"; V.
f'Mry til'"" 1
- '
.V . " . J- . v
? 'A
V Vis?4
HEZEK1AH
CHAPTER X.
I IVUet a Playful Ghoat.
ITT was not vet 10 o'clock. m.1 I was
T was not yet 10 o'clock, and I was
II dismayed nf. ttin thnmrht of bain
dismayed at the thought of being
left to my own devices in this big
country house, at an hour when
II left to mv own devices In this hi
. ... I
the talk at the Hare and Tortoise usu
ally became worth while. I sat down
and began to turn over the periodicals
on the library table, but I was in no
mood for reading.
The butler appeared and offered me
drink, but the thought of drinking
alone did not appeal to me. I repelled
the suggestion coldly, but after I had
dropped my eyes to the English review
I had taken up I was conscious that he
btood his ground.
"Beg pardon, sir."
"Well?"
"Hit's a bit hod about the chimney,
sir."
The professional man in me was at
once alert. The chimney's conduct was
Inexplicable enough, but I was in no
humor to brook the theories of a stupid
servant. Still, he might know some
thing, so I nodded for him to go on.
He glanced over his shoulder and
came a step nearer.
"They say in the village, sir, that the
'ouse is 'minted."
"Who say it, James?"
"The liveryman told the coachman,
and the 'ousemnid got hit from a seam
stress, lilt's werry queer, sir."
"Rubbish, James. I'm amazed that
a person of your station should listen
to o liveryman's gossip. There's the
chimney, it's working perfectly. Home
shift of air currents causes it to puff
a little smoke into this room occasion
ally, but those things are not related i
to the supernntural. We'll find some
way of correcting it In a day or two."
"Werry good, -sir. But begging pnr
don, the chimney hain't hall. Hit
walks, if I may so heipress hit."
"Walksr I exclaimed, sitting up and
mrywiug aowa my review,
walks ?" '
"Woai
"You 'ear hit, sir, hln the walls. Hit
goes right through the solid brick
most hunaccountable."
"You hear a mouse in the walls and
think It's a ghost! But you forget
James, that this is a new house, only
a year or so old, and spooks don't fre
quent such places. If it were an old
place It might be possible that the
creaking of floors and the settling of ;nnllonH of the falh)re of tho Hghts.
walls would causo uneasiness in nerv-'Pome wjtoh that j dM not know ofi
ous people. The ghost tradition usual-1 porhap!j ln the tlrd flooP hM, might
ly rests on some ugly fact. But here,,mve 1(0en timuHi, or the power house
nothing of the kind Is present." !, the vWn ,ulRht Iiavt hlft.
"Hit was one of 'Is majesty's horffl-1,,,,, tlynam..s. Either solution of the
cers, sir," he answered hoarsely. irlddlo WI!J ..dible. But the ghostlv
It flashed over me that this big stol- (olu.h on ,1)v fa(.e (.ollIll not h(. ac.
id fellow was out of his head; but. 'counted for so readilv. Leaving the
saueor mad he was clearly greatly dls-;)lKilts, 0 j continued to the third
turned. It was best, I thought, on'floor n(1 PXnmlned the switch and
either hypothesis to speak to him per-' K()Uirht ln other ways to explain these
emptorlly, and I rose, the better to 'phenomena. My composure returned
deal with the situation. iIlloro How.y tmu, i nire t() confess,
"What nonsense is this you have In ami r thk it wns ,)rbablr in my
your head? You're ln the United md that the ghost of King George's
i . ....... . .
rX If?
y mh,
"They say in tha village, air, that the
oue is 'aunted."
(States, and there aren't any majesty's
soldiers to deal with. You forget that1
you're not in England now." I
The Siege
of the
Seven Suitors
By
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Copyright. 1910. by Meredith Nlcnotieia
But this 'eref ounlry used to be
ueiigii.su, j on may renin, Kir. iub
story the eoiuliintin got hln the village
goes back to the hold times, sir, when
the colonies wits hln rebellion, if I may
so call hit, sir, a ml 'is majesty's troops
was puttln' down the rebellion hin
these parts. Some- American rebels
chased a British soldier from hover
near White Plains to these 'ere woods
as they was then, and they 'anged 'lm,
sir, right where this 'ere 'ouse stands,
If I may make so free."
"loirei better go to neu, j nines, aim
don't encourage talk among the other
servants about this ghost. I know
oATrtckf li ttr nlimlt t a lulllil illir nf linimou.
and I'll give these walls n good looking
over. Good night.'
