The San Francisco call., 1901-12-22

landlord informed him there were but tvs
other guests in the house, a doctor Of mid
die age, on his way to England, and be-
lated young squire of the neighborhood,
on his way to his fathers house for the
holidays: his horse had dropped a shoe
and he had preferred to wait till morning
before undertaking the ten miles still be
fore him.
At II o'clock the landlord closed up.
barred and locked the back and front
doors, and bidding Sir William pleasant
repose retired to his own quarters.
Sir William had just got into his first
sound sleep when something woke him
with start. He sat up in bed, and this
time the undeniable report Of a pistol shot
came to his ears.
He jumped out Of bed. hastily put on his
dressing gown, bade her ladyship stay
quietly where she was, and went out ints
the hallway.
His candle threw shadows on the wall
as he groped his way along the passage
At the top of the stairs he discovered the
irnkeeper, with a candle in enc hand and
an old blunderbuss in the other.
What has happened?" asked Sir VIII
liam.
God knows, sir, but the sound came
from the young sqtdres room"
The laird went quickly back for hts
small arms and they went together to the
bedchamber. whence the sound Of shots
had come.
The door was locked One push from
Sir Williams powerful shoulders and
they were in the room. The window was
open and they shaded their candles with
their hands from the night air.
The innkeeper shut the window. Then
they looked around them.
The table was overturned, chairs were
upset and the disorder Of the room
showed there had been desperate strug-
gle
In one corner nearest the bed lay a
white object. 1t was the young squire,
shot through the lungs.
Sir William tenderly lifted him up till
he rested on his knee.
run for the doctor and bring some
brandy" said the laird.
The innkeeper shufhed out Of the room
The boy. he was but nineteen, opened his
eyes, looked up at Sir Williams pale face,
SullleQ anu SdlQ NO SOOQ.
He was dead before the doctor. rub
bing his eyes, half awake. got to his
side.
The country was secured for miles The
murderer, however, was never discov-
cred. How he had gained an entry to the
inn remained always a mystery. His
egress had been, of course, by the openV
window, whence he had dropped some ten
feet to the ground.
Sir William, himself a magistrate, took
full charge of the affair and accompanied
the remains to the house OF the sorrow
ing parents. to whom he related the cir
cumstances as far as he was able.
Then the laird and his wife continued
their journey with sad faces and bowed
heads.
Her ladyship whispered once in the ear
of her spouse. "Sir William, if we ever
get home with the book, in safety go
down on your knees and thank the Al
mighty"
And Sir William, nodding his head,
promised he would.
On arriving at the hall it was with a
sigh Of relief that they discovered that
from the stately butler to the boy below
ings and welcome home.
That night her ladyship sighed and said,
Thank God. everything is all righs
here"
'spedlins was busy elsewhere" re-
piled Sir William, as he blew out the
light
Fer sixty years the Bible lay in it's
caken case undisturbed and there Vas
peace and quiet in the land
There came a time. however, when an
other laird sat in the home of his fathers
and found it too small for himself and
his family.
At first he was for building a new
house, but eventually decided that the
foundations should stay. but that there
should be an extension of wings and an
other story put on.
So the family departed to the manor
house and the Bible in its case went with
them.
The repairs commenced and the first
big brown stone was lOOsened at the east
corner.
David Rogers. the Oldest mason on the
estate, superintended the operations.
How it happened. no one can or viii
tell, but the big stone Ioosened before
any one realized it. tOttered, then fell.
crushing poor old Rogers into mass of
nothing
Accident followed accident and the men
refused to work. English masons were
sent fer and the work went slowly on.
No sooner was the extra story up than
the house began TO sink and the wings
and other improvements were given up.
To-day the Bible is back in its pie q
but the family resides abroad and The
hall is rented on a ten years lease to
strangers, who care nothing for the Sped
Inns Ghost or the i'll luck it has brought
the family.