Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-07-07
HE UNCANNY
STRANGER
By SHIELD ESTHER DUNN
~'pSr'gh' by American Press Asso
Citation. 1911

Sn,n,t btr L.. 'pihHlnS along
,r.r 49,. ~ parior car. We're bump.,
o., "'"uS I'D a stlge,onrb nm
f''S' roau between New ynrL , =
""S'"h. In the state of ton,,.,..,,'
'nere $1,000 tavern Before /, sv,,no
sign on which. under n nor,r.;, -,
nlhs George ILL.,. were the words ..rha
..oSa' arms, In the room which j.,
'noSe days was called ..tbe h,r,. $50.
humber of persons, some dr,n.,n,,
from pewter mugs.
he up coach will be lata ton,c,, :.
salo the landlord. going to tho dnor
ana looking out. The road Is ,,s
enough at any time. but ON such =
uisht as this 1t is well nigh imnass.
able" paSS-
AZ be spoke gust Of wind shook
the building. and those in rho ro,,n,
fortihed themselves with mil at ,h,
mugs before them.
"A bad night to be on the road" s,,a
man In brown coat and huff
breaches '0n
ana merry one for ghosts" M,
10 red headed. blear eyed person
whose wig. being awry. gave evidence
that he had drank too much
inoSe about him looked at him pro.
'esuhglE and with something OF awe
III there any OF 'em about" smoke
up fresh importation from the En-.
erald Isle. you're the first Of lis tbat
they'll he viSitin"
A creaking and splashing were
heard without. and the coach drew IN
10 the door OF the tavern. A man OF
somber appearance descended from
the vehicle and staIked into the bar.
Ills eyes were set deep in his head
ana surrounded by dark circles, his
cheek bones high. complexion whiush
gray.
Luggage. sirT said the landlord
inquirngly.
Luggage. need no baggage,
wish lodgings for the night only. and
ON the morrow shall proceed on my
Journey
The stranger attracted the attention
OF every one present
There's something queer about
him." whispered rhe man In the brown
coat to the lrishman. who was cross
Ing himself with his finger under his
coat. The landlord. who was looking
over the keys to his rooms with a
view to selecting one for the stranger.
turned and said:
NO chamber vacant tonight, sir
Sorry"
Il sleep tonight" replied the guest.
lin No H."
His back was turned TO all save the
landlord. 40 that no one could see his
face. but they all saw the landlord
turn pale and take down the Key to
No. II. The stranger TOOK it. put It In
his pocket and. sitting down at tn
bic. called for u glass of hot punch.
In Il corner sat a young man with a
hook nOse. II little newspaper ana a
mug Of grog before him. who did not
seem to share the SuperstitiOuS dread
Of the others for the mysterious stran
ger. Instead of shivering this young
man looked at him almost insultingiy. /
The sumbpr man returned his gaze
with his great melancholy eyes. but
failed to strike terror into him.
What dye mean." whispered thu |
irishnian. "by angerin' the man? MeD-
be hes II ghost"
"tihost!" replied the other contemp-
tuo,lsly "I'll pull his nose for shil
ling. There are no such things as
ghosts"
The somber man turned. you
would pull my nose for shllling?" be
cried. his deep set eyes lighting up
with a flare. "I'll give you chance TO
pull your grandfather's nose for Ego"
MY grandfather mas been dead these
thirty years and ia not likely TO come
back to earth for the purpose Of get
ting his nose pulled"
For f2O. | say. ri have him here.
II 1 fail. Ego is yours"
II have but So. I'd. VIII that serve"
"N0. Now cease your talE.
Come, neighhOrs." said the man
with the hook nose. cant you help me
to show up this pretender!
The cupldity OF those present over
balanced their superstition. and they
began 10 feel In their pockets for coins.
Twenty pounds was made up among
hem. each man to receive az much IN
addition AZ the winning OF the bet as
be nut in. and handed to the man wltn
he hook nose The stranger produced
IS much
.Wbo shall hold the stakPs?" asked
he hook nOSed man.
Hold them yourself
will not one OF the gentlemen 90 as
xell?"
NO: you alone will know which
wins"
"Au right" And the hook noseo
nan pockptpd the money
.Sow." said the stranger. handlng
him his key. go to No. IL ana stay
here tilI the bet is won or lost
The nook uosed man did as be was
,id and the stranger. sitting down ID
he corner left vacant apparently SANK
nto a slumber. Presently terrible
hriek was heard on the floor above IL
vas repeated again and again uen !,
hose In the bar had mastered thelr
arror tbey rushed upstairs to open the
loor of No. ~. 1t was locked anu
,oIted. The shrteks had ceased intn