I made myself comfortable for an
hour, smoking a cigar over an article
on English politics, and while I read a
big log placidly burned Itself to ashes
I found the switch and snapped out
the library lights. When I had gained
the second tloor I turned oil the lights
In the hall below, and, as 1 looked
down the well to make sure I hud
turned the right key, the third floor
lights suddenly died and I was left in
darkness. This was the least bit tlis
concerting. I was quite sure that tin:
upper lights " had remained burning
brightly after the darkening of the
lower hall, so that it was hardly pos
sible that the one switch had cut off
both lights.
Standing by the rail that guarded the
well, 1 peered upward, thinking that
some one above me was manipulating
another switch, but the silence was as
complete as the blackness. I was
about to turn from the rail to the wall
to find the switch, but at this moment,
as my face was still lifted In the ln
tentness with which I was listening,
something brushed my cheek some
thing soft of touch aud swift of move
ment. As I gripped the rail I felt this
touch once, twice, thrice. Then my
hand sought the wall madly, and with
so bail an aim that it was quite a nitii-
, ute before I found the switch plate
land snapped all the keys. The stair
land the halls above and below me
sprang Into being again, and I stood
blinking stupidly upward.
Though I was in a modem hoiiso
(thoroughly lighted by electricity I cau-
I tmfr fliintr Hint tltl.i Imdrl.wt f.itlfkivliikr
J ' ,U V, t o, .he butler's ,torv.
jcllsone,i a moment's acute hair raising.
accompanied by an uncomfortable
tremor of the legs. As already hinted
I lay no claim to great valor. As for
hosts I am half persuaded of their
existence, and, after witnessing a pres
entation of Hamlet, always feel that
Shakespeare is as safe a guide In such
matters as the destructive scientific
critics.
Thwe wore vni'lous nlnuslhle PTliln-
dead soldier mleht be lying In wait for
! mo, but I saw anil-heard nothing. The
! doors of tho unused chambers on the
third flwr were closed, and I did not
feel Justified In trying them. The
servants were boused on this floor at
the rear of the house, and n door that
cut off their quarters proved on ex
amination to be tightly locked.
The fourth floor was only n half sto
ry, usd for storage purposes. Tho
I ti'dj ir.ilnn.l 1 rncnlluil liv nn Irikll
ladder and a hatchway Iuh trunk
room. I ran down to my room ami
found a candle, to be armed against
any further fickleness of the lights,
and set. out for the fourth floor. I had
changed my coat and with a couple of
candles and a box of matches started
for the roof. My courage had risen
now, and I was ready for any further
adventure that tho night might hold
for me. Miss Ilolllster and Cecilia
wero lxth ln their rooms, presumably
asleep. Tho servants doubtless had
their doors barred against ghostly vis
itors, and the house was mine to ex
plore as I pleased.
I think I was humming slightly as I
mounted tho stair, which, in keeping
with the general luxurlousness that 1
characterized the furnishing of the
house, was thickly carpeted even to
the fourth floor. I was slipping ray
hand along the rail and mounting, I
dare say, a little jauntily as I screwed
my courage to an unfamiliar notch
when suddenly, midway of the tirsi
half and Just before I reached tho
tnrj, where the slolr broke, the llgbw
- - - -
failed again with startling abruptness.
This was carrying the jrke pretty far.
and instantly I clapped my hand to
my pocket for the lx. of safety
t matches, dug it out and then in my
! haste dropped the lid essential to ignl
i tlon and stooH-d to find it.
j The stair had narrowed on this
: Bight, and as I sought with futile
eagerness b regain the lx lid I could
have sworn that some one passed me.
Still half stooping. I stretched out my
arms and clasped empty air, aud so
suddenly had I thrown myself for
ward that I lost my balance and roll
ed downward the space of half a
dozen treads before 1 recovered my
self. I was ltndly scared and hardly
less angry sit having missed through
my own clumsiness the Joy of grap
pling with the ghost of one of King
tieorge's soldiers. But the matches
having been lost In the pilch darkness
of the stair, I could get my bearings
again only by clinging to the stair rail
until I found the second floor switch.
I should say that two full minutes had
passed between the loss of the matches
mid my flashing on of the lamps.
From top to bottom the lights shone
brightly. But no one was visible, ami
I heard no souud in any part of the
house.
As I began to analyze my sensations
during the temporary eclipse of the
lights I was conscious of two things.
The being, human or other, that had
passed nie bad beeu light of step and
fleet of motion. There had been some
thing uncanny in the ease and speed
of that passing. I was without con
viction as to Its direction, whether up
or down, though I Inclined to the for
mer notion for the reason that the em
ployment of a concealed switch above
seemed the more reasonable argument.
