The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-04
GHOST EXPOSER'S ADVENTURE.


me at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning on a
matter of extreme privacy.
At the appointed hour | was shown into
Mr.. Edgcombe S private room. had known
him for years-we were, in fact, old friends.
ard l was startled now by the look of wor-
ry. not to say anxiety, on his usually serene
features
You are the very man 1 want. Bell" he
cried. "Sit down; have a great deal to
say to you. There is a mystery of "A very
grave nature which / hope you may solve
for me- 1t is in connection with a house
said to be haunted"
He fixed his bright eyes on my face as
he spoke / sat perfectly silent, waiting
for him to continue
In the first place." he resumed, Il must
ask you to regard the matter as conhden-
tial."
Certainly" L answered.
You know" he went on, that 1 have
often laughed at your special hobby, but 1t
occurred to me yesterday that the expert
ences you have lived through may enable
you to give me valuable assistance in this
difficulty"
Il will do my best for you, Edgcombe," 1
replied.
He Ay back in his chair, folding his
hands. 1.-THE case is briefly as follows" he
began. 1T is connected with the family
of the Wentworths The only son, Archi
bald, the artist, has just died under most
extraordinary circumstances. He was, as
you probably know, one of the most prom
Using watercolor painters of the younger
school, and his pictures in this years
academy met with universal praise. He was
the heir to the Wentworth estates, and his
death has caused complication of claims
II .a..I, e
the family. who, when the present squire
dies, is entitled to the money. This man
has spent the greater part of his life in
Australia, is badly off, and evidently be-
longs to a rowdy set. He has been to see
me two or three times, and 1 must say
frankly that L am not taken with his APP
pearance."
Had he anything to do with the death?"
1 interrupted.
Nothing whatever, as you will quickly
perceive. wentworth has been accustomed
from time to time to go alone on sketching
tours to different parts of the country. He
has tramped about OH foot and visited odd,
out-of-t he-way hooks searching for sub
jects. He never took much money with him
and always travelled as an apparently poor
man. A month ago he started off alone on
one of these tours He had a handsome
dealers in the Strand. He was to paint GER
tain parts of the River Merran, and al
though he certainly did not need money,
he seemed glad of an object Tor a good
ramble He parted with his family in the
best of health and spirits and wrote to
them from time to time, but a week ago
they heard the news that he had died sud
denly at an inn on the Merran. There was,
of course an inquest and an AUTOPSY. Dr.
e Mss G0rdp physiciah ne W Was taie
g graphed for p''' and was present
at the post-mortem examination. He
is absolutely puzzled to account for the
death. The medical examination showed
Wentworth to be IN apparently perfect
health at the time. There was no lesion TO
ent opinion, all the organs being healthy.
Neither was there any trace of poison nor
was that Wentworth died of syncope,
which, as you know, perhaps, Is syno-
nym for an unknown cause The inn
where he died is a very lonely one, and has
the reputation of being haunted. The land
lord seems to bear bad character, al
though nothing has ever been proved
the inn gave evidence which at first
startled every one She said at the inquest
that she had earnestly warned Wentworth
not to sleep in the haunted room. She had
scarcely told the coroner so before she fell
TO the floor in an epileptic ut. When she
came to herself she was sullen and silent
and nothing could be extracted from
her. The old man, the innkeeper, ex-
planned that the girl was half-Witted, but
he did not attempt to deny that the house
had the reputation of being haunted, and
said that he had himself begged Wentworth
not to put up there Well, that is about the
whole of the story The coroners inquest
seems to deny the evidence of foul play
What l want you to do is to ascertain if
they are correct. Will you undertake the
case?''
Il will certainly do So" I replied please
let me have any further particulars and a
written document to show, in case of need
that am acting under your directions"
NAeynn he. ro.aI
afterwards took my leave. The case had
the fee res of an interesting problem, and
l hoped that should prove successful in
solving 1t. That evening l made my plans
carefully. l would go into shire early
on the following morning, assuming for
my purpose the character of an amateur
photographer. Having got all necessary
particulars from Edgcombe, 1 made
careful mental map of my operations:
the name of Harkhurst, and put up at the
inn, the Crown and Thistle Here Went
worth had spent fortnight when he first
started on his commission to make draw
ings of the River Merran. I thought it
likely that / should obtain some Informal
ton there. Circumstances must guide me
as to my further steps. but my intention
was to proceed from HaTkhurst to the
Castle Inn which was situated about six
inn where the tragedy had occurred.
II.
Towards evening on the following day
arrived at HarkhurSt. When my carriage
drew up at the Crown and Thistle, the
landlady was standing in the doorway. She
was a buXom-looking dame with a kindly
face. ] asked for bed.
Certainly. sir" she answered. She turn
ed with me into the little inn and taking
me upstairs, showed me a small room quite
clean and comfortable looking out on the
yard I said it would do capitally and she
hurried downstairs to prepare my supper
After this meal, which proved to be excel
lent, determined to visit the landlord in
the bar. found him chatty and commu-
NEGATIVE.
This is a lonesome place. he said; 1--WE
don't often have soul staying with us for
a month at a time" AS he spoke he
walked to the door, and followed him. The
shades of night were beginning to fall but
the picturesqueness of the little hamlet
could not but commend itself to me.
And yet it is lovely spot" l said AZ
should have thought tourists would have
thronged to it. 1t is at least an ideal place
for photographers"
You are right there" replied the man.
and although we don't often have ccm-
pany 10 stay in the inn now and then we
have a stray artist. It's not three weeks
back, he continued, that we had a gentle
man like you, sir. only a bit younger to
stay with US for a week or two. He
an artist and drew from morning till night
~-ah, poor fellow"
Why do you say that?" asked.
nave good cause, sir. Here wife"
continued the landlord. looking over his
shoulder at Mrs. Johnson the landlady
rod .