The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-07-17
"or gone out" said MacArdel.

WELL" went on, "it's shut now
Suppose we have look about"
Without any apparent reason va
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 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 first laid
1t down.
There was nothing to say, and so
we said nothing. At length, MacArdel
picked it up, examined it carefully, put
1t in his pocket and muttered: Let's
get out Of here. Ware, l want some
fresh air."
Once outside the house, he contin.
ued: That's the most remarkable oc-
currence l ever heard of. Ghosts don't
walk by day, so it couldn't have been
spooks. hut how on earth do you ex-
plain it?"
Il don't explain it," replied. Its
Just like the note on the bed"
oh, hang the note on the bed!"
cried MacArdel This happened right
under our eyes and noses!"
We'll. what if it 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 let Miss
Carney come back No vacation for us,
my boy. We must stay here and find
out what's going on"
We walked all around the house, in.
vestigating every nook and corner Of
Its walls and shaking the cellar win
dows and other subterranean openings
to assure ourselves that they were sc.
curely fastened. Not finding anything
OF interest on the outside we returned
again to the interior and beginning at
the top. inspected every square inch
OF space until we reached the base
ment and We're ready to descend to
the cellar. had discovered two can.
dies, which we lighted for this explor.
alton. and confess that my hand
Travelled instinctively to the revolver
In my hip pocket as we started down
the stairs.
The cellar. however. disclosed moth.
Ing of Importance. though we examined
~ fhnrrnuhl, Ac
ascend, I noticed the pile of empty
whisky bottles. and, after finding that
there We're exactly two dozen of them.
had not n doubt that they were tho
ones Mr.. Carney had ordered and emp
tied during his short stay at Carney
Croft three years before
In brief, there was nothing to indi-
cate that the house had been disturbed
In any way since it was closed by Miss
Carney, and we strolled slowly along
tho road to Hoskins' for our luncheon,
completely bafl1ed at every point.
Don't you keep a. Waterman here?"
asked MacArdel at length. - e
Il wanted to-" l replied. But the
Carneys didn't think it necessary"
That night we sat on the veranda,
discussing the happenings of the day,
while the full moon shone coldly in
the zenith and the river spashed 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 | was beginning to yawn
openly after my long day of excite
ment and exertion, when MacArdel
said lnughingly:
"Nows the time to trot out your
ghosts, Ware. The clock just struck
IL, you know"
AS he spoke grasped his arm and
pointed to the path leading to the
river. Two fllmy white figures, one
larger than the other, were waited
along under the trees. as if they were
part OF the air itself. and from them
came AL odor, so faint and yet so over
powering In Its fetid oppressiveness
that I could scarcely draw my breath.
For an instant MacArdel sat as one
petrlaed, and then, with a muttered
cry. he sprang over the rail and fol.
lowed the fleeting things into tho
blackness of the overhanging trees.
! was after him in bound. Run.
ming with all our speed, we saw the
creatures, whatever they were. sail
majestica'ly before us as on wings OF
air until they reached the river. wherA
In the full glare of the moonlight,
they vanished suddenly under our very
eyes.
When I overlook MacArdel he was
leaning heavily against a tree trunk,
gasping for breath.
"Ware!' he said, as soon as he
could speak. THAT odor was the smell
of the grave. There's nothing else like
1t, tell you, man! ] was a coroner
for too many years and have opened
too many collins not to know it, ~
He sank to the ground from sheer
exhaustion. #
A moment later l heard a cracking
n the underbrush not far away and,
with a shout, dashed into the bushes,
followed by MacArdel. Suddenlv there