And a faint, an almost Imperceptible
scent, as of n flower, had seemed to
be n part of the passing. Mine is n
sensitive nostril, ami I was confident
that it did not betray me In this.
I gathered up my matches and start
ed again for the roof. The trunk room
door opened readily, as on my morn
ing inspection of the chimney pots,
but as I gluneed up I saw that the
hatch was open. Through the aper
I Stood With Head
and Shouljsis
Thruet Through the Opening
tare shone the heavens, a square of
stars and bright with the moon's ra
diance. rocketing my matches. I ran
nimbly up the ladder
I Imd been surprised to find the hatch
open, hut it Is not too much to say
that 1 w greatly astonished by what
I saw on the moon flooded roof. There
midway of a flat area that lay between
the two larger chimney pots, two per
sons were .Intently engaged, not. hi
ghostly promenading or posturing or
even in audible conversation, but ln a
spirited bout with foils. I stood With
head and shoulders thrust through the
opening, staring at this unusual spec
tacle and not sure but that after all my
eyes were tricking me
"Toucher
it was a woman's voice, faint from
breaUilessness. She threw off her
mask and dropped her foil and with
a most human and feminine gesture
put up her hands to adjust her hair.
It was Cecilia Ilolllster in n short skirt
and fencing coat!
Her opponent was a man, and as he,
too, flung off Ids musk I saw that he
was u gentleman of years. I was about
to withdraw when the strauger swung
round and saw me. His sudden ex
clamation caused the girl to turn, and
as a reasonable frankness ha always
seemed to me essential to n nice discre
tion I crawled out on the roof.
"I beg your pardon, Miss Ilolllster,
but if I had known you were here I
should not have intrnded. The vaga
ries of the library chimney have been
on my mind, and I was about to have
another peep Into yonder pot."
Sho stood at her ease, with one hand
resting lightly against the inexplicable
chimney in question and still some
what spent from her exercise.
"Father," sho said, turning to the
stranger who stood near, "this Is Mr.
Ames, who Is Aunt Octavla's guest."
The light of the gibbous moon en
abled to discern pretty clenrly the form
and features of Mr. Bassford Ilollls
tor. And I find, In looking over my
notes, that I accepted as a matter of
courso tho singular meeting with my
hostess' brother. I had grown so used
to the ways of tho Holllsters I olready
knew thnt the meeting with another
member of the family at 11 u'clock at
night on the roof of this remarkable
house gave me no great shock of sur
Mi
z
prise. . Ile'wns tall.-slender und dark,
with tine eyes that suggested Cecilia's.
Ills close trimmed beard was slightly
gray, but he bore himself erect, and I
had already seen that he was alert of
arm and eye and nimble of foot.
"rather and 1 have fenced together
for years," said Cecilia. "My sister
Ile.ekiah does not care for the sport.
As you have already seen that my
Aunt Octavla Is an unusual woman.
given to many whims, 1 will not deny
to you that at present my father is
persona non grata In this house. I beu'
to assure you that nothing to his dis
credit or mine hits contributed to that
situation, nor can our meeting here to
night be construed ns detrimental to
him or to me. In meeting my father
in this way I have in a sense broken
faith with my Aunt Octavla. but 1 as-
Mire you, Mr. Ames, that It Is oulv the
natural affect Ion for a daughter that
led my father to seek me here In this
clandestine fashion."
Cecilia had spoken steadily, hut h.r
voice broke as she concluded, and she
walked quickly toward the hatchway.
Her father stepped before me to gie
her his hand through the opening.
I withdrew to the edge of the roof
while a few words passed between
them that seemed to be on his part an
expostulation and on hers an earnest
denial and plea. He passed her the
foils and masks, and she vanished.
whereupon he addressed himself to me.
"I had learned from both my daugh
ters of your presence In my sister's
house, and I had expected to meet you
sooner or later. This is a strance busi
ness, a strange business."
Ho had drawn out a pipe, which he
filled and lighted dexterously. The
flame of his match gave mo better ac
quaintance with his face. He leaned
against the serrated roof guard with
tho greatest composure and drew his
pipe to a glow. 1 had not forgotten my
encounter with the ghost on the stair,
and as I waited for him to speak I was
trying to identify him with the mys
terious agency that had tampered with
the lights and passed so ghostly a hand
across my face in the stair well. I
could hardly say that there had not
been time for either Itassford Ilolllster
or his daughter to have reached the
roof after my experiences on the stair,
and yet they had been engaged ho earn
estly at the moment of my appearance
at the hatchway that it was improba
ble that either could have played ghost
and flown to the roof before I reached
It. And, eliminating the ghost altogeth
er, I had yet to learn how Bass ford
Ilolllster hnd gained entrance to the
house. It seemed best to drop specula
tions and wait for him to declare him
self.
