Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1907-08-09

Srtss . ---sssaiLkrxE>-,.
Dashed Madly After Him.
state and my subsequent encounter
with jerks himself.
On my return to the house found
the following telegram which had just
arrived;
Wire received. Will not await let.
ter. Sure to arrive on time.
CARNEY"
This message was dated New York
and, apparently, had been transmitted
thence from the cable over the local
wire to Carney-Croft. It must have
been in response to my dispatch Of
the previous day and served to set
my mind at rest as to the where
abouts and purposes Of John Carney,
which had been troubling me in an In
definite way for some time past.
The only thing now left for me to do
seemed to be to remain virtually pas
sive until he arrived, keeping a sharp
watch on things, but taking no posi-
tive steps In his absence unless un.
foreseen circumstances arose to call
Tor immediate action. My chief desire
was to see Miss Carney and make
clear to her my feelings, but this
seemed to be out Of the question, as
she remained constantly with Miss
Weston and no longer came to any
meals or showed herself about the
house.
The country was fast taking on the
mantle Of white under which 1t was to
sleep for so many long weeks, and it
was with a comfortable SILVER that
entered the library, just before lunch.
con, and strobe up to the fire to warm
my hands and toast my shins and
back successfully
| found Miss Weston's physician
similarly engaged and asked him So
, licitously concerning his patient.
His face clouded and | even thought
| saw tear in the corner of his eye,
for, like all doctors with the right kind
OF stuff in them, familiarity with hui
man suffering had only warmed his
heart and softened his nature.
Il had hoped" he continued, that
young Carney's return would have a
good effect on her, but when we told
her of the message that came this
morning she only drew the sheets over
her face and broke down completely.
There is something more to this, Mr..
Ware, than the mere absence of her
sweetheart, but what it is | cannot
even imagine"
Then you know nothing of the mys.
terry Of Carney-Croft?" l asked eau.
tiously, closing the door and speaking
in lown tone.
The mystery Of Carney Croft" he
exclaimed in bewildered surprise and
then his face relaxed and he smiled
pleasantly as he said: "Oh! you mean
the ghost stories that were told about
here after Mr.. Carney died."
Well" l returned, ghosts or some
thing Of the sort were really seen
about the place. were they not?"
His smile broadened as he replied:
oh, yes, some Of the boys did rig
themselves up in sheets and play
spook for a time, until | took hand
In 1t myself and drove them out
was going to send you word about It,
but found 1t was only a lot of boyish
pranks, and that they hadn't done any
harm beyond getting into the old tun.
mel by the river, and, Of course, that
didn't amount to anything"
The old tunnel!" / exclaimed in
vell-feigned surprise. is there tun.
mel by the river%
You never heard Of It, of course
he went on, "and fancy nearly every.
one has forgotten 1t by this time.
When Mr. Carney began to build here
he located his house some 200 yards
farther down the hill toward the wa.
ter. He had plan Of running little
tunnel from the cellar to the river 20
that ashes and other refuse from the
house could be taken out that way and
not clutter up the lawns or be seen
from the windows.
lust as this work was partially
completed the old dam, some two
miles up the stream, was demolished
and new one built about q mile b.
low. This raised the water level un-
til the far end Of his tunnel was com
pletely submerged and 10 he gave up
the scheme entirely and began q new
cellar quite q distance back from The
FIRST. The partly finished tunnel and
the excavation for the original osilas
were covered ovsr ed Ia prse1eqliy