Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1905-10-20
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they are all there"
who are your asked. "Who are
you to know all the peopleT"
A sudden flash Of lightning showed me
ragged man with a great beard. whom
l knew not by sight.
81 know you, too. / didn't see you at
first. You are Will Nethercote" His
voice was hoarse and husky "You are
the son Of the rector. l remember you
very WELL"
81 am; but the rector is dead; and who
are your"
Before l go on" he said-"before
go on" he repeated these words as if
they had some peculiar significance to
him. 81 thought would come here first
and see his grave-his grave-the place
where they laid him; and l thought
would read what they wrote over him
how he died. you know-just out Of curl
csity, and for something to remember"
Laid whomr'
81 should like to think that had seen
actually seen-his grave" he went on.
But the Night has turned dark, and
can't read the names, and haven't got a
match upon me. VIII you tell me where
they've laid himT"
"Laid whom, manf Who are you loox-
ing forT'
81 ana looking for the headstone of
Daniel Leighan. Old Dan, they used to
call him. Who died six years ago, or
thereabouts"
you mean Mr.. Leighan of Gratnor p
"The same, the samei l suppose Mary
Nethercote got Gratnor when he died.
They always said that he would leave
her all he had, Gratnor Farm and Fox
worthy and Berry Down. Oh, she'd be
rich with all those lands"
who told you that Daniel Leighan
was deadT"
II saw it," he replied, hesitating-"I
saw 1t In the papers. There was some
talk about 1t at the time, believe. A
IA coroners inquest, l was told; but
l never heard the verdict. Perhaps you
remember the verdict, Will Nethercote,
and would kindly tell me7 l am-yes-
1 am curious to hear what the verdict
of the jury was"
"You are strangely misinformed. Dan
lei Leighan is not dead"
There is only one Dan Leighan, and
he Is dead" returned the strange man.
II tell you that old Dan Leighan Is
still living. He Is paralyzed in his legs,
il you call that dead; but If you have
business with him you will find that he is
very much alive"
mot deadS. The man reeled and
caught at the pillars of the porch. mot
dead2 Do you know what you are say
ingT
mo more dead than you"
"OhP he groaned; this is a trick you
are playing. What do you play tricks
for? He Is dead and buried long since. "
Il think you must be mad, whoever
you are. tell you that Daniel Leighsn
/ Is alive, and now In his chair at home,
where you may find him tonight If you
please to look for him"
mot deadl not deadw BY the fire.
quent flashes Of the lightning 1 had now
made out that he was a very rough-look-
ing man, in very ragged and tattered
dress. looking like laboring man. "Not
dead-can 1t be? Then I've had all the
trouble for nothing-all the trouble for
nothing. Not deadT He kept on saying
this over and over again, as If the won.
der of the thing was altogether too much
for him.
What do you mean" l asked, -by
your rubbish about an inquest and a
verdictf What inquest shodld there be 7
And what DO you mean by saying that
| you saw 1t in the papers?"
mot deadr Then how should his
ghost walk If he Is not dead2 Are you
sure that Daniel Lsighan-Old Dan
Is alive this day-the same Old Dan?T'
81 suppose 1t Is the same Old Dan.
There never has been any other Old
\ Dan that l know Of
at can't be the same. 1t must be
the evil one"
THAT Is possible, and now you men,
ton It, think he may be, and very like
ly Is. But wouldn't say so openly if I
were you"
MOT deadP'
He turned and walked slowly away.
l heard him stepping over the stile. and
then the sound Of his footsteps ceased.
as IL he was walking over the village
green, which, In fact, was the case.
The voices of the choir ceased: the
candles were extingulshed; and the sing
ers came out We two men walked home
with Mary. told them on the way my
little adventure with the strange man
peering about among the tombs.
"Who could 1t be?" asked Mary.
Il thought ] knew his footStep. but
l did not know his voice. cannot tell
who it was. he knew your voice, Mary
and yours, George; and Harry, the black
smith's-Good heavensP'-for here my
memory Of the man came back suddenly
with one of the lightning hashss-'good
hsavensl how did come not to recognise
him at oncef Mary, 1t wasAhow could
l have forgotteni Why, the thing may
change your whole future"
VIII, what do you meanr
Your whole future. Mary. Your uncle
refuses his consent because he thinks
that David Is dead; well, then, David is
! aiivel Dor the man who pRowled among