“That’s more than I know, but just what I would have known if I’d hit it with a bullet. That’s the ‘spook’ Aleck warned us of. It’s been kitin’ round the country ever since that first night after Pedro died. Some say it’s the ghost. It ’pears to be wrapped in a white blanket and wears it same as he 152 did. He had a white horse once that had outlived all the horses ever was, I reckon; and the Simple Simons all about us claim that it’s the Indian’s spirit on the Indian’s horse, a-ridin’ round ’count of some trouble why he can’t rest. There was a letter thrown into our settin’ room night before last, in poor printing enough, too; and it said that Pedro had been banished from the happy hunting grounds on account of a secret he’d told; and a warning everybody not to touch to try and find the place the secret told about. It scared the mistress pretty bad, though she didn’t let on much. The captain laughed, of course. She always laughs at everything; and Mrs. Benton––well, she just pinned the paper in her bosom, and says she: ‘I’ll know where that is when it’s needed.’ She’s some sense, Sally has, though nothing to boast of, and she’s a mighty good sewer of patchwork, though she’s no good at pistol pockets. Well, shall we go on?”
Ninian had remounted his horse, which still was restless and ill to manage, and Prince was capering about in a fantastic fashion that, however, was not greatly different from his behavior earlier in the evening; and the reporter had satisfied himself that there was nothing now to be seen of the apparition which had flashed upon them and disappeared on the road back to Marion.
“Yes, let’s go on. And I hope the least that will happen will be the arrival of that ‘spook’ at Aleck McLeod’s cheerful inn. I’d give much to see his face if it did appear.”
“Oh! it’s been there already; last night. The kitchen window was raised so softly none but Janet could have heard it, and before she could get to it, a white, skinny hand came through and snatched up a quail pie she’d baked for breakfast and off sooner’n 153 she could catch it. She was so mad about the pie that, for a minute, she forgot to be scared; then it came over her that she’d been cookin’ ghost’s victuals, and she shivered all the rest the night. She wouldn’t ever let Aleck far out of sight, she’s so fond of him, but now he can’t stir three foot away. Every man I met has something fresh to tell of how his women folks have been worried by the thing; and if somebody doesn’t settle his spookship mighty sudden, we’ll have all the females in hysterics; and something we’ve never needed in this valley yet, and that’s a doctor. There won’t be a nerve left anywhere.”
Ninian laughed again; adding, a moment later: “Not just the sort of place to send a nervous-prostration patient, is it, after all? But what’s your own speculation concerning the nuisance?”
“Let me tell you the whole business, so far forth as I’ve heerd it since I came home. Then you can form your own mind on it and see how best to help my folks out their troubles; ’cause I ain’t trying to hide that was my reason for wanting you to come. You’d helped us so much with the title affair I knew you’d unravel this skein. But I’m powerful glad to see you, all the same, and I do hope you’ll get as much good for yourself out the visit as I want the mistress to get.”
The horses were now somewhat quieted by a long stretch of the level road, over which they had been allowed to travel at their own pace, and talking was easier. Ephraim gave in detail the story of Pedro’s visit and gift of the wand; of the many strange incidents of the last few days; of Ned’s serious illness, caused by fright, Aunt Sally declared, but, as his mother thought, by too much rich food and an overdose of candy; and how, though he 154 had repeatedly been heard about the premises, nobody had as yet actually seen Antonio Bernal. However, at present, little was thought of but the suffering children; for Luis had remained true to his character of “echo” and had himself, that very day, been put to bed with the same high fever which was tormenting Ned.
“You see, though it’s getting Christmas time and everything ought to be lovely, we’re about as badly off as a family can be. All the same, if anybody in this world can cheer the mistress it’ll be yourself, Mr. Sharp, and I’m powerful glad you’ve come.”
For the rest of the ride they were mostly silent; each man revolving in his mind the most plausible explanation of Antonio’s behavior, in his would-be mysterious hiding, and his terrorizing of the little lads.
Finally, Ninian expressed his own opinion: