The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1909-04-15

| tiful terraces and the lovely sweep of
| hillsides where the wonderful shadows
| swayed and melted.
The bent figure of a man ralSing,
| distorted by the perspective. was Wis
| ible just beyond the high pillars of the
| gateway. He paid no attention to the
motions of the motor car, nor did he
answer hail until it was repeated.
| Then he approached the car. Birdsall
was in the roadway trying to unlock
the gate. The man, whose Japanese
features were quite distinguishable,
| bowed; he explained that the honor
| able owners were not at home; his
| insignificant self was the only keeper
I Of the grounds. He spoke sufficiently
good English with the accompaniment
of depreoatory, amiable smile. Bird
sail, in turn, told him that his own
companion was a very great gentle
man from the east who belonged to a
society of vast power which was in
vestigating spectral appearances, and
that he had come thousands of miles
to see the ghost.
| The Japanese extended both hands,
while the appeal of his smile deep
ened. TOO bad, velly," he murmured,
but not leally any g'lost, no new"
Don't you believe in the ghost?"
| asked Col. Winter.
mo, me Clistian boy, no believe
not'ings."
| "All the samee," said the colonel.
! laboriously swinging himself from
! his underground of the motor seat
| to the fiat top of the wall, thence drop
| ping to the green sward below, "allee
samee, like go in house hunt ghost"
He cracked a bank note in the palm
of the slim brown hand, smiling and
nodding as If to break the force of his
| brusque action. Meanwhile, Birdsall
had safely shut off his engine before
he placed himself beside the others
with an agility hardly to be expected
of his rotund build.
| AS for the caretaker, whether be-
! cause he perceived himself outnum-
bered, or because he was really void
of suspicion, he accepted the money
with outward gratitude and prOffered
his guidance through the garden and
the orchards. He slipped into the role
of cicerone with no atom of resist
ance; he was voluble; he was gracious;
he was artlessly delighted with his
senors. In spite of this flood of suavi-
ty, however, there seemed to be no
possibility of persuading him to admit
them to the house.
/ Assured of this, the two fell back
for a second, time for the merest eye
flash from the detective to the soldier,
who at once limped briskly up to the
/ Jap, saying: I'VE are very much
obliged to you; this is beautiful
house, beautiful gardens; but we want
to see the ghost; and if you can give
me young Mr.. Arnolds address l will
see him-or write, and we can come
back"
The gardener, with many apologies
and smiles, did not know Mr.. Arnold's
soiled card, explaining that it bore the
name of the gentleman in charge Of
the property. Birdsall, peeping over
| the Jap's shoulders, added that it was
the card of a well-known legal firm.
Then" said the colonel with de-
! liberation, I'VE will thank you again
| for your courtesy. and-what's that?"
The Jap turned; they all started at
| the barking defamation of some explo-
sion; while they gazed about them
there came another booming sound,
and they could see smoke pouring
! from the chimney and leaking through
the window joints of a room in the rear
| of the house. Like hare. not breaking
his wind by single cry, the Jap sped
toward the court. The others were
hard on his heels though the colonel
! limped and showed signs of distress
| by the time they reached the great
| iron door.
The Jap pulled out key; he turned
it and swung the door barely wide
I enough to enter, calling ON them to
stay cut; he would tell them if he
needed them.
"Augustly stay; maybe honorable
t'ieves." he cried.
But the detective had interposed a
| stalwart leg and shoulder. Instantly
the door swung OPEN he acted as if
! he had lost his wits with excitement.
You're burning up! Lord! you're
burning. Fire! Fire." he bawled.
and rushed boldly into the room.
Winter followed him, also calling
| aloud in strident voice. And it
was to be observed, being such an UNI
usual preparation for confiagration,
that he had drawn a heavy revolver
and ran with 1t in his hand. Before
he jumped out of the car he had dis
carded his thick top-coat and all his
wrappings.
An observer, also chad there been