LITMIR.BIZ

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by a screen of boards.

      “He told me,” continued Horace, “that he was passing through here late last night—near midnight, he said—and that he saw Lavina Richmond standing just about where you stand now.

      “He came in by that door, behind me, and she was directly facing him. He says that he didn’t move or yell, or do anything, but just stood staring at her.

      “She paid no attention whatever to him, but passed across the room and went out by that other door, which opened as she approached and closed after her of itself.

      “Then he ran for his room. He claims that he wasn’t scared—only a bit nervous.

      “You can believe that if you want to. I tell you that he was scared, so that he won’t get over it in a year.

      “If it wasn’t for that I might think he was lying; but when a man like Gilder quietly invites the footman—whom he always hated—to take half of his bed for a few weeks, it’s a sure thing that he’s seen something out of the ordinary.

      “And the footman, as I learn, was mighty glad to accept the invitation, for he’s been having a few experiences of his own.

      “Now, Mr. Carter, you and I believe that these things are done by some clever trickster. It may be that some bogus medium who used to get the colonel’s good money away from him, wants more of it, and is taking this means of driving my uncle back to the fold of true believers.

      “I’m beginning to believe that that may be the fact. But whatever it is, the case is almighty serious.

      “Here’s a nice old man, living happily, and gradually getting away from his delusion. Here’s an agent of the devil trying to drive this old man back to his delusion, and make a lunatic of him, for that’s what the doctor says will certainly happen.

      “I say it’s too bad, not to mention the jewels at all. Now, what are we going to do about it?”

      “Catch the rascal,” said Nick, promptly, “and catch him mighty quick.”

      “Well, I hope you’ll succeed. I tell you, Mr. Carter, I feel toward Colonel Richmond all the affection that I would give my father, if he were alive, and I can’t bear to see him driven out of his wits in this infernal way.”

      “Have no fear,” said Nick; “we’ll save him. This trickery with the servants may give us a chance to catch our man.”

      They returned to the parlor in the new part of the house.

      Colonel Richmond was not there.

      “Where is he?” asked Horace, anxiously, of Mrs. Pond.

      “He has gone to his room. He said that the excitement of this affair had worn him out completely.”

      Horace looked relieved.

      Nick said that he, too, would go to his room.

      He went, but he did not remain long in it. He had a fancy for a quiet stroll around the house on the outside. It would be interesting to know whether anybody entered or left it during the night.

      One of the secret passages of the old house communicated with a sort of tunnel, which had its outer extremity in an old well about twenty yards away. This tunnel had caved in long before, but had been restored by Colonel Richmond, who wished to preserve all the old-time peculiarities of the place.

      The inner end of it had been closed by a strong door, so as to prevent anybody who might have the secret from entering in that way, but Nick was strongly of the opinion that it would not keep out the persons who were “haunting” the house in case they desired to come in.

      If anybody was going in and out secretly this seemed to be the readiest way, so Nick had resolved to watch the well that night.

      A little house with sides of lattice-work had been built over it, and vines covered it.

      Nick stealthily crept into its shadow, and prepared for his vigil. But it was not destined to be a long one.

      He had not been there ten minutes before he saw a figure hastening along one of the numerous paths which wound through the grounds.

      This person evidently wished to avoid observation, and that was enough for Nick. He immediately started in pursuit.

      He trailed his man to the edge of the colonel’s grounds. During this pursuit the man kept in the shadow of some trees, and Nick had no opportunity to see him clearly.

      But as the man stepped out into the highway, a ray of moonlight fell upon him, and Nick recognized him in an instant. It was Colonel Richmond.

      Why this man should be leaving his own house by stealth and under the cover of darkness was an interesting problem.

      Nick resolved to know all about it before the night was much older. So he trailed along.

      The colonel walked up the highway with rapid strides.

      About half a mile from the house he found a carriage standing under the shadow of a tree.

      Evidently he expected to find it just there, for he immediately jumped into it, and the driver whipped up his horse.

      Nick was unable to see the driver, for the carriage was a covered buggy, and had been standing with its back toward him.

      The horse was evidently a good one, but Nick overhauled him, and got hold of the carriage behind.

      There was no chance for him to ride there, but his grip on the wagon helped him along, and he ran about eight miles quite comfortably.

      His presence so near was entirely unsuspected by the occupants of the carriage. He was favorably situated for overhearing their conversation, but unfortunately they did not say anything.

      Nick discovered that the driver was a woman, but he could only guess at her identity.

      At last they turned suddenly out of the road, into the grounds of a private house.

      The sound of the wheels was evidently heard within, and the front door was thrown open, letting out considerable light from the hall.

      Nick could not go too near that light, so he let go, and crept into some shrubbery.

      The carriage drew up before the door, and the colonel and his companion hurried into the house, leaving the horse tied.

      The detective failed to obtain a good view of the woman or of the person who had opened the door. The latter seemed to be a servant.

      When the door had closed, Nick crept up.

      He manoeuvred carefully, and discovered that there was somebody sitting in the hall just inside the door.

      Entrance by that means was out of the question.

      However, he succeeded without much difficulty in entering the house from the rear.

      He found himself in the kitchen, from which he passed to a dining-room.

      This apartment was almost totally dark. Nick felt his way to the side opposite the kitchen, and came to a heavy pair of folding doors.

      From the other side came a confused murmur of voices, as if many persons were talking in hushed tones.

      Presently they became quite still and then there arose the sound of music. It was a slow and somber strain, as from an organ gently played.

      Nick was crouching against the door, among the folds of a curtain which could be drawn across.

      Suddenly he heard a slight sound behind him. He turned noiselessly.

      A white figure flitted across the room.

      Nick was at one end of the folding doors, and the figure passed to the other end and into the corner beyond.

      There it suddenly vanished.

      The light was so dim that

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