To Bo Continued.)
Local News
From Kiiduy's bally.
Charles Warner liiolnml in this
morning from his linine near tlii
city aud attended to some busi
ness matters.
Kifr Brown came up this morn
inu lrom his home near Hock
ll' y to attend to some nritter
i f tUsiie.s,
J. I. Sliiiulei' and wife of near
Murray were in the city tod.iv fm
a few hiuirs attending to some
business matter.
Adam Kallctiiierger ot .icar
Cedar Creek was in the city today
for a few hours attending to
some business matters.
A. H. Kornoif of Cedar Creek
was in the city yesterday for n
few hours attending to some busi
ness matters with Hie merchants
William Stiiikjolin reiuniei
Hi is morning on No. i from Colli.
enlierg. N'cl)., near which place lie
lias some extensive land interests
Mrs. O. A. Nvslrom returned to
her home in Omaha esterdav uf
teruoon, nfler being here for sev
eral days in attendance til Hi
wedding of her sister. Mis.s Ida
Johnson, and Mr. W. K. Hack
strom.
Mrs. Charles Thoinborg a
daughter, Miss Alice, or moux
City, who were here attending tins
golden wedding of her parents
Mr. and Mrs. August Tarlscli, re
turned homo this afternoon.
Mrs. W. H. Vonner and daugh
ter, Mis.s Ie Ella, of the ieinily
of Mynard, were shopping in I his
city yesterday and called at this
ofliee and ordered the Semi-Week
ly Journal sent to them.
President II, A. Schneider and
Secretary K. II. Wcscott of tho
Commercial club were passeng
ers this morning for Ornaha
where they will spend tho day do
ing a little boosting, although it
is reported Henry may drift, out
to Thirteenth and Vinton si reels
where la Hmirke holds forth.
For rheumatism you will llm
nothing heller than Chamberlain'
Liniment. Try it and see how
quickly it gives relief. For pale
by F. O. Fricke Co.
FOREST ROSE Tho best flour
on the market. Hive, it a trial
YO
J.TGQJ&
tXHl,?lT'I!a VND;T.HE J-RGtST
3 Rings. 1000 Ptople 2 Tuinj of Car..
.u.tj.t. umj
CAtT- B"CK'S 20-PERFORMING SEA
GREATEST RIDING
SHOW im EXHIBITED
ALBERT DAVENPORT.
Chimpion Rutbjok
Kideruf IheWuild.
FRED Mil BESSIE
C0STELL0.
World Chimpion
Jot-key Kidcn.
MARIE DAVENPORT,
AND
MiU. MINNIE SWEENEY,
Atrknottlcdceri Chim
pion LiUy Principal
tqucstncnnci.
IALPB H0W$(R,
Fnrlimrs Famous
JtH'kcy.
300-REAL CIRCUS ARTISTS-300
OO-REAL FUNNY CtOWNS-50
10-ROYAL TOKIO JAPANESE-10
"BLACK DIAMOND," TIE BALL-ROOM I0RSE
Ross Asheralt's High-School Horses
FAMOUS WIZARETTC WIRE FAMILY
KONGO Larflcst Bcas hat
LAROHST
ULLPHANT
ON
EARTH.
larger
THAN
JUMBO.
10 KEEPERS TO
ClIAKD UIH
"Alice." Tlie Famous Bt;ir Girl
THE PARADE TELLS THE STORY
..,,a i i
-,-a o A o 1 ' , ' '
V Jf. . ' ''. ' ' I
- ri tz -a ii ill .ill ,.
Yankee RoMnoon. Tim lllll Knnzo. Tlie I jrur.t DepHint on F.anh, The World' lirrateit
liarehaek Millers. InJucllriK Albert Davenport, ( red and lie le LimU-IIh, Merle Oavenrxm, Mile.
Sweeney, Kalph Howier. Ki" Aihcratt'i HlKh-Stliml Horev Cmit. Il'ick'a Sea l.lnn. (Villon's
Zouavev tiitethee with .".nil Circus ArtliU. Cowboy , Cimitlrli, Cosnuhn. Indians, Mexleji. bull
I Uhters. and the Greatest Bunch ul HucMni: Mrom'ira ever bihlMteJ.
