Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-07-30
CHAPTER !.

Rain had been falling for five days
when / first saw Hartley house. The
place Ind so much local distinction
that a village not far from the estate
was named Hartley, for it.
Even when drenched and dripping
in a storm which had lasted for five
days in late May, the spot was beau
tiful and charming; 1t had antiquity,
that rare thing in new land. Its two
thousand acres, handsomely arranged
for decorative and agricultural pur-
poses, lay along the river bank, with
an inoented and interesting littoral
where the river was two miles wide.
had been an inferno in st. Julian's
hospital, and at the close of my last
year DIR. Brownell had asked me if my
arrangements would make it possible
for me to undertake a case which he
thought might be profitable and in
teresting to young physician. It was
that of Mr.. Homer Sidney, the owner
of Hartley house.
81 never saw so strange will to
live" said the doctor when he dis
cussed the circumstances with me.
sThe old man is indomitable. For that
reason lac is interesting. He lives be-
cause he wills to live, for some ire
mendous reason Of which know moth
ing. 1t is enormous. You may live to
see him die; | am afraid shall not
and he is seventy and am fifty"
decided to accept It may have
baen professional weakness, but in adj
dition to the financial certainty offered
there was a professional interest
aroused. If DR.. Brownell were at
tracted by human beings will tc
live there certainly was something SUI
perhumanly interesting about that hui
man being.
The recollection of Hartley as /
first saw it remains as an enduring
impression. The long downpour of
rain had given the place spiritual ac-
cent One felt as if the soul were
saturated.
It is only occasionally IN a normal
mind that weather works a spiritual
effect. | thought my mind was nor
NAL, but I felt the spiritual depres-
sion.
The way from the station for three
miles was through ordinary American
small farm land Then it changed alb
ruptly. Antiquity began to show. The
driver said we were in the Hartley
grounds.
| was so depressed by the rain, by
my own uncertainty, by thinking over
the decision I had made and seemed
about to regret, by the dismal pros
pects-or at least the uncertain pros
pects-that should have been glad
for any sustaining human association.
At the end of my journey | soon found
such association and was thereafter
happy in it. but approaching the place
I was apprehensive. My driver had
been, if not unapproachable, at least
stupid and dismal.
1T somewhat astonfshed me when
suddenly he began to talk. We were
then about half mile from the house,
81 wish you had come an hour
earlier" he said.
"W'hy?" l asked.
"Tm not a coward" said the driver,
at least, no more than usual, but
don't like to be in here alone, and
I've got to go home alone"
In a fashion he expressed what
might have been my mood if l had
known more of the place. / could
sympathize with him. The rain had
done this for me.
"What have you to be afraid OFF,"
1 asked. SIS something haunted
around here?" 1t seemed as if so
beautiful a spot ought to have this in
terest He stopped his horse.
''Pm going back out of here like a
scared pig" he said, that is, if the
old horse can stand it. But you're GO
ing to live here for while, and I'll
stop a minute to show you where they
say the ghost walks"
He pointed to where the river had
eaten substantial bit out of the bank,
making a pool or tiny bay. The road.
swerving toward the river here, was
within thirty feet of it.
SIT isa't natural for man to kill
his brother" said my driver, ''and
something unnatural comes of it. A
man killed his brother there, and some
thing unnatural has come of it. That's
why I'll be just as well satisfied to
get you to the house and myself back
out of here before dark"
Get along, then" / said. "It looks
like an ordinary place to me-"
"To me too" said my driver. sand
1 don't want it ever to look extraor-
binary"
"Who was killed there?" I asked.
You'll learn the story soon enough"
said the driver, eff you're going to stay
in this house. You'll learn it better
than can tell you"
At the great coach entrance of the
old house paid the driver and let him
go. He was anxious to be gone. 1t
was growing dark Then / began ring
ing the bell.
At me third ringing there was re-
Spouse, ii the form of a servant. a
man, Dutier or doOrman, past middle
age. He was crusry