Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-11

to the live Goals of the altar Don't you see
''Yes" faltered Mr.. Pratt who did not see
at an ''But-but now, if you're quite ready, per-
haps we'd better be thinking OF going.
''Goingi" repeated the old gentleman, whose
face grew more satisfied the room waxed darker,
and the rushing stream outside seemed to make
a louder and sadder moan. But | am not going
at ALL" ~
''Whatl" shouted the real estate agent "Why'
there's no one in the house"
That's exactly what pleases me-" said the old
gentleman.
Nor stick of furniture
'oTheres where YOU are mistaken, my friend,
smiled the old gentleman. "Ive seen chair with
out back and pair of andirons in the chimney
place There's plenty OF decayed tree pougns out.
side. and I've got the daily paper and a oox OF
matches in my pocket, besides packet or sand
wiches and flask of double-extra sherry III
kindle fire, and sleep on my travelling shawl In
front of the blaze, just exactly as II were camping
out-ha! ha! ha! And tomorrow I'll go to the
village and buy some furniture, and engage car
penter and gardener. And in the mean time my
good friend, you can go home and draw up nve
years lease of Desperation Hall to Gervaise Drake
five hundred year, think you said was the
price-for it suits me-exactly."
suits you, eh?" said Mr. Pratt
II don't know how my family will like it, said
Mr.. Drake. "They don't want me to move; they
are partial to the city They don't care for the
Mysterious, and they have foolish dislike OF
Ghosts
"Most folks have" observed the agent.
"But if they don't like it. they must lump 1t,
said Mr. Gervaise Drake, joyfuly rubbing his
hands. "I soiH be master in my own house But
perhaps it may be as well to have the place
patched I'D little before they see It.
You'd better come back to the hotel for the
night" said Mr.. Pratt.
Not l." said Mr.. Drake. "Good-evening, my
worthy friend. Be sure you call for me early In
the morning"
The real estate agent drove away, carrying in
his minds eye last picture of Mr.. Drake stand
ing cheerfuy in the doorway under semicircu-
lar fan-light of bottle-green glass He went home,
his face one prodigious smile
1--WE let Desperation Hail. Eben,' he said to
his clerk, as he jumped out at his own door. "Sit
down and make out five years lease at once, at
five hundred dollars year. to Gervaise Drake
Eben Joyce whistled long low whistle well,
WELL" said he, wonders will never cease"
In the mean while Mr.. Drake, left alone with
the Antique and the Mysterious, and all the rest
Of the capital-lettered adjectves which were dear
to the soul of his Muse, set himself to work In
the dusk gathering dry sticks and lighting hre
in the great room, where the dark wooden vain
scoting was in sort of perspration of damp, and
persistent rat gnawed behind the carved door
lintels; and when the fire bazed merrily up its
myriad sparks fleeing in a fantastic procession up
the chimney, casting lurid reflections the shad-
owy angles and the grim satyrs faces in the cor
ner of the ceiling he chuckled aloud in the full
ness of his satisfaction.
Never did tongue sandwiches and dry Amontil-
lado taste good did Mr. brakes lunch that
night he ate it sitting on the floor in front of
the blaze
"Pve thought of the framework of half dozen
thrilling sketches since the fire began to blaze"
said he; "and know could write capital poem
if only had remembered to put my memorandum
book and my fountanpen in my pocket. But it
will come back to met will come back to me- No
man can lack Inspiration in place like this.
sha'nt sleep tonight: l shall sit up and think"
But the glow of the reddening embers
more potent than any opiate The perpetual moan
of the stream outside and the melancholy sigh
of the hemlock boughs served lullaby, and
Mr.. Drake fast drifting off into dreamland, in
spite of his resolutions, when something like the
creaknp of a floor hoard raised him to sudden