The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1913-02-01
After the
Wreck
The old han lay desolate-pitilessly


jungle and the park empty of COW or
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 his 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 a widow when the millionaire
married her--shuddered at residence
therein. A haunted house for him, If
ever there was one!
At the inn halted, ordered dinner
and bed, for it was an ancient paneled
hostelry with an attentive and thought
full host.
Strange wilderness up there re
marked, as he set down liqueur.
Yes, sir" he replied, they always
ask questions about it,"
who looks after it," ! asked.
Not SOUL" he answered. "That's
the arrangement"
Arrangement? said l." What &c
you mean by arrangement?
with the lawyers" he explained.
"All the tenants round here-indeed
l myself-have full rent returned
cash for cash, so long as the manor
house is undisturbed"'
had no thought of adventure
when l put my boots outside the door
a 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. The
door was open-wide open-and the
innkeeper, who seemed to be a bach
elor, was going forth carrying bas-
ket He turned and confronted me,
and said to him:
II, sir, am also a gentleman. viii
you let me accompany your"
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 l beg that you will not
intrude."
We carried no light He evidently
needed none. The house lay Like a
great tomb.
The great doors stood wide ajar.
This surprised me, but the inn-keeper
seemed to take 1t as matter OF
course. He led the way noiselessly
up the cavernous stairs to 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 / waited while he went for.
ward and disappeared behind the
screen. A few moments passed Then
he appeared again and beckoned to
me.
u feared IT," he remarked. coolly
"Ee needs no more of these cold
meals"
Indeed, he did not. l found myself
looking at a man lying with upturned
'o~ stone dead-a sight of horror
I'D hair was a foot long, and his
e;-.d, clot;ci red, covered his shirt
I'VE must bury him." said the inn
keeper, land quickly, for the dawn Is
| near"
1t never occurred to me to seek an
excuse for this gross illegality.
81 knew II would come to this" re
marked the inn-keeper Il have pro
vided for It."
We carried the man down to the or
chard, where by a rubbish heap lay {
deep hole I cannot call II by so de
cent term as grave. We laid oul
fellow-man down there and covercf
him up, our spades sinking nois eles"
ly into the moist and gentle soil. 81
he still lies, unknown.
Better" said the inn-keeper, ito &c
down with the ship than live on like
that Poor old Hughenstein was no
: a bad fellow, but once in his life b,
played the coward. We thought hc
! went down with the ship. But he hat
got among the steerage passenger
, and SLIPPED into one of the first bootl
e that put off Among the steerage fol-
I he remained, talking his ancestral Pc
{ lish, and assuming a dead mans name
e He carried enough paper to book bacl
y to England. where he visited his law
yers, who recognized him, in spite o
> his disguise. The estate was managed
as you see, in his stepson's name. Al
u the servants were dismissed. And tn
e tenants"--he paused-"had good rea
q son to prevent discoveries"
:, And the stepson?"
d The man looked at me. THE ster
son travelled in Africa, you will re
f member"
when does he return"
- II am the stepson," returned tn
inn-keeper. calmly, land tell you be
cause you are gentleman"
Poor woman!" said, for involur
tarily I thought, as perhaps he die
of the wife and mother abandoned I
her death.
"She loved him." he answered, IAN
I loved her. That was why burie
him."
His voice was steady, his hand
calm; I never witnessed such self-cor
q troll. II suddenly It broke. what wor
!. But. by the gods" he cried, SO tina
III