Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-06-15
CHAPTER TX.
Two Ghosts.

clcSeu the door with bang, While
MacArdel was going through his peck
cts In bewildered sort OF way that
was ludicrous to witness.
The things gonei" 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"
I observed. dryly. Doubtless wen
have no trouble in finding out what
became OF it,"
"Oh. dry upl" said MacArdel. i'm
politely. as was his wont
The door was only open about six
inches" I continued. Nobody could
have come in"
"Or gone out" said MacAreel.
Well" I 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 the chairs that we had for
merly occupied by the side OF the
table.
The cigar case was lying under the
lamp where MacArdel had frat laid
IL down
There was nothing 20 say. and so
we said nothing. At length. MacArdel
picked II Up, examined II carefully. put
Il in his pocket and muttered: Let's
get out OF hers. Ware, I want some
fresh air"
once outside the house. he coutin-
ued: That's the most remarkable oc-
currence I ever heard OF. Ghosts don't
walk by day. 50 II couldn't have bsen
spooks. but how on earth do you ex-
plain it,"
Il don't explain It." I replied. TITS
Just like the note on the bed"
oh, hang the note on the bod"
cried MacArdel This happened right
under our eyes and nosesi"
We'll. what II IL did" I persisted.
1T isn't any more mysterious, and
we've got to get TO the bottom OF the
whole business before We can lot Miss
Carney come back. No vacation for US,
my boy. We must stay here aud And
out what's going on"
We walked all around the house, In
vesugaing every nook and corner Of
its walls and shaking the cellar win
dows aud other subtorranoan openings
20 assure ourselves that they were SCI
curely fastened. Not finding anything
OF interest on the outside 70 returned
again TO the interior and beginning az
the top. inspected every square inoh
Of space until We reached tho base
ment and were ready TO descend TO
the cellar ! had discovered two can
dies. which We lighted for this explor-
alton. and I oonfess that my hand
travelled instinctiV0ly TO the revolver
In my hip pocket as we started down
the stairs.
The cellar. however. disclosed moth
ing of Importance. though we examined
# thoroughly. AS we were about to
ascend. I noticed the pile of empty
whisky bottles, and, after finding that
there were exactly two dozen of them.
had not a doubt that they were the
ones Mr.. Carney had ordered and emp
tied during his short stay AZ Garner
Croft three years before
In brief. there was nothing to indl-
cate that the house had been disturbed
IN any way since IL was closed by Miss
Carney. and We strolled slowly along
tho road to TSoskinE' for our luncheon.
completely baffied at every point
Don't you keep a Waterman here?"
asked AacArdel at length.
Il wanted TO-" I replied. Bat the
Carneys didn't think It necessary"
That night we sat on the veranda,
discussing the happenings OF the day,
while tho full moon shone coidly 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 I was beginning to yawn
openly after my long day OF excite
ment and exsrtion, when MacArdel
said Iaughingiy:
"Now's the tins to trot out your
ghosts, Ware. The cloak Just struck
12. 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, were waited
along under the trees. as II they were
part OF the air itself, and from them
came an odor. 50 faint and yet so over
powsTing In it's fetid oppressiveness
that could scarcely draw my breath.
For an instant MaeArdeI sat as one
petrifled. and tlsen, with a muttered
cry, he sprang over the rail and fol-
lowed the fieeting things into the
blackness OF the overhanging troes.
was after him n a bound. Run
ming with all our speed. We saw the
creatures. whatever they were, sail
majestieally before us as on wings Of
air until they reached the river, whore,
In the full glare Of the moonlight,
they vanished suddsniy under our very
eyes.
when I overlook MacArdeI he was
leaning heavily against q tree trunk,
gaspfag for breath.
"Weraf@ h. sasA a.. - -. -