The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-08-08
After the
Wreck

II !
The old hall lay dssolats -pitilessly
deserted BY man, woman and child.
I had heard Of It, for the story was.
known, but the sight Of the demesns
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 Wondering gates and the
curtainless lodge.
This then, was the Manor House
that Hughenstein, Of Philadelphia,
bought for hia bride, Just before they
sailed on that last tragic voyage on
the Cosmic, In which both had per
ished. No wonder that young Brook.
Ign, his stepson-for Mrs. Hughenstein
was . widow when tho millionaire
married hsr-shuddered at residence
therein. A haunted house for him. Il
ever there was onel
At the inn I halted. ordered dinner
and bed. for It was an ancient panelsd
hostelry with an attentive and thought
full host.
Strange wilderness up there. I re-.
marked. as he set down q liqueur.
Yes. SIR" he replied, 'they always
ask questions about It."
who looks after it," I asked.
Not q SOUL" he answered. "Thats
the arrangement"
Arrangement" said T." "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, 90 long a. the manor
house 10 undisturbed::
; 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 si;
lent The landing. like an inside bal.
cony. commanded the hall door. The
door was open-wide open-and the
innkeeper, who seemed to DO q bach1
Islor, was going forth carrying a bas-
ket. He turned and confronted mel
and I said to him:
Il, cir. am also a gentleman. wilI
you let mo 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 DO 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 q
great tomb.
! The great doors stood wide ajar::
This surprised me, but the inn-keeper
seemed to take It as q matter of
course. He led the way noiselessly
up the cavernous stairs to q room,
where he paused. The door was again
open. dim, Pickering light throwing
shadows that wavered above 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.
II feared it." he remarked, coolly.
F'He needs no more Of these cold
meals"
Indeed. he did not. I found myself
cooking at man lying with upturned
face. stone dead-a sight Of horror.
His hair was foot long. and his
beard, clotted red. covered his shirt. !
I'VE must bury him." said the Inn
keeper, land quickly, for the dawn 10
near"
/. It never occurred to me to seek an
excuse for this gross illegally. !:
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
ichard, where by q rubbish heap lay q
deep hole. I cannot call It by 30 de:
cent q term az grave. We laid our
fellow-man down there and covered
him up. our spades sinking noiseless.
" into the moist and gentle soil. So
he still lies. unknown. Z;
Better" said the inn.keeper, ITO go
down with the ship than live on like
that. Poor old Hughenstsin was not
. bad fellow, but once in his life he
played tho coward. We thought no
went down With the ship. But he had
got among the storage passengers
and slipped into one Of tho first boots
that put OF. Among the steerage folk
he remained, talking his ancestral Pc.
lish, and assuming dead mans name.
He carried enough paper to book back
to England. where he visited his law.
yers. who recognized him, in spite Of