The Washington weekly post., 1899-12-19


brusquely 20 the girl than / would have
otherwise done Besides. she lrritstsd
me- she seemed so absolutely terrified
With fear. She was calculated 10 infect
the rest OF them. though they seemed
TAD enough - Il vas I went of TO dresc
IN no very good humor.
Ar Bragis want OF common sense ever
this AFFAIR amazed me Usually he was a
eoOl-headed ard logical man. as was con-
eiSsiYe'y proved by the position TO which
NJ mad attained Yet apparently ne was
/ a. nervous and distraught nov as any
oi the women. The ghost seemed to have
oeen 700 much for him: TO nave knocked
'hc grit out OF him. so TO speak. He was
no more mt Than baby 10 deal with the
situation. u put down his short-coming at
thls juncture in no small degree 10 his
lack OF education
Ihen there was the constant chatter OF
MS vile, OF whom this element of the
supernatural had taken firm hold She
never ceased talking about II, and I sup
pose the strongest mind is in the end in
hu.hced by reiteration. II seemed as II
Hr. brags were becoming unhinged
was glad that / had returned so op-
portunely At least IL ! could throw no
/ heht on the subject l could 90 to work
WIN cool head and an unprejudced
mind to clear it up.
hfs. Brag continued to talk of little
else but the ghost. whose appearance she
/ seemed 10 think was quite in keeping with
the season. Ii was astounding the num-
| Der OF legends she seemed TO have accu-
iholated. Headless phantoms. churchyard
! appdruons, ghosts in armour with clank-
ing chains and ''presences," who she said
could not be seen but only felt In the
most hor nc way-Upon all these she
descanted an the most appalling manner.
Helen shuddered, Mr.. Brag shook his head
portentously. and / must confess that
! even / felt uncomfortable The old lady
seemed so 10 environ us with the at
Tnosphere Of the Supernatural that when
a coal dropped from the fire We all Jump
| ed, and she shrieked. 1t was really
most terrible state Of things. especially
for Christmas.
asked her about Jane Riordan NV
/ question fortunately turned the subject
Tor II seemed that Mrs. Brag had good
deal TO say about this young woman.
All she said, hers is a sad history. nv
dear. Her father and mother were feller-
servsnts If mine when | was cook here.
The name wasn't Riordan, for that
James married name. Craik's what we
| called 'em-'Enry and Liza Craik, butler
and housekeeper"
Helen looked up with interest. "Henry
Cralk! she said, why, that was the man
who stole my mothers jewelsp'
The same, my dear Oh. he was a bad
one, he was; yet you'd think butter
wouldn't melt in is mouth to look al i'm.
| Liza was always sayin' as e d die in
gaol and disgrace 'er, and e did"
Were the jewels recoverd, Mrs. Bragg,
NO, Godfrey. they weren't. Ny lady
missed 'em one morning after a ball ere,
when the 'ouse was full of guests The
whole box was stolen-five or six thousand
pounds worth, no less; and she only saved
what she wore at the ball. All kinds OF
people were suspected Of 'ayin gone 10
'er room and taken 'em. but no one
thought as Craik had done it,
Il heard something of the story my
self observed Mr.. Brag He was caught
! selling a bracelet, wasn't hep
Yes, j., he was. He got leave to visit
a dying friend in London, the CID fox:
and the friend was a pawnbroker. and q
| told the police, seem as e recognized the
bracelet from the and bills put about
Craik was arrested and sent 10 eaol for
| years. He died there and they never got
anything out of i'm. Where he hid the
/ jewels no one knows, and no one ever
will. my dears: for twenty years ave gone
by since they were stolen"
And how does Jane Riordan come to he
hereg' l asked.
Her mother died the other day and sent
her to me, my dear. Liza and | We're
born in the village and lived here for
years as ,ousekeeper and cook. I can't
say as liked 'er over much, she was sly
and deceitful; but l don't think she had
anything TO do with Craik's stealing the
Jewels. He was bad enough 10 do that by
himself When he died in gaol Liza wrote
10 me- ana sent her money TO bring up
Jane. Then Jane married a bad husband
who left 'er, and when Liza died she came
ere and asked HE to 'elp 'er for er moth
eT's sake. So | made 'er under 'ousemafd
l think she's a fool. GeOffrey, but honest
enough
she appeared to be nervous however" "
And no wonder, with this 'orrid ghost /"
cried Mrs. Brag, looking round. Il tell
you what, j., if you don't get the parson
TO exercise that thing. I'll leave the 'ouse.
that l VIII"
STEADY old lady, we must see what
GeOffrey can do first. He's watching in
the Long Gallery tonight"
"oh, Geoffrey, the ghost'n ave you for
sure"
THE ghost will have a dose of lead
Mrs. Brag. If you hear shot, don't be
alarmed"
But you can't shoot ghosts, Godfrey.
they're shadows, my dear. You can see
through EN-
Il daresa9. I never saw one myself
But this ghost is pretty substantial. I'll
be bound. But tell NE, Mrs Brag. was
anything every found out about the lew
els?"
Nor said Helen. before the old lady
could answer. Il remember my father
searched everywhere for them and Of
fered big reward. He saw Craik. too.
but he refused 10 say what he had done
with them, and Mrs. Craik protested she
knew nothing about it. They have been
lost for years now"
HIM! l wonder If Jane Riordan knows
anything about them
THAT she don't" said Mrs. Rrag with
energy. Liza was an honest woman 7
know; and the gal seems straight enough
II they'd 'ad the jewels they wouldn't
ave lived in poverty So
Still. Craik might have told his wife
where he concealed them"
mo. Godfrey. dear. She'd ave come
TO my lady or Sir Ralph about them. and
got paid for bringing EN- back. IL she
knew anything she'd ave told for 'er own
sake; for she was as poor as poor. Jane
told me the most 'arrowing tales of ard
ship
IN question Jane myself" said I, after
some thought. III these jewels could b-
recovered they would suit Helen very
we'll"
Helen laughed and Mrs. Brag beamed.
If it's jewels she wants will give 'er
eaps. Won't i, J.?'
She's only TO ask and 10 ave" said Mr.
Bras ''but ] wish ! saw you more rosy
and ealthy. my dear"
I'm afraid this ghost is upsetting nv
nerves terribly" said Helen: do what |
will l can't help thinking about it
'Oh, j., can't We ave some oily water
and get il away?" implored Mrs Brag.