The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-07-05
The Mystery
BY
JOSEPH BROWN COOKE
CHAPTER xV.-Continued.
Copyright, 1877, by story-Press Corporauon)


faint away twice, and yet she never
said a word nor moved a muscle
'How delightfully."- interesting" said
Miss Weston. 81 should have
dreamed from her appearance that
she had so much fortitude. What could
DR.. MacArdel have done that was so
thrilling?"
"Oh, he didn't do much" I returned.
""He just asked some questions about
the things that had beer going on, but
he did 1t in a way that was very eff
~fective. We wanted to learn who wrote
the mysterious note that I had receiv.
ed on the night of my arrival. We
found out that she did it, but it a
only by chance and not through any
thing that she told us. If she had
been a little more clever in delivering
the other | am afraid we would be
in the dark about it yet"
And so this Mrs. Bruce really wrote
them both, did she?" asked Miss Yves.
ton, with continued interest. What a
horrible creature she must be-"
81 don't believe she is exactly horri-
ble," ! said, cautiously, but she GER
tainly wrote the second note, and who,
eve wrote that n must have written
the first as we'll"
Wouldn't it be interesting If come
more would comet" cried Miss Wes-
ton, enthusiastically. Il think it
would be the greatest fun in the
world"
You might change your mind If it
really happened" | said with a smile.
""These things are well enough after
they are explained, but before that
time, they strike one rather seriously,
as / know from experience"
well I'd be willing to try it just
for once" said Miss Weston, conf
IDENTIFY. I'm simply crazy to see what
a real good mystery is like at first
hand"
AS | CHANGED to move my plate a
folded paper was disclosed and l
hastily slipped it into my lap ant
rea it surreptitiously. 1t said:
You have not kept Miss Carney and
her friends away. Do not be surprised
If the ghosts return"
"Your wish is granted. Miss Wes-
WIN, 4 hoidiu6 UP III ny
hand. Here is n of the spook notes
this very minute. 1t is under my
plate"
ooh, do let me take it," she entreat.
ed, and l passed it to her by way Of
Miss Carney, who read it thoughtfully
before handing it to her friend.
The moment Miss Watson saw the
paper a most unaccountable thing &C.
Cured. Her face blanched and she
swayed in her seat for an instant as
If in danger of falling, but regaining
her s~elf-control in another moment, she
exclaimed:
How silly / am! This ridiculous
note made me quite dizzy for a minute.
Where did you IA you found it, Mr..
Ware? Under your plate, here at the
table? Why, some n must be play
ing a joke on us ALL"
mo doubt" l returned, watching her
closely. But 1t may prove to be a very
serious joke. You see. a thing of this
kind is more startling than one would
expect. I've grown rather used to it
myself. but o seem to be quite up
set over it,"
"Oh, it's just for the moment" said
Miss Weston, with a forced laugh. 81
didn't get much sleep last night and
this thing came on me so suddenly
and Unexpectedly that 1t quite tool my
breath away"
A moment later she left the table on
some trivial pretext, and Miss Carney
called the butler, who had left us to
our coffee before this conversation be.
gan, and questioned him closely as to
the affairs of the morning. He said that
he had laid the plates himself not long
before we came down to breakfast and
that while he had not been in the room
all the time he was positive that no
knowledge.
1T looks as If you must have slip
ped 1t under your plate yourself, Mr..
Ware" said Miss Carney in a banter.
ing o that i'll betokened her true
frame of mind. There doesn't seem
to be any other explanation. And do
you really think the ghosts will come
back again? / shall not let you go away
until they are permanently suppressed.
you may be sure"
II know ! appear to be guilty" l re-
piled with a laugh, "but | assure you I
am not. You are merely having a taste
of the same mysterious phenomena
that l myself saw here last summer. /
cannot say whether the ghosts will re-
turn or not. but ] scarcely think they
will. II they do, we know where to
go 10 discourage Them
But how do you suppose the note
was placed under your plate?" asked
Miss Carney, in an anxious tone. II
don't like this sort Of thing at all! 1t
makes me dreadfully nervous"
Il haven't the slightest idea," 7 said.
frankly. But ] am sure we will find
out all about 1t before long. You know
the other notes seemed very mysteri-