the place. l am be-
ginning to think that my friend of the
crossroads was not SO mad as he ap-
peared to be-
Supper over, he took a candle and
started on his exploring tour. He found
nothing unusual. The Weir inn was
well furnished and bore signs of a thirty
ing business. There was nothing ghost
ly about it-nothing but its unaccount-
able emptiness and desertion. Much
perpleXed, Captain Preston came back
to his sitting room and put some more
Goals on the fire. His riding boots were
drying upon his feet, and the process
was not comfortable.
II wonder if | could find a pair Of
slippors!' he s~oliloquized. "Pcrhaps
my fair hostess has Il husband or n
brother. l appear TO be left in charge of
the house, and / may as well make my
self at home. l will have a look into
the cupboards Of my bedroom"
This time his search was rewarded.
NhiIous HltICItS VI d I!LH ; tDtl'Ei
were slowed away in an old wardrobe,
and these included Il roo'uy pair Of slip
pers. The captain brought IA bottle Of
whisky from the bar, set IL kettle Of wa
ter on the fire and prepared 10 make
himself comfortable. Then his eye icIl
OIL the floor to the right.
81 haven't been in there" he said.
stMv hnEt.Cs SEn.p,gI mn agrr,ffgr ptlr
not to enter. That must be Blucbeard's
char e-. c6cd! All! This is promis-
ing. Let me see if l cannot open it,"
The lock was Il poor one. and the bolt
was specify icrccd back with the blade
of u penknite. The captain entered the
room and looked around. Il wasa bed
room, furnished with considerable taste
i'll dark oak. A toilet table stood near
the windOw, covered with n white dam
ask cloth trimmed with lace and bear
ing upon it various little feminine
k~nickknack5 in silver and tortoise shell.
"My lady's chamber, not Blue
beard's!' said the captain. Il have no
business here. But my lady seems to
have cut her finger" He moved a step
or two forward, and his eyes travelled
downward from the red stain on the
damask to the floor. He turned a little
pale.
Finger! Faugh! Some II must
have cut his throat at least! What a
devilish place this inn is! No wonder
she was glad to get into the dark, if
this is what is in the Light
He heard u fOotstep in the room with
out. and for u moment his heart stood
still. Then, for he was a bravo man, he
blew out the candle he carried and
peeped cautiously through the half open
door. He was greeted by u burst of
laughter. -
Come on" cried the hunchback,
who sat at the tabio ]ravenously dovour-
ing the remains Of the supper. Come
on and make our punch, The water is
boiling. How DO you like tho Weir inn?'
Glow did you get here!" asked Cap
tain Preston sterrly, advancing into the
room. Il locked the house door"
"Oh, you did! You're a careful guard
ian, but you see 1 have a pass key. I'm
the owner, man. The Weir inn is miuo
from this time forth forevermorr.' rs
the parson says. Come on and have "
drink and don't stand there looking as
if l were the devil"
II am not SO sure you are not" said
the captain, coming forward to tho tn
BILE. "What does all that blood i'll there
mean?'
The hunchback cackled with laughter.
"That's where my brother Jabez cut
Lis throat, like the fool he was, because
he wasn't the only man in the world to
admire his vife's beouty. They sat OH
him today-in the hall there-and they
found it felo dc Sc. Where your mare
SHE'D they buried him, not six hours
ago, and they say it's i'll standing III a
dead mans shoes, as you are doing
now" He grinned horribly and pointed
to Captain PfGston's feet.
Ten minutes later a tired marc was
galloping down the road and wondering
at the unreasonabieness of man. Aud
the swollen river that roared over the
weir was carrying on its stormy bosom
to the sea a heavier burden than au-
tunn leaves .-Black and White.