Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-04-30
CHAPTER V-Continued.

wondered which had been his bed
room. 1t was hardly likely that he
had occupied the room in which I
slept. AS 1 debated the matter I
heard someone moving about my room
and went to investigate. 1t was Mrs.
Burke, making up my bed. She would
know which room my great-uncle had
been accustomed to occupy.
As I entered the bedroom for the
purpose of cross-questioning her, my
first impression-and philosophers tell
us that the first is most likely to be
the correct one-was of simple-mind-
ed, kindly old Irish woman of the ut
most honesty. I was certain just by
looking at her that there wasn't a
crooked hair in her head, even If she
had had the intelligence necessary for
crimes beyond the ordinary.
'Tt's Mr.. Nelson I'm seeing at last"
she exclaimed with satisfaction. 81
was wondering when I would be lay
ing eyes on ye."
eyes," said l." 81 am Mr.. Nelson,
Mr.. Gaston's great-nephew."
"Sure and I'd have knowed ye any
where. It's as like ye are as two peas,
barring the old gentleman's white
hairs"
Her statement rather startled me
for while never had regarded myself
as an Adonis. on the other hand
never had supposed I looked anything
like old Rufus.
"Was this my great-uncle's bedroom
when he was here?" 1 asked, trying to
make my inquiry seem casual.
"It was and it wasn't" Mrs. Burke
replied. HE gets queer notions, the
ould gentleman does. In the last few
weeks he's slept in every room in the
house."
"What made him do that?"
"It's not for me to be saying" De
voutly she crossed herself. "Some
times 1 do be thinking the house il
haunted. The old man was all th'
time mumbling about"
She hesitated and looked furtivel,
about.
ADOuI NhlORCA0s OuSSCSlCu Ill
stead of replying to my question sh
shot ANOTHER one at me.
"And have ye been hearing then
| too?"
laughed, trying to- put a note o
merriment into my tones.
81 don't believe in things like that.
The old woman nodded her hea
sagely.
"It amt believing in them thing
that makes you hear them. Eithe
you hear them or you don't. The oil
man heard them"
"How do you know?"
Didn't 1 hear him asking mesel
about it? He heard them, man
times"
''How about the others-the SER
ants-did they hear them, too?"
"They may have that. Niggers
always hearing things anyhow. It
what the white folk hear that counts
''How about the other apartments
the house? Do the people in thel
hear whispers?"
"Never that I've heard tell of, bl
how should l know? This is the onl
place in the house that 1 work."
"Did Mrs. CASTOR ever speak to yc
about it2"
"She did and she did not. She ne
er in so many words asked me if
heard them. AL she says to me wa
Nora, if ever you see or hear anythir
strange or unusual here, you're to l
me know at once And l says, 'Yi
e Mrs CASTOR, 1 will"
"And have you ever seen or hea
anything?"
r The old woman busted herself wi
= making up the bed for a moment /
o fore she answered me.
d "Pm not saying I've seen anything
she began, 'but there's thugs I cou
be telling if was minded to open I
h lips"
o IF you know anything" I said, ''y
must tell me. Mr.. CASTOR put me he
to find out what was wrong"
If There's no doubt there's wro
e here"
ID what makes you say that? WI
have you seen? What do you know
TITS neither what I've seen 1
Is what 1 know" She nodded myste
ID ously. tits what I've been heari
'e myself"
ID ''For heavens sake, woman" cri
or losing patience, what is it you
hRard2"