Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-07-05

4 ~ ttfaR ~ tN' oJtNh@
trip To Southley Downs. Pierce advises
him 10 keep his eyes wide open while
there. on the way in a train, DR.. Long
is attracted by a girl, who later faints.
DR.. Long treats her, and looking into
her bag is astounded to find a loaded re-
volver.
DR.. Long meets Ahmad Das. an ORR
entail, who conducts him to Southley
Downs, where he meets Mr.. Southley and
his son Ernest Southley, Mr.. Haywood
and his son. Villas, and then Josephine
Southley, who is the girl he had met
on the train. Josephine tells him the
story of Southley Downs and Its ghost.
which is not the ghost of a human, but
of a tiger. Now read Oh
There was little conversation dur
ing dinner, and / noticed Villas Hay
woods hands we're shaking badly, his
face was flushed as though he had
been drinking, and he jumped nervous
ly every time Ahmad Das approach
ed him. My host was a little, grey
haired man and his face had the hang
dog look of a man whose spirit had
long since been broken.
After dinner we drifted out to the
veranda, where we sat a few minutes
discussing politics and subjects of gen.
eral interest until Mr.. Southley ex-
cused himself and went inton the
house. Mr.. Haywood followed him
shortly and Ernest and Villas went off
for a walk to the golf links. Joseph
inc and ! sat in silence for a few min
utes as they went down the walk, but
when they had disappeared around
the bend she turned to me.
"Thank you for not letting them
know we had met before, it would
have been frightfully embarrassing
to have had to explain
4 came very near to giving you
away, it was such a surprise to see
you here. But tell me, are you sub
ject to such fainting spells?
mo, | saw something that fright
ened me horribly. I'll tell you all
about it, but after this eveing, you
and | are to be almost total strangers,
we must speak as little as possible,
and avoid meeting me between meals.
Years ago, when Ernest and / were
both quite young, father was here
alone, he was a very hale and hearty
man then. For several nights there
had been peculiar noises, and several
of the servants had seen a figure Gid
ing through underbrush they declar-
ed it looked like a huge yellow dog
but no one would believe them and de-
clared they were so frightened that
they must have been seeing things.
Then one night an awful storm arose.
1t rained torrents all night. My faith
er heard a terrible scream nit far from
the door. Ahmad Das came running
in and told US a ghost was tearing one
of the servants to pieces"
stepped off the train and looked
about expecting to see my host, Mr..
Southly, but he was no where about.
The train had pulled out, and the
crowd had somewhat drifted away,
when some touched my arm and ask
ed in a peculiar sing-song voice, You
are Sahib Long,"
| turned to find a small Oriental
standing slightly in back of me and
~grinning impassively.
EYES," | answered, II am Mr.. Log"
"Sahib Southly bid me bring you to
his home. The automobile awaits
you, Sahib."
followed him to a beautiful limo
sine, but oted as | walked behind him
how very cat like he walked, and
thought as / watched how unpleasant
it would be to meet a fellow like him
on a dark road, if he were unfriendly.
He bowed low as | stepped into the
car, and a second later we were fly
ing down the road to Southly Downs.
Mr.. Southly was waiting for me on
the veranda, and our old friendship
was soon renewed. Ahmad Das, ]
learned was the Orientals name, show
ed me my room, and fastened to pre-
pare for dinner which had been de-
layed because of my arrival. AS
| entered the room, Mr.. Southly rose
to meet me, and introduce me to the
other guests.
"This is my daughter, Josephine
and my son Ernest" / gasped. The
girl opposite me was none other than
the girl who had tainted on the train,
But she smiled and murmured, How
do you do, Mr.. Long" as though she
had never seen me before, and took
the hint.
"This is Mr.. Haywood, and his son
Villas, Mr.. Long" the old man con-
tinued, happily missing my gasp OF
surprise.
CHAPTER Ill
"My father and some Of the servants
went out-both Ernest and | were
away at school. They couldn't see
in the shadows-but my father says
that beyond all chance of doubt som
living thing bundled through the
thickets in front of them. 1t might
have been a calf-or ever a large dog
"A few weeks ago the details be
gan to vary. 1t was after my faith
er's old friend, Mr.. Haywood, and mi
son came to visit US. But tell M
this first. Would you say the young
err Mr.. Haywood would be troubled
with faulty nerves."
~ saw him jump tonight when thu
owl hooted."
Remember, he has spent nearly
month in this house. After a month
in it, you'll jump too. mean, un
der ordinary conditions, away from
this atmosphere"
II would certainly say that Villa
Haywood had no nerves to troubl
him."
"Just a few nights after his arriva
Villas Haywood came in to dinner wit
a c~urious look of question on his