The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1907-06-07

THE CHANUTE TIMES
A. H. Turner, Ed. & Prop.
CHANuTE, KANSAS.
The Mystery
Carney.Cro'ft
By
JOSEPH BROWN COOKE
Copyright. lS7. by Story Press corporahOn)
CHAPTER TX.
Two Ghosts.

both stood and where mad seen him
lay it only moment before
It had vanished as completely as if
the earth had swallowed it up.
lnstinctively | sprang back and
closed the door with bang, while
MacArdel was going through his pock-
cts in bewildered sort of a way that
was ludicrous to witness.
"The things gone!" said MacArdel.
as he finished his search. Il wouldn't
have taken an even hundred for it,
These mysterious occurrences are
usually explained in a very simple
manner when all is said and done,
observed dryly. Doubtless Well
have no trouble in finding out what
became of it."
"Oh, dry up" said MacArdel, i'm
politely, as was his wont.
The door was only open about six
inches" | continued Nobody could
have. come in
"Or gone out" said MacArdel.
Well" ] went on. its shut now.
Without any apparent reason we
searched the room high apd 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 the chairs that we had for
,nerly occupied by the side of the
table.
The cigar case was lying under the
lamp where MacArdel had first laid
it down
There was nothing TO say, and so
we said nothing. At length, MacArdel
picked it up. examined ii carefully, put
II in his pocket and muttered: Lets
get out of here, Ware, | want some
fresh air.
Once outside the house he conun-
ued: That's the most remarkable oc-
currence ever heard Of. Ghosts don't
walk by day. so it couldn't have been
spooks, but how on earth do you ex-
main it,"
q don't explain it, replied, Its
lust like the note on the bed
oh, hang the note on the bed
cried MacArdel. This happened right
under our eyes and noses!'
We'll, what If it did," | persisted.
1T isn't any more mysterious, and
we've got 10 get TO the bottom of the
whole business before we 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
yestigating every nook and corner OF
its walls and shaking the cellar win
dows and other subterranean openings
to assure ourselves that they were Sc
curely 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 were ready to descend to
the cellar ] had discovered two can
dies, which we lighted for this explor-
alton, and / confess that my hand
Travelled instinctively to the revolver
in my hip pocket as we started down
the stairs.
The cellar, however, disclosed moth
ing of Importance, though we examined
1t thoroughly. AS we were about to
ascend, | noticed the pile of empty
whisky bottles, and, after finding that
there were exactly two dozen of them,
had not doubt that they were the
ones 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 sinceit was closed by Miss
Carney, and we strolled slowly along
the road 10 Hoskins' for our luncheon, j
completely baffied at every point.
Don't you keep a Waterman here?"
asked MacArdel at length.
81 wanted to-" l replied. But the
Carneys didn't think it necessary"
That night we sat on the veranda,
discussing the happenings OF the day,
while the full moon shone coldly in
the zenith and the river splashed fret
fully against its banks back of the
trees
The town clock in the distant vii
lage had just struck the hour of mid
night and was beginning to yawn
openly after my long day of excite
ment and exertion, when MacArdel
said hughingly:
"Now's the time to trot out your
ghosts, Ware. The clock Just struck
IL, you know"
As he spoke ! grasped his arm and |
pointed to the path leading to the
river. Two filmy white figures, one |
larger than the other, we're waited |
along under the trees. as if they we're |
part Of the air Itself. and from them /
came an odor. so faint and yet so over
nowesing in its fetid orpressiveneas