Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1907-08-16

received MIN In lts SOFT embrace and
covered him over like shroud.
Some hours later, when the house
was quiet for the night and MacArdel
had retired to his room, called Bobbs
into the dimly lighted library and said:
Its late, / know, Bobbs, aud we
are all worn out In mind and body, but
/ want you to tell me the rest Of this
story before you CO."
There's little to tell now, SIR" said
Bobbs, bravely keeping back his tears.
I'VE lived either in my mothers house
or in the old cellar with the tunnel
that leads to the river. Mrs. Bruce is
my mother, sir, and my name is Rob-
ert Bruce, but In the Old country they
used to call me "Bobs, sir, after Lord
Roberts, you know.
Mother helped take care Of Mr..
Carney, sir, and washed his things and
the bandages he used, and when ve
had to 90 to the cellar to stay as we
did when you came, fearin' as you
might see US at the house, Mr.. jerks
would get the things for her when
we'd leave m In the path. We always
had enough to eat stored away for
such times and we could get water
from the river, but sometimes we had
to send things to mother and 30 Mr..
jerks would take them. He didn't
know we were here at all, sir, but he
wants to marry mother, you know, and
80 he'd do whatever she told him,
without asking any questions.
WAS it jerks who told you when
cabled to Europe?" l asked. you
must have known of 1t very soon to
have answered 1t so promptly"
Yes, sir" replied Bobbs. you see,
Sir, he's at the station every day, and
q message to England made such a
sensation that they we're all talking OF
It, sir. When / told Mr.. Carney about
1t, sir, he said / should answer II as
did, so wrote at once to my cousin
In New York, who'd been attending to
the letters for US, sir, when they were
sent on from London"
How did you make the ghosts ap.
pear so well, Bobbs?" | asked. They
seemed to fairly float in the air."
oh, that was this way, sir" said
Bobbs. When Mr.. Carney got so that
he couldn't walk, on account Of his
feet being so bad, sir, he got some of
those cycle skates with the big rubber
wheels and we used to exercise with
'em at night, on the paths, sir. They'd
90 right over the leaves and grass,
too, If it was pretty sharp down hill
We always went to the river, sir, when
we were trying to get away, so that
we could dive into the mouth Of the
old tunnel, If need be. We never had
TO do 1t but once. That was the time
you and the other gentleman first saw
US, sir. Most generally the folks would
be so frightened that they would run,
and then we could drop behind bush
and take of the sheets, like we did
the night you had mother and Mr..
jerks down by the path, sir"
But about the notes and the cigar
case, Bobbs? How did you manage
that?" | asked.
Bobbs tearfully produced a small
monkey, not much larger than a kit.
ten, from one Of his pockets and,
stroking the little animal affectionate-
ly, he said with emotion; ,s
1T was Chico, cir. Mr.. Carney
brought him for a pet and he is almost
human, sir, and will do anything you
tell him. He's so sly, sir, that he can
pick your pocket in broad daylight, sir,
and you'll never find him out. | don't
know about the cigar case, sir, but the
day after you came last summer he
got away and must have been in the
library where you and the other gen.
ueman were looking for something.
After you'd gone to the village, sir,
found him under one of the big
chairs, clinging to the bottom, and
scared half out Of his wits as he al.
ways is after he's been playing pranks.
You see," he explained, 81 had a key
to the kitchen door and could get in
and out as ! pleased until you had the
new locks put on"
"Bobbs,' | said, raising from my
seat, 81 want to ask you one more
question before you go. Do you re-
member the first note that you sent
me? The one Chico brought when he
climbed up the ivy into my window
last summer
| Yes, sir" said Bobbs, briefly.
! well, how did you happen to say
what you did in that note?" | asked.
Mr.. Carney told me to say it, Of
course, sir" replied Bobbs.
DO you know why he did SOL"
continued.
Yes, sir" said Bobbs. 81 was in
the house watching you the day you
came, sir, and when you picked up
that glove Of Miss Carney's and kissed
II, sir, | told him Of 1t. Then he said
should write the note as l did, sir, and
that you'd make a good husband for
her and he hoped you would marry
her, sir"
That will do, Bobbs," | said. Good