Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-10-26

WnHt 1 Salu n nlSnb a1Ore.
Then why didn't you get mp and
try to make them warmcr?"
The driver turns u look of blank
establishment on Herbert Darrent. 1t is
the first time that such a reasonable
suggestion has been offered to him, and
its novelty is a bit bewildering.
"City folks don't understand cattle"
he grumbles at last and falls to rumi-
mating why he didn't get mp and do m
thing for those 30 cows, but as he can
not arrive at any satisfactory solution
he presently breaks the silence again,
you've Just come up from Chicago,
ELI p
Yes
"Ah! What do they think of us2"
"Think of vou?"
"Yep. What do they think Of orr
murder? p he explains, with a ghoulish
appreciation of the unenviable notoriety
that Norcombe had suddenly achieved.
"Have you heard about it, sir?'
"Oh. yes | saw something in the pa
pers-Mr. Marsden, the old Britisher.
at the country place he called The
Grange"
Yep; that's right-old Marsden,
close fsted old Marsden. He was a great
miser, he was, sir. If young Marsden
comes into the property, things will be
better, but he's u wild devil"
"Son?"
"Eh2"
"Marsden's SOM"
"No; picked him up somewhere.
Perhaps he is. You never know"
"Who murdered him?'
Dunno. Like to shake hands with
him"
Indeed! You seem an amiable kind
of individual.
Bah. Good radiance to bad rubbish.
l was goin along all right till he raised
my rent so that l couldn't make both
ends meet, and it's hard times, sir,
with such IA bad winter. | mn1d me,
sir, that we never had such ( winter
since 81"
eyes, yes; you told me about that
and the cows. Now, as to this murder.
Have the police no clew?'
ono; cant have any. 1t was done
by ghosts. The Grange is haunted"
'Oh, indeed Then you'd like TO
shake hands with a ghost?"
The driver shivered and glanced half
apprehensivelv over his shoulder. Then,
sinking his voice to a mysterious key,
he continued, ''Some one went into the
house and murdered old Marsden and
never came out again, and he's not
there now, and no one but a ghost could
do that"
"Really?"
and | expect We'll have one of
them clever detectives comm down
from Chicago. but he won't find ont
anything, cause it was done by ghost,
and no detectives can catch ghosts.
Whoa
The horse is pulled up with a sudden
Jerk.
This is Norcombe. The Palace hotel,
ell, sir?'
yes"
eff you'd like to have a look at The
Grange, it's about a quarter Of a mile
up on the right"
Thanks, Ill stroll up in the morn
ing. Good night.
Good night.
Herbert Darrent climbs ont of thu
dogcart, and the driver gathers mp thu
reins, sets the horses head homeward
and the animal canters off as lively a
ever.
The man stands at the door of thu
village hotel in the ruddy light stream
ing through its short crimson curtains
until the vehicle is out of sight anC
then turns and walks thoughtful.
down the main street until he reache
a cottage dignitied by the legend "PO
lice Station inscribed in large blacl
letters ON "A white board-primitiv,
abode Of the law as represented in tn
person Of a young policeman in a yer.
badly fitting uniform who is Just quit
ting the house and smartly salutes a
he opens the gate.
''Are you Mr.. Dobson?~
ono, sir; he's inside"
"Off duty"
eyes; it's my round"
"Then | won't detain yOu. but
shall want to see you in the morning
early
Very good, sir. III be here at
sharp. Good night"
Good night"
"Smart young fellow that Barren
observes to himself as he pushes ope
the door. Thank goodness they re nc
all so old fogyish as my prosy driver!'
The door opens right into the kitche
of the cottage, where Dobson, chief {
police Of Norcombe, is lounging in h.
chair before the fire. The police care
of the day are over, and he is slnokin
an exceedingly dirty clay pipe and re'
! cling in the luxury of purely animi
idleness as only a man of absolutely Ell
feebled intellect IAN. Still, he can !
pompons AZ times, as BELTS one wi
holds and has held for n round doze
l years the important post of chief of p
, lice of Norcombe, an Office that is lit
more than a sinecure, and, removir
. his pipe from his mouth, he gazes
his visitor with an expression Of mil
} gled annoyance at being disturbed M
the Importance that BELTS his position
> "Well, . he inquiries after examinir
1 Darrapt FROM, hand To fnot ssxrbo+ie 81