The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-05-19
! The Ghostly Arm.
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5 BY MILFORD w. FORSHAY.

from? And you, Masters?"
= I'VE didn't have to come. This is
home. You are the one. to tell us where
you came from, ~ { II ~ ...
q can, say nearly the same. thing
that you have, for this city is now my
home; but it's true that 1--we come to
town very recently" f3 p.
well, have you been to lunch? No?
Come on with us, then. We want to
know what you've been doing while
out of our sight" =" = 49,: :
When the three men who had not
seen one another for ten years were
seated-at least, two had not seen the
other Jarvis and Masters looked the
new arrival over with much interest.
They had been unusually intimate as
boys and young men, but Middleton
had finally drifted away, and had been
-. entirely lost sight of. His~present re-
appearance indicated a state of health,
wealth and happiness that had scarcely
been promised by. his earlier career,
and his companions were eager to hear
his story. - - = i'....T
Yes he responded to their looks of
inquiry, this is home, for live with
my family in the suburbs
Family, Ell? Masters and | have
been married several years, but you,
"Oh, don't hesitate" Middleton.
laughed. You wonder how such a
spendthrift as | ever could afford to
marry. Am Il not right?'
Just about, may as well confess"
Let me add to your surprise by
saving that besides being here with my
family am here to live on my money
retired at So from all but gilt-edged
Investments
You take away a fellows breath!
Can't you tell us, about it? There
must be something. unusual somewhere
in it,
There is"
well, then, unless of course there's
some reason"
"Oh. no, not in the least. We used
to tell one another about everything,
and | don't know but we may as we'll
resume condolences now that we shall
meet frequently. My fortune came to
me by the most extraordinary. circum-
stance you ever heard Of A ghost Is
the source Of it, $50, g. -.
"A ghost!" his two friends exclaimed.
! "Oh, no! Mid, you can't palm off any
of the old rigmarole on us now, in our
mature wisdom" -; - -.
Honest. though. Do you want to
hear about it,"
of course. We haven't forgotten
your old yarns. We're listening"
Yes, but tell you that it isn't one
of the old yarns. However, I'll let
you hear the whole thing. and you can
form your own opinion. so here goes.
You know that. had three char
acteristics which used to stand out
rather more prominently than others
the knack of making money, the fool
ishness of getting rid of it in a hurry,
and highly wrought imagination. I,
when you referred to my prospective
statement as one of the old yarns
Undoubtedly it was these three in con-
certed action, with the last in the as
cendant, that operating by some hid
den law brought me into conjunction
with the unseen powers and put me in
the opulent state. This is how it came
about: =. PEE. =. a tEa
When you last knew of me was
at the bank. In the way of business
I had considerable to do with Mr..
Atherton, whom you of course remem
Der. For some reason or other be took
quite liking to me, and invited me to
his home. I returned his affection by
taking more than a liking to his daugh-
ter. the handsomest, sweetest"
Hold on! Story, please"
well, she's Mrs. Middleton now,
and haven't changed my opinion, so
you can fill it in to suit yourselves. "
LAS soon as l met her l went to saw
ing with the desperate hope that when
got little ahead could make for
tunate investment and be enabled to
marry. Well, when the bank went
down l was out Of good place, but
fortunately my savings were located
elsewhere, and I was not altogeth er
cut, off from expectation. Just then I
did foolish thing. Il told Mr. Atherton
how felt toward his daughter, in the
hope that he would give me chance
somewhere. 1t had the opposite effect
and whatever good opinion he enter
tanned toward me was summed up in
the declaration that he liked me well
enough as a young friend, but that if
I aspired to the hand of his daughter
| must be able to draw my check for
at least one hundred thousand.
This, let me down a good deal, but
in the process it thoroughly stirred me
up. 1 told Miss Atherton how mat
tiers stood, and that If / had her en-
couragement should go hard after
that hundred thousand. Of course,
felt pretty sure of her answer, and
when l got it started out for the
money. AS / look back to that time
I am amazed at my enthusiasm, but
I was in dead earnest then.
II came down from our small town
to this big New York City, thinking
that all kinds Of fortune awaited the
right man here. After week began
to lose confidence, and one day took
the cars to get out in the country and
think awhile. I alighted at village,