Two Shows -Circus and lVtWcs For One Rt4snhis:on
Will POVtTlvn tKHIUIT 4(V Off HH.MT
Plattsmoutii, Neb
-MONDAY, MAY-
Reserved seats on sale day of show
Miles Standlsh In Town.
from Saturday' Dally.
Miles Sl.andi.sh of fiarnot, Kan
sas, arrived m thf city thisi tnorn-
inp and will spi'iid Sunday with
his friiMitls and relative1, heinn a
truest at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
John MoNurlin. He says every
thing in Kansas is looking1 fine1
tli is year and the farmers are
husy planting corn. From hero
he will po to I.anpdon, Missouri,
where he recently purchased a
farm, to look after some husiness
matters. His son-in-law and
daughter are now living on the
Missouri place, and on this trip
lie may huy another place near.
The Journal ac knowledge's a
pleasant call from him this aft
ernoon.
Why H Was Late.
"What made you so late?"
"I met Smithson."
"Well, that is no reason why
you should he an hour late get-
ling home to supper.
"I know, hut I asked him how
he was feeling, ami ho insisted on
telling me ahouf his stomach
trouble."
"Did you tell him to take Cham-
herlain's Tablets?"
"Sure, that is what he needs."
Sold by V. (i. Fricke & Co.
&r V.' ' v
I i-
...".".,-'.. -.!-- j
I . ... f 1, -' -' '
f recorded in the Percheron So
ciety of America, No. 81875. Jaloux has a splendid record, a strong
pedigree, and is an excellent foal getter.
Jaloux will muke the Beason of 1913 asfollows: Monday, Tuesday
and Wednesday of each week at tho barn of Henry RagODS, five miles
southeast of Louisville; Thursday Friday ancl.Saturday at Wm. Wetten
kama.ptwo miles west of Mynard.
TERMS-$ir.00 to insure colt to stand and suck. Care will be taken
to prevent accidents, but will not be held responsible should any occur.
AyqustKIemirii
A 7
ujifTnitni'
CMVS CViR CONSTRUCTtO
i
2 Herds of Elephants. 300 Circus Artists
.ipcnies. aeis tor lu.uuu reopie
LIONS-20 "0V-.,";:r.t..""
TEXAS BILL'S
WILD WEST
OKLAHOMA DAN,
Clumplon BiH'klnt
Bionoo Ki.ler of the
World.
MOUNTAIN NELL,
Champion Rillc Shot
i, tlx World.
ORIGINAL DEADWOOD
STAGE C0ACI.
One Hun. Ire. I People In a
Ihrillinir Spccucle
"THE lANfilNO OF
TBE I0RSE THIEF."
A (eat. Genuine
Western Story.
Slwi InSUm, Csmeit,
nkn tali f litters.
411 t Mr
Crested linek rklnf
Inint eter ttkiMlet
Walks-Larger than Jumbo
POSITIVELY
EXHIBITED
WITH
YANKEE
ROBINSON.
THIi
BKJOI-ST
BULTI;
THAT
WALKS
A 1 HI! EARTH.
KEEPERS TO
GUARD HIM.
Finest Horses Ever Exhibited
101 STARTLING MEW FEATURES FOR 1913
at Weyrich &. Hadraba's drug store
Cyclone Loss Paid Promptly.
We, the undersigned School
Hoard, of School District No. 5,
in Cass county, heartily recom
mend the State Farmers' Mutual
Insurance Co., and James Dvorak,
their agent, for their fair treat
ment in our loss by cyclone,", which
eiccurred em Faster Sunday, and
was promptly adjusted by James
Dvorak. We have received our
check for $400.00 to our entire
satisfaction. Signed:
O. F. Smith,
Arthur N. Sullivan,
S. D. Fitchorn,
School Hoard, District No. 5.
Drive Sick Headaches Away.
Sick headaches, sour, gassy
stomach, indigestion, biliousness
disappe-ar quickly after you tako
Dr. King's New Life Hills. They
purify I he blood and put nw life
and vigor in the system. Try
them and you will be well satis
tied. Every pill helps; every box
guaranteed. Price 25c. Recom
mended by F. (i .Fricke & Co.
Eggs.
Pure bred Plymouth Hock, 75c
per 15; S'i.00 per 100. 'Phono 1-1,
Itoute 2. C. L. Wiles.
The Celebrated Percheron
Stallion
Jaloux ia a beautiful black
urchcron, wel ghinj? 19 5 0
pounds, foaled March 5, 1909
bred by M. Durand, Depart
ment of Orne, and imported
by E. J. Heisel, Fremont,
Iowa, in October, 1911, and is
Jt
cOaldBK
