The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1912-08-08
After the
Wreck


had heard of it, for the story was
known, but the sight of the demesne
the drives obliterated. the lawns =
jungle and the park empty Of COW Or
sheep-led me to pull up the car ana
contemplate the wilderness that lay
beyond the Wondering gates and the
curtainless lodge.
This then. was the Manor House
that Hughenstein, of Philadelphia,
bought for his bride, Just before they
sailed on that last tragic voyage On
the Cosmic, In which both had per-
lshed. No wonder that young Brook
Ign. his stepsop-for Mrs. Hughensteaa
was a widow when the millionaire
married her-shuddered at residence
therein. "A haunted house for him. q
ever there was one! ~,s-=4~s
At the inn ] halted, ordered dinner.
and bed. for It was an ancient paneisa
hostelry with an attentive and thought
full host. ya-'--z.,. -s--ss, =a~~xa
Strange wilderness up there I 10.
marked, as he set down a liqueur.
Eyes. sir" he replied. they alwayA
ask questions about it,
who looks after it," asked.
mot 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..'
I had no thought Of adventures
when 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 ST.
lent. The landing, like an inside bal,
cony, commanded the hall door. This
| 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 I said to him:
Il. sir, am also q gentleman. VIII
you let me accompany your"
l resumed the boots, for he waited.
making no other reply to my Ques4
ton. Then together we issued forth
Between gentlemen" said he!
there need be no reserve, but when
| the time comes beg that you will MOI
intrude."
We carried no light. He evidently
| needed none. The house lay like q
great tomb.
The great doors stood wide ajara
| This surprised me, but the inn-keepec
seemed to take it as matter 81
course. He led the way noiselessll
| up the cavernous stairs to a r00ms
| where he paused. The door was agai4
open, a dim, Pickering light throwing
| shadows that wavered above heavy
screen. My companion motioned me
to stop. waited while he went Tor.
ward and disappeared behind the
screen. A few moments passed. Then
he appeared again and beckoned Ia
| me.
81 feared it." he remarked, coolly,
"He needs no more Of these cold
meals"
Indeed, he did not I found myself
| looking at a man lying with upturned
face, stone dead-a sight of horror.
His hair was foot long, and hfa
beard, clotted red, covered his shirt.
1--WE must bury him." said the INN.
keeper, "and quickly, for the dawn ID
| near"
1t never occurred to me to seek an
excuse for this gross Illegally.
81 knew it would come to this" To-
marked the inn-keeper. 81 have pro-
vided for it" +
We carried the man down to the or
chard, where by a rubbish heap lay q
deep hole. l cannot call it by SO do.
| cent a term as grave We laid 0u1
fellow-maA down there and covered
him up. our spades sinking noiselesss
ly into the moist and gentle soil 80
he still lies, unknown.
Better" said the inn-keeper, ito g
down with the ship than live ON like
that. Poor old Hughenstein was MOI
bad fellow, but once In his life hs
played the coward. We thought be
went down with the ship. But he had
got among the steerage passengers
and slipped into one of the first boots
that put of. Among the steerage folh
he remained, talking his ancestral F1
lish, and assuming dead mans mama.
He carried enough paper to book bach
to England, where he visited his law
yers, who recognized him. in spite q
his disguise. The estate was managed
as you see, in his stepson's name Al
the servants were dismissed. And TIN
tenants"-he paused-''had good reA
son to prevent discoveries"
"And the stepson?"
The man looked at me. 'The steN
son travelled in Africa. you viii ~
| member"
when does he return?"
81 am the stepson," returned tha
! inn-keeper, calmly, 'and tell you b.
| cause you are a gentleman"
! "Poor woman!" said, for involun
tarily I thought, as perhaps he did
of the wife and mother abandoned =
her death.
"She loved him." he answered, .aAa
loved her. That was why buxis1
him."
His voice was steady. his haaA4
= =