Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1905-11-03
day. He took what we gave him without

day. He took what we gave him without
q word of thanks, and he did not pre-
tend the least interest in either Of us or
our doings or our welfare. Yet he had
known both Of us all his life, and he was
but five or six years older. A strange
returnl Knowing now all that | know,
am certain that he was dazed and con-
founded, first at finding his uncle alive
and next at the reception he met with
He was thinking Of these things and Of
that new plan of his, yet imperfect, by
which be could wreak revenge upon his
uncle. This made him appear duller and
more stupid than was his nature.
We sat waiting for more experiences,
but none came. How, for instance, one
would have been pleased to inquire, came
an honest Devonshire man to consort
with a gang of fellows who had all
done something" and were rowing and
tramping about the country ready to do
something else Before David lost his
head he used to drink, but not with
rogues and tramps. Yet now he confess
ed without any shame to having been
their companion-a tramp and vagabond
himself, and the associate of rogues. By
what process does man descend so low
in the short space of two or three weeks
as to join such a company? l looked Gu
riously at his face; it was weather-beaten
and bronzed, but there was no further
revelation in the lowering and moody
look.
Il dare say" he once said "that you
were surprised when l came to look for
his grave?'
1T is not usual" I said, ito ask for
the graves of living men,"
Il was so certain that he was dead
he explained, "that 1 never thought to
ask. Quite certain l was; why''-here
he stopped abruptly-"I was so certain
that l was going to ask what it was he
died Of. Yes; wanted to know how he
was killed"
You said some one told you that he
was dead. Who was that?"
Il will tell you now-not that you will
believe me; but it is true He told me
himself that he was dead"
Il do not say, David, that this is i'm
possible, because men may do anything.
Permit noe to remark, however, that you
were IN America, and your uncle was in
England. That must have made 1t diff
cult for your uncle to talk with you"
That Is So" he replied. "What I
mean is, that every night-it began af-
ter I'd been in New York and got
through my money-every night, after I
went to sleep, his ghost used to come and
sit on my bed. David he said, I'm
dead A lot mere he said that you don't
want to hear. David. come home
| ha
you in peace until you do come home he
said. Every night, mind you. Not once
now and again, but every night. That's
the reason why l came home. The ghost
has left off coming now"
This Is truly wonderful"
What did he'd it for?' asked David,
angrily. He'd got my land. Well. as
for--as for-what happened, my score
wasn't paid off by that"
What did happenT
Never mind. He'd got my land still;
and l was tramp. What did he want
to get by itf'
You don't mean, David, that your
uncle deliberately haunted you every
night? No one ever heard of living
mans ghost haunting another living man.
A dead mans ghost may haunt a living
man, perhaps, though l am not prepared
to back that statement with any expert
ences of my own. Perhaps, too, a living
mans ghost may haunt dead man; that
would be only fair. Turn and turn about,
you see. But for a live uncle to haunt
live nephew-no, David, no."
He is crafty enough for anything.
l don't care who done it." said David.
lit was done. Every night it was done.
And that's why l came home again.
And since he's fetched me home on a
fools errand, he's got to keep me-"
But it wasn't his fault that the ghost
came. Man alivei he wanted his own
ghost for himself. Consider he couldn't
get on without itI'
He brought me home, and he's got
to keep me-" said David, doggedly. Then
he slowly slouched away.
He is going to the inn," said George.
"Will, there is something uncanny about
the man. Why should he have this hor-
rible haunting dream every nightY"
"Remorse for a crime which he wished
he had committed, perhaps An odd COM
bination, but possible. If he had MUIR
dered his uncle he might have been
haunted in this way. Wishes he had
murdered him, you see. Imagination
supplies the rest"
TO be continued.)