The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-11-19
Chapter II.
The Home of the Ghost.

Are we the nrst lisitors TOT sohe
time?" asked Roberts. You must have
been preparing this meal for years-it
tastes so goodi' .F:.
',The last time I had any guests they
was the guv-ment commission TO see
about building lighthouse. But they
didn't build It," answered his host.
Roberts chuckled.
You should have had Congress her"
to eat-.they'd have built not only the
lighthouse. but a summer annex to the
Capital here. You are not up In the
ways OF modern statecraft. But.
have a cigar"
wall, sir. / s'pose it's your bedtime
! nearly y o'clock. III get out your can
dies. It's nearly . o'clock" said the old
Savernkeeper. I'm gettin' purity long
winded-the years a-creepin' on; here
I've been a-keeDin' you from your
sleep"
Roberts restrained his smile, as he
| replied: "Oh. I sometimes stay up later
| than this In New York. Don't !. Haw-
| kins?"
The valet awakened with n start, an
swerng sleepily: Yes. sir. Thank
you. sir. ! beg pardon. sir
That's all right. Hawkins. You're
pardoned-on condition that you take
| my candle upstairs and get my bed
ready. I'm going out for walk-per-
haps to that haunted mousse"
"oh, sir; a wouldn't. sir. You don't
know whatA ghost might do. sir."
"Of COURSE, | don't. That's what l
want to find out. Light that candle and
get to bed. You might get my gun and
l'come along. IL you wish
| BUT Hawkins shook his head with
| pathetic inslstence.
! "Oh. no. sir; hif you don't mind. I'm
very. Very heXhausted, sir, this heven-
ing.' But, do be careful, SIR
I Roberts smiled az he lii his pipe. and
| DOMINIC his cap, started out 10 tour the
| twining streets of the village.
| Poor souls--even here the Grim
Reaper plies his trade. as ruthlessly MS
! In the trenches Of Europe and In the
shadows OF Manhattan's skyscrapers,"
! he mused,' as he passed on.
/ 1t was a long walk to the haunted"
I house. but the visitor enjoyed every
step OF the way.
: II imagine this place il safer than
any other in the neighborhood, NUT
tered the novelist, as he walked around
II. ankle deep In "A rank growth OF
weeds, NOW we; with the dew. mo one
would ever disturb a fellow here. what
an ideal place to work-if "A fellow only
had one idea to rub against another.
i
am absolutely written out
lie sat down on the porch, and Look
ed afar. into the Brays of the moon
! lit seascape. Not a thought Of value
systematic mental acrobatics.
Let me see. now" he told himself.
Here is an entirely new location. for
me: old-fashioned town-zhaunted
the tavern. But there's. not a sniff
Of romance. | don't think these sim
pie souls would know romance II
they met 1t. And plague take II. this
thousand novels. I'd simply be copy
ing other mems stories"'
lie was Disguised with himself.
And down in his heart was another
kind of irritant; which he had been
fighting TO keep out OF mind through
the fortnight of his summer cruise.
The melancholy signing OF the South
ern breezes i'm leafy branches close
by. the rather solemn majesty or the
broad vista. now brought back mem
cries despite his resO@ution.
The haunted house." he murmured.
haunted house and ] have been bear
ing one around with me-my own
heart IL a haunted house,"
A flood of miserable thoughts
J brought contracted brows and clench-
ed hands. as he rose nervously to
pace up and down the wide porch.
How wretched II all seemed now
and yet what escape could there be.
His fiancee. Beatrice Montford, beau
tiful. aristocratic. and popular as few
New York girls can be. was waiting
, for his return to the glittering social
, life of the city.
His solitary departure on the .sea
Gull" had been the cause OF their
most recent quarrel-one among doz-
ems OF irritating Engagements which
had shattered his nerves. interfered
with his creative work and veritably
driven him to distraction. And yet
their enga cement had been full OF
, happiness--surfelte indeed. with the
+ pleasures Of the gay set In which
Z tyne OF the New York society girl
accomplished, we'll bred, allurlng In
her beauty and a thorough mistress
OF the art OF attraction. with that
! Ills friends all told him that he was
I a thrice lucky chap, to win the hand
OF such grill Surely they were
q right.
E for him. in the magnificent hons
father. His fortune. a legacy from
e his family tremendously augmented
p by the children of his brain which
n had run Into hundreds OF thousands
: him. His social position was the en-
: w of many a paryenu and not few
OF the blue bloods. All this woult
$ Beatrice share. with charm ant
e SAVIOR falre. And yet -,
''I wonder II we will be happy, afte
L ALL" he asked himelf. for the thousan,
: and first time. These quarrels, he
$ eAhousy, and this never ending 30
q FOR hours he maintained his eurlou
/. watch, walking back and forth on tn
n porch ~ the old house. now sittin