Barton County democrat., 1907-07-12
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CARWWROFT
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pcI lIlcnue away. DO nOl DC surprised
If the ghosts return"
Your wish is granted, Miss Wes-
ton," | exclaimed, holding it up in my
hand. Here is one of the spook notes
this very minute. It is under my
plate"
"Oh, do let me take it," she entreat-
ed, and passed it to her by way Of
Miss Carney, who read it thoughtfully
before handing it to her friend
The moment Miss Watson saw the
paper a most unaccountable thing oc.
CURED. Her face blanched and she
swayed in her seat for an instant as
If in danger Of falling, but regaining
her self-control in another moment, she
exclaimed:
How silly ! am! This ridiculous
note made me quite dizzy for minute.
Where did you say you found it, Mr..
Ware? Under your plate, here at the
table? Why, some one must be play
ing joke on US ALL"
mo doubt" returned, watching her
closely. But 1t may prove to be a very
serious joke. You see, thing of this
kind is more startling than one would
expect. I've grown rather used to it
myself, but you seem to be quite up
Set over it."
"Oh, it's just for the moment" said
Miss Weston, with forced laugh. 81
didn't get much sleep last night and
this thing came on me so suddenly
and Unexpectedly that it quite took my
breath away"
A moment later she left the table on
some trivial pretext, and Miss Carney
called the butler, who had left us to
our coffee before this conversation be-
gan, and questioned him closely as to
the affairs Of the morning. He said that
he had laid the plates himself not long
before we came down to breakfast and
that while he had net been in the room
all the time he was positive that no
one could have entered without his
knowledge.
1T looks as If you must have slip
ped it under your plate yourself, Mr..
Ware, said Miss Carney in a banter
ing tone that i'll betokened her. true
frame of mind. There doesn't seem
to be any other explanation. And do
you really think the ghosts will come
back again? shall not let you go away
until they are permanently suppressed.
you may be sure"
Il know l appear to be guilty" re-
piled with laugh, but | assure you I
am not. You are merely having a taste
OF the same mysterious phenomena
that | myself saw here last summer. |
cannot say whether the ghosts will re.
turn or not but | scarcely think they
will. If they do, we know where to
go to discourage them"
But how do you suppose the note
was placed under your plate?" asked
Miss Carney, in an anxious tone. 81
don't like this sort of thing at all! 1t
makes me dreadfully nervous"
81 haven't the slightest idea" said,
frankly, But | am sure we will find
out all about it before long. You know
the other notes seemed very mysteri.
Gus at first, but We soon explained
them without the slightest difficulty" :"
As said these words | thanked nv
lucky stars that l had taken the pre-.
caution to keep Miss Carney in ig.
norance concerning the cigar case and
the odor of the rags that we found II
jerks possession. For my part, the
mystery Of Carney-Croft seemed to be
growing deeper and deeper, and yet
felt 1t my duty to my hostess to make
as light of the matter as possible, es-
pecially in the presence of her other
guests.
After breakfast Miss Carney and !
walked down toward the river to
gether and passed the spot where Mac.
Ardel had questioned jerks and the
widow.
This is where you saw the ghosts,
isn't it, asked Miss Carney, with q
little nervous shudder.
Yes" / replied, "and we could have
captured them, too, if we had not been
so sure that we already had bigger
game in our hands"
Il do hope they won't come back
again" she said with shiver. I'm al.
most as much upset over it as Annie
was. But she is not at all well, Mr..
Ware. Do you know, really think she
is growing weaker and weaker every
day Her spirits keep her up and all
that, but she certainly hasn't the
strength she used to have"
Il suppose that is why the note af-
fected her so,' l returned. You re-
member, she was actually calling for
some ghostly manifestation only a mo-
ment before, and yet you must have
noticed how completely she lost her
head when | found the paper"
But not until she had read it." said
Miss Carney. "She didn't seem to
mind it at all until then, you know"
1T almost seemed to me that she
recognized the writing" / said guard
edly. Did you ever see it before?"
/ handed Miss Carney the note.
which was in the flowing hand of the
Widow Bruce as MacArdel and had