The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1901-12-07
BY TOM GALLON
o
CnApTER III. (continued.J

His meditations were interrupted by
q voice close beside him; turning, some
what abruptly-for 1t was disconcerting
to discover anyone in, that quiet spot
and so unexpectedly near to him-he
saw a tall. lanky youth, with a curious,
self-satisfied smile upon his face, and
with his hands thrust under the skirts
Of u very long and very dingy New
market coat. A hat, of q sporting
shape, was stuck on the back Of his
small, round head, ard there dropped
from one corner of his mouth a cigar
cite. from which a little spiral Of smoke
went up into one eye, causing him to
wink without meaning it. He might
have been, from his appearance, any
where from seventeen to twenty, and
was evidently one of those p~ersons-the
direct product of a democratic age
who would have accosted a prince of
urchin. He shuftied a little nearer to
Gilbert Rickerby, and turned the eye
into which the smoke was drifting to-
wards the house on the opposite side of
the road.
There's things a-goin' on over there,
I give you my word" he muttered.
hcarsely. Are you en- the same lay az
me?"
Gilbert drew back from him, fro&n-
Ing a little.
what do you mean?" he asked.
"Oh, don't he upIish. I've seen you
standin' about ere this hour or more.
a-watchin' that crib. P'raps you're
lookin' for the ghost?'
"Ghast! What ghost?' asked GIL
bert, interested, in spite of himself. II
know nothing about the house; I've
only heard about the man who belonged
there, and who is dead. Has he left
his ghost behind?' He asked the ques-
ton somewhat bitterly, thinking Of his
W unhappy fate.
"Give it up. They've talked about 1t
for years. I understand-about the
ghost that's in the side of the house
they don't use. None of the servants
will so near that side, for fear of it.
They say the old bloke's wife died
there, and as been 'aunting it ever
since. P'raps the dead chap'l join 'er
uow." IT,
"Well-and what have o to do with
it?" asked Gilbert Rickerby, somewhat
resentfully. 1T suppose they can look
after their own ghost, can't they?" 4
"P'r'aps they can-and p'r'aps they
can't responded the youth. That's
where my business comes in. Let me
ask you this ERE: "W'y ave they been
talkin' SO bold about the ghost this
last day or two-w'y ave they been
tellin' everybody about 'ow it walks at
night-an' what it does-eh? I tell you
there's summink behind it-or my name
amt 'Ubbard!"
lis that your name?" asked Gilbert.
Zone Of 'em," replied the other. AN
I'm going to keep my eye IN that
'ouse-ghosts or no ghosts. I know e
bit-I do; an I'll know a bit more, be-
fore I've DONE"
Before Gilbert Rickerby could reply,
the youth in the Newmarket coat
swung on his heel and went OFF, whist-
licg. Gilbert looked after him, with
certain new thoughts beginning to tako
shape in his mind.
Perhaps the dead chap will. Join
her!' Why not? HEAVIER knows, If the
ghost of my poor. unhappy mother
hauntE the place where she wept her
unhappy life away, there should be
nothing to fear from her. Why, in Il
sense, I am a ghost myself; SO far as
the world knows, the body of me lies
under the turf; Gilbert Rickerbv is q
name, to be 500 forgotten. Yet, before
he is quite forgotten, there is a thing he
must do. Perhaps the dead chap will
joir her! Yes-the dead chap shall!
That side of the house is deserted-and
I know a way into tia way ] have not
used for years. Gilbert Rickerby is
dead; but the ghost Of him goes back
TO his fathers house tonight"
Four years before, when he had been
turned out Of the place, for the last
time, by his father, he had carried
away with him, quite unconsciously, a
very practical memento of his meetings
with his girlish sweetheart. The me-
mento was no other than the. key Of q
little gate, long disused, which opened
into a small alley at the back Of the
house. The girl had given 1t to himSin
order that he might creep In at night,
to whisper his VOWS to her. without the
chance Of discovery; and he had been
surprised at finding It in his pocket.
months afterwards, when he twas miles
away from London. But, remembering
the service 1t had rendered him, he
kept It, merely for sentimental reasons,
and to remind him-if any reminder
were necessary-of those happy, stolen
meetings. It was In his. waistcoat peck
ct now; he took 1t out and looked al At
with q smile. %a u
"As a ghost, Gilbert Rickerby, you
are a fraud he said. ...Ail the decent
ghosts Of which I hay. ever read found
II quite easy to slip through cracksSor
key-holes, or slide down chlmney-pots;
you must needs go In like q thing OF
fleah md hind Well never mind. Won