The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-03-21


that OF some crazed- person. Neyertha.
less there was an air OF mystery about
the whole matter. and the village cos.
sip concerning the so called witch do
termined me to stroll around there late
in the evening / did so near mid.
night and was rewarded by a strange
sight.
Just as | paused in front OF tba
little house. which could locate onlv
by CLINT of light from one crrtainad
window, | heard the trampling OF
horses hoofs and there broke from tho
tangled growth In front OF the house
a dim white shape that / knew TO mo
a horse and suggestion OF dim white
above that was convinced must no
the face and hair OF the witch OF Dahl.
gren. Beside her rode a black bnl,-
that must have been another rider ON
black horse. and for the instant
thought the witch must be riding with
her master. the devil himself.
II had TO fab back in the bushes 70
save myself from being trampled upon
so furious was their dash into the road
They turned away from the village
toward the open country and disap.
peared. Gentlemen. was curious
enough to remain there until their re-
turn an hour later. when a pale moon
peeped from the drifting clouds.
They were riding slowly now. and
the woman was pleading with the
other rider. a man. could see her
wringing her white hands. and her
voice. low, sweet contralto. did not
sound like that OF deranged person.
Her accents were cultivated but the
man spoke roughly in reply. and [
heard her break into sobs as he hus-
tied her toward the house and they
disappeared beyond 1t. Later / heard
the crashing of branches as If the
horses were being led off through the
woods back of the hut, and. now that
think of 1t, IL must have been in the
direction OF this hotel"
Benton frowned as he opened the
stove door and tossed in the end of
his cigar. I've often felt that I'd
like to investigate the matter. You
see. / bad to leave early the next
morning. and this is the first time I've
struck this town since then. but my
first question when I met man [
knew was. is your witch still here?
And he said she was. There's a mys-
terry In the matter. because Benton
paused and stared thoughtfully at the
toe of his polished boot.
Because suggested Cooper impa-
tiently.
Because the voice of the black
rider that night sounded mighty like
the voice of mine host here, Bill Lin
dem returned Benton In low tone,
Joel Clifford aroused himself from
the half lounging position he had as.
sumed when Benton began his nara
tive, and, although he had been q
close listener TO the story, his own
thoughts must have made a sad run
ming accompaniment to the tale. for
his eyes were full of troubled reminls-
cence.
He lifted his eyes to the mantel-
piece. where an old fashioned mirror
hung in such position that 1t reflect
ed the door into the ball. Joel Gift
ford saw a picture framed In that
doorway, and he half rose from his
chair and pointed with n shaking fin
ger at the face he saw in the glass.
1t was the face of TALL black
bearded man. with narrow head aud
little black eyes cleaning wlckedly be-
meath bushy brows. He was staring
at Joel Clifford as II fascinated by the
mans face. There was fe-
rocity In his gaze, as well as surprise
and fear.
who is that man?" cried Joel Gf-
ford excitedly as he whlrled around
toward the doorway.
Its Bin Linden, our landlord
cried Benton. And then he pulled
Clifford violently aside. for there was
the deafening report of pistol. and
The bullet that had been intended for
Clifford found another mark and shat
tered the mirror. There was another
report. and the landlord Of the Dahl
yren hotel dropped dead upon the floor,
killed by his own wicked hand.
Clifford reached him first and turned
him over and looked closely at the
lead mans face. "He is dead" he
said briefly. and then. rising. he con-
tinued to the little crowd OF people
hat had gathered at the sound Of the
pistol shots: Gentlemen. this man is
not Bill Linden. That must be an as
'umed name. for he has been well
inown to the world as Chafied Chap
nan, a we'll known banker who disap-
'eared five years ago and who was
10 be dead. At the same
ime he disappeared my young wife.
who was his only daughter. also dis
from my house, and from
tote that reached me few days later
could only Judge that both of them
we're dead. The note was signed by
ny father-in-law. and he said that as
le bad failed in business he would end
III and that he would take Gertrude
With him. My search for them both
las covered five years. and it must
nd tonight. for I believe have found
he solution TO the mystery.
"Chafield Chapman was passionately
ond OF his only child and always
ated me because loved and married
er. 1t is my belief that he lured her