The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-03-13

Calls IL, 1t Is. no Dnsluess VI mlue.
Though | should like to know what she
means by that expression.
The great outer door closed with a
bang as ne spoke, and he sprang to the
window just in time to see @ slender
figure cross the path of light thrown by
his lamp across the road. Unto the
dark apparently means out in the rain,"
the captain said. Now, what on earth
is she doing, and why am 1 left alone
in this most uncanny of inns? l will
take some supper and a good draft
Of beer to strengthen my nerves and
then l will explore the place. / 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 thriv-
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 oom and put some more
Goals on the fire. His riding boots were
drying upon his feet, and the process
was not comfortable.
81 wonder il | could find a pair OF
alippers!" he soliloquized. "Perhap.
my fair hostess has a husband or a
brother. l appear to be left in charge OF
the house, and l may as well make my
self at home. I will have a look into
The %cupboards of my bedroom"
This time his search was rewarded.
Various articles Of a mans apparel
were slowed away in an old wardrobe,
and these included a roo'ny pair Of slip
pers. The captain brought q bottle of
whisky from the bar, set a kettle Of wa.
ter on the fire and prepared to make
himself comfortable. Then his eye fell
on the floor to the right.
81 haven't been in there, ;, he said.
"My hostess warned me Significantly
not to enter. That must be Bluebeard's
chamber. Locked! ALL This is promis.
ing. Let mt sec if I cannot open it,.
The lock was q poor one, and the boil
was speedily forced back with the blade
Of a penknife. The captain entered the
room and looked around. 1t was a bed
room, furnished with considerable taste
in dark oak. A toilet table stood neal
the window, covered with a white dam
ask cloth trimmed with lace and bear.
ing upon it various little feminine
knickknacks in silver and tortoise shell.
"My lady's chamber, not Blue
beard's!' said the captain. II have M
business here. But my lady seems tt
have cut her finger" He moved a ster
or two forward, and his eyer Travelled
downward from the red stain on thu
damask to tho floor. He turned a little
pale. t.+
"Fingerl Faugh! Some one mus
have cut his throat at least! What 4
devilish place this inn is! No wonder
she was glad to get into the dark, i
this is what is in the light"
He heard a footstep in the room with
out, and for a moment his heart stood
still. Then, for he was a brave man, hi
blew out the candle he carried ant
peeped cautiously through the half oper
door. He vas greeted by a burst o.
laughter. .
Come on" cried the h~unchback
who sat at the table ravenously devour
ing tho remains Of the supper. i"Comt
on and make our punch. The water il
boiling. How do you like the Weir imp
How did you get herei" asked Cap
tain Preston sternly, advancing into The
room. II locked the house door," I.
"Oh, you did! You're a careful guard
ian, but you see l have a pass key, In
the owner, man. The Weir inn Is min'
from this time forth forevermore,' q
the parson says. Come on and have
drink and don't stand there looking a
If l were the devil"
Il am not so sure you are not" SAT-
the captain, coming forward to the ia
bic. "What does all that blood in Their
mean?' 80
The hunchback cackled with laughter
"That's where my brother Jabez Gu
his throat, like the fool he was, becaus
he wasn't the only nan in the world t.
admire his wife's beauty. They sat o.
him today-in the hall there-and the,
found it felo de Sc. Where your mar
SHE'D they buried him. not six hour
ago.. aud they say it's i'll standing in
dead mans shoes. as you are doin
now" He grinned horribly and pointe,
to Captain Preston's feet.
Ten minutes later a tired mare wa
%galloping down the road and wonderin
at the unreasonableness Of man. An
The swollen river that roared over tn
weir was carrying on its stormy bosor
to the sea a heavier burden than au
k,rp Io.voc -Pl.oI1 ond Wb;ta