Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-06-13
CHAPTER X.
Two Ghosts.

his hand to the table beside which We
both stood and where ! mad seen him
lay It only q moment before.
II had vanished as completely az II
the earth had swallowed It up.
Instinctively l sprang back and
closed the door with a bang. while
MacArdel was going through his peck.
cts in a bewildercd sort Of a way that
was ludicrous to witness.
1.-THE things gone!" said MacArdel,
as he finished his search. II wouldn't
have taken an even hundred for IT,"
These mysterious occurrences are
manner. when all Is said and done"
/ observed. dryly. DOUBTLESS we'll
have no trouble In finding out what
became OF It,"
"Oh, dry up" said MacArdel, i'm.
politely, as was his wont.
1.-THE door was only open about six
inches" I continued. Nobody could
have come in"
"Or gone out" said MacArdel.
well" ] went On, ITS shut now.
Suppose we have a look about"
Without any apparent reason we
searched the room high and low for
the missing cigar case, peering Into
vases and Jars. moving furniture about
and disturbing things generally until
the place looked like a curio shop In
the middle Of housekeeping.
Finally we gave up in disgust. and.
suddenly struck with the ridiculous
ness Of our own performances, sat
down In tho chairs that W. had for
merly occupied by the side OF the
table.
The cigar ease was lying under the
lamp where MacArdel had first laid
IL down.
. There was nothing to say. and 10
VIC said nothing. At length, MacArdel
picked 1t up, examined II carefully. put
It in his pocket and muttcred: Lets
get out Of here. Ware. I want some
fresh air"
Once outside the house. he contin.
ued: That's the most remarkable oc.
currence ever heard Of. Ghosts don't
walk by day, 30 It couldn't have been
Bpooks. but how on earth do you ex.
plain IT."
Il don't explain IT," I replied. ITS
Just like the note on the bed"
"Oh, hang the note on the bed!"
cried MacArdel. This happened right
under our eyes and Hoses!"
well, what II It did" I persisted.
1T isn't any more mysterious, and
we've got to get to the bottom Of the
whole business before VIC can let Miss
Carney come back. No vacation for US,
my boy. We must stay here and find
out what's going on"
We walked all around the house. In.
vestigating every nook and corner OF
It's walls and shaking the cellar win.
dOws and other subterranean openings
to assure ourselves that they were Sc
curcly fastened. Not finding anything
Of interest on the outside we returned
again to the interior and beginning at
the top. inspected every square inch
of space until we reached the base
ment and we're ready to descend to
the cellar. had discovered two can
dies, which w lighted for this explOr.
alton, and ! confess that my hand
Travelled i%nstinctively to the revolver
In my hip pocket al we started down
the stairs.
The cellar, however, disclosed moth.
ing Of importance. though we examined
II thoroughly. As we were about to
ascend. ] noticed the pile Of empty
whisky bottles. and, after finding that
there we're exactly two dozen OF them,
had not a doubt that they we're the
mes Mr.. Carney had ordered and emp.
tied during his short stay at Carney.
Croft three years before.
In brief, there was nothing to indi.
cate that the house had been disturbed
In any way since II was closed by Miss
Carney, and we str0lled slowly along
the road to Hoskins' for our luncheon,
completely bafied at every point.
Don't you keep q Waterman heref"
asked MacArdel at length.
Il wanted TO-" I replied. But the
Carneys didn't think 1t necessary"
That night we sat on the ,veranda,
discussing the happenings OF the day,
while the full noon shone coldly In
tho zenith and the river splashed fret.
fully against Its banks back OF the
trees.
The town clock In the distant vii.
Iage had Just struck the hour Of mid.
night and I wAs beginning TO yawn
openly after my long day OF excite.
ment and exertion, when MacArdel
said laughingly:
"Now's the time to trot out your
ghosts. Ware. Tho clock Just struck