Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-10-04
After the
Wreck

known, but the sight OF the delnesne
the drives obliterated, the lawns a
jungle and the park empty OF COW OF
sheep-led me to pull up the car and
contemplate the wilderness that lay
beyond the moulderirg gates and the
curtainless lodge.
THIS then, was the Manor House
that HughensteiI, of Philadelphia,
bought for his bride, just before they
sailed OF that last tragic voyage on
tho Cosmlc, IN which both had per-
ished. No wonder. that young Brook
i'm, his stepson-for Mrs. Hughenstein
vas q widow when the millionaire
married her-shuddered at residence
therein. A haunted house for him, II
ever there was one!
At the inn I halted, ordered dinner
and bed, for 1t was an ancient paneled
hostelry with an attentive and thought
iul host.
Strange wilderness up there re-
marked, as he set down liqueur.
"Yes, sir" he replied, they always
ask queStlOnS aDOuI IL.
who looks after it," I asked.
mot a SOUL" he answered. That's
the arrangement"
Arrangement" said l." what do
you mean by arrangement"
with the lawyers" he explained.
"All the tenants round here-indeed,
I myself-have full rent returned,
cash for cash, so long as the manor
house is undisturbed:7'
I had no thought of adventures
when I put my boots outside the door
@ couple Of hours later. The impulse
which led me into one came on the
spur Of the moment. The inn was 81
lent. The landing, like an inside bal
cony, commanded the hall door. The
door was open-wide open-and the
innkeeper, who seemed to be bach
elor, was going forth carrying a bas-
ket He turned and confronted me,
and said to him:
"I, sir, am alse gentleman. VIII
you let me accompany your"
I resumed the boots, for he waited,
making no other reply to my ques-
ton. Then together we issued forth.
Between gentlemen" said he,
there need be no reserve, but when
the time comes beg that you will not
intrude."
We carried no light. He evidently
needed none. The house lay like
great tomb.
The great doors stood wide aja-.
This surprised me, but the inn-keeper
seemed to take it as matter Of
course. He led the way noiselessly
up the cavernous stairs to room,
where he paused. The door was again
open, a dim, Pickering light throwing
shadows that wavered above a heavy
screen. My companion motioned me
to stop. I waited while he went for
ward and disappeared behind the
screen. A few moments passed. Then
he appeared again and beckoned to
me.
"I feared It," he remarked. coolly.
"He needs no more Of these cold
meals"
Indeed, he did not. ! found myself
looking at man lying with upturnec
face, stone dead-a sight Of horror.
His hair was a foot long, and his
beard, clotted red, covered his shirt
1--WE must bury him." said the inn
keeper, "and quickly, for the dawn Is
near"
It never occurred to me to seek ar
excuse for this gross illegality.
II knew it would come to this" re-
marked the inn-keeper. II have pro
vided for It"
We carried the man down to the or
chard, where by rubbish heap lay
deep hole. I cannot call it by so de
cent term as grave. We laid om
fellow-man down there and covered
him up, our spades sinking noiseless
ly into the moist and gentle soil. St
he still lies, unknown.
Better" said the inn-keeper, "to gt
down with the ship than live on like
that Poor old FIughenstein was moi
a bad fellow, but once in his life he
played the coward. We thought he
went down with the ship. But he had
got among the steerage passengers
and slipped into one Of the first boots
that put off. Among the steerage folf
he remained, talking his ancestral 10
lish, and assuming a dead mans name
He carried enough paper to book hacs
to England, where he visited his law
yers, who recognized him. In spite OF
his disguise. The estate was managed
as you see, In his stepsons name. All
the servants were dismissed. And the
tenants"-he paused--"had good Rea
son to prevent discoveries"
"And the stepson?"
The man looked at me. "The saeD
son travelled in Africa, you will 70
member"
when does he return?"
IT am the sterson," returned 1hs
inn-keeper, calmly, land tell you be-
cause you are gentleman"
poor woman!" I said, for invoiun.
tarily I thought, as perhaps he did,
of the wife and mother abandoned to
her death.
"She loved him." he answered, "ard
I loved her. That was why buried
him."
His voice was steady, his hards
calm; I never witnessed such self-cDn-
troll. If suddenly 1t broke, what WON
der?
"But, by tbs gods" he cried, SO that
the echoes rang. "lf had deserted a
unman like that II 1unnld not hnun z II