The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1913-01-22
CHAPTER Kill.
AIeck Sees a Ghost.


Little Simon drove leisurely up the
long. rugged hill over which Agatha
and James had so recently travelled,
and drew rein in the shade at a dis
lance of long city block from his
destination. He pointed with his whip
while he addressed Aleck, his sole
passenger.
''Yonder's the old red house, mister.
The parson, he hated to have his trees
gnawed, and Major here's great
horse for gnawing the bark offer trees.
So I never go no nearer the house
than this"
"All right, Simon; you wait for me
here"
Aleck walked slowly along the coun-
try road, enjoying the fragrant fields.
the quiet beauty of the place. 1t was
still early in the day, for he had lost
no time in following the clues gath
cred from the village as to the sur
vivors of the Jeanne Dare. The air
was fresh and clean, with a tang OF
the distant salt marshes.
A long row of hemlocks and Norway
spruce bordered the road, and, with
the aid of a stone wall, shut off from
the highway prosperous-looking
vegetable garden. Farther along a
flower garden glowed in the fantastic
coloring which gardens acquire when
planted for the love of flowers rather
than for definite artistic effects.
Farther STILL two lilac bushes stood
sentinel on either side of a gate
way; and behind, deep green lawn
lay under the light, dappled shade Of
tall trees. 1t was lawn that spoke of
many years of care; and in the mid
die of its velvet green, under the
branches of two sheltering elms, stood
the old red house. 1t looked comfort
able and secure, in its homely sim
plicity; something to depend on in the
otherwise mutable scenes of life.
Aleck felt an instantaneous liking for
it, and was glad that his errand, sad
as it might possibly be, had yet led
him thither.
Long French windows in the lower
part OF the house opened upon the
piazza, and from the second story
ruffled white curtains f1uttered to the
breeze. AS the shield-shaped knocker
changed DULY tc. Alexis stroke, a
large, melancholy hound came slowly
round the corner of the house, APP
preached the visitor with tentative
ways of the tail, and after shifting
mildly, lay down on the cool grass.
1t wasn't house to be hurried, that
was plain. After a wait of five or
ten minutes Aleck was about to knock
again, when a face appeared at one
of the side-lights of the door. Present
ly the door itself opened few inches,
and elderly spinsterhood, wrapped in
severe inquiry, looked out at him.
Can see the lady, or either of the
gentlemen. who recently arrived here
from the yacht, the Jeanne DArc?"
Alexis voice and manner were
friendly enough to disarm suspicion it.
self. Sallie Kingsbury looked at him
for full second.
Come in"
Aleck followed her into the wide,
dim hall, and waited while she pulled
down the shade of the sidelight which
she had lifted for observation. Then
she opened a door on the right and
said:
Set down in the parlor while | go
and take my salt risin's away from
the stove. / amt had time to call
my soul my own since the folks came,
what with callers at all times of the
day"
Sallie's voice was not as inhospit-
able as her words. She was mildly
hurt and grieved. rather than offended.
She disappeared and presently came
back with white apron on in place
OF the colored Bingham she had worn
before; but 1t is doubtful If Aleck no
ticed this tribute to his sex. Sallie
looked withered and pinched, but more
by nature and disposition than by age.
She stood with arms akimbo near the
comfortable. regarding Aleck with in
quisitiveness not unmixed with liking.
You can set down. sir" she said
politely, "but don't know as you
can see any of the folks The man.
he's upstairs sick. clean out of his
head; the young man. he's nursing
him. Can't leave him alone a minute,
or he'd be up and getting out the win
dow, f'rall know"
Aleck listened sympathetically. "A
sad easel And what is the name. II
l may ask. of the young man who is
so ill?"
"Lor' don't know" sasd ss'ss-