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and there seemed no necessity for so much ceremony； we used to walk
straight through it。 You could not say it was ever much in the way。
It was a gentle； harmless； old ghost； too； and we all felt very sorry for
it； and pitied it。 The women folk； indeed； made quite a pet of it； for a
while。 Its faithfulness touched them so。
But as time went on； it grew to be a bit a bore。 You see it was full of
sadness。 There was nothing cheerful or genial about it。 You felt sorry for
it； but it irritated you。 It would sit on the stairs and cry for hours at a
stretch； and； whenever we woke up in the night； one was sure to hear it
pottering about the passages and in and out of the different rooms；
moaning and sighing； so that we could not get to sleep again very easily。
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And when we had a party on； it would come and sit outside the drawing…
room door； and sob all the time。 It did not do anybody any harm exactly；
but it cast a gloom over the whole affair。
〃Oh； I'm getting sick of this old fool；〃 said the Pater； one evening （the
Dad can be very blunt； when he is put out； as you know）； after Johnson
had been more of a nuisance than usual； and had spoiled a good game of
whist； by sitting up the chimney and groaning； till nobody knew what were
trumps or what suit had been led； even。 〃We shall have to get rid of him；
somehow or other。 I wish I knew how to do it。〃
〃Well；〃 said the Mater； 〃depend upon it； you'll never see the last of him
until he's found Emily's grave。 That's what he is after。 You find Emily's
grave； and put him on to that； and he'll stop there。 That's the only thing
to do。 You mark my words。〃
The idea seemed reasonable； but the difficulty in the way was that we
none of us knew where Emily's grave was any more than the ghost of
Johnson himself did。 The Governor suggested palming off some other
Emily's grave upon the poor thing； but； as luck would have it； there did not
seem to have been an Emily of any sort buried anywhere for miles round。
I never came across a neighbourhood so utterly destitute of dead Emilies。
I thought for a bit； and then I hazarded a suggestion myself。
〃Couldn't we fake up something for the old chap？〃 I queried。 〃He
seems a simple…minded old sort。 He might take it in。 Anyhow； we
could but try。〃
〃By Jove； so we will；〃 exclaimed my father； and the very next morning
we had the workmen in； and fixed up a little mound at the bottom of the
orchard with a tombstone over it； bearing the following inscription：…
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF EMILY HER LAST WORDS
WERE … 〃TELL JOHNSON I LOVE HIM〃
〃That ought to fetch him；〃 mused the Dad as he surveyed the work
when finished。 〃I am sure I hope it does。〃
It did！
We lured him down there that very night； andwell； there； it was one
of the most pathetic things I have ever seen； the way Johnson sprang upon
that tombstone and wept。 Dad and old Squibbins； the gardener； cried like
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children when they saw it。
Johnson has never troubled us any more in the house since then。 It
spends every night now； sobbing on the grave； and seems quite happy。
〃There still？〃 Oh yes。 I'll take you fellows down and show you it；
next time you come to our place： 10 p。m。 to 4 a。m。 are its general hours；
10 to 2 on Saturdays。
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INTERLUDETHE DOCTOR'S
STORY
It made me cry very much； that story； young Biffles told it with so
much feeling。 We were all a little thoughtful after it； and I noticed even
the old Doctor covertly wipe away a tear。 Uncle John brewed another
bowl of punch； however； and we gradually grew more resigned。
The Doctor； indeed； after a while became almost cheerful； and told us
about the ghost of one of his patients。
I cannot give you his story。 I wish I could。 They all said afterwards
that it was the best of the lotthe most ghastly and terriblebut I could not
make any sense of it myself。 It seemed so incomplete。
He began all right and then something seemed to happen； and then he
was finishing it。 I cannot make out what he did with the middle of the
story。
It ended up； I know； however； with somebody finding something； and
that put Mr。 Coombes in mind of a very curious affair that took place at an
old Mill； once kept by his brother…in…law。
Mr。 Coombes said he would tell us his story； and before anybody could
stop him； he had begun。
Mr Coombes said the story was called …
THE HAUNTED MILL OR THE RUINED HOME （Mr。 Coombes's
Story）
Well； you all know my brother…in…law； Mr。 Parkins （began Mr。
Coombes； taking the long clay pipe from his mouth； and putting it behind
his ear： we did not know his brother…in…law； but we said we did； so as to
save time）； and you know of course that he once took a lease of an old
Mill in Surrey； and went to live there。
Now you must know that； years ago； this very mill had been occupied
by a wicked old miser； who died there； leavingso it was rumoured… …all
his money hidden somewhere about the place。 Naturally enough； every
one who had since come to live at the mill had tried to find the treasure；
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but none had ever succeeded； and the local wiseacres said that nobody
ever would； unless the ghost of the miserly miller should； one day； take a
fancy to one of the tenants； and disclose to him the secret of the hiding…
place。
My brother…in…law did not attach much importance to the story；
regarding it as an old woman's tale； and； unlike his predecessors； made no
attempt whatever to discover the hidden gold。
〃Unless business was very different then from what it is now；〃 said my
brother…in…law； 〃I don't see how a miller could very well have saved
anything； however much of a miser he might have been： at all events；
not enough to make it worth the trouble of looking for it。〃
Still； he could not altogether get rid of the idea of that treasure。
One night he went to bed。 There was nothing very extraordinary
about that； I admit。 He often did go to bed of a night。 What WAS
remarkable； however； was that exactly as the clock of the village church
chimed the last stroke of twelve； my brother…in…law woke up with a start；
and felt himself quite unable to go to sleep again。
Joe （his Christian name was Joe） sat up in bed； and looked around。
At the foot of the bed something stood very still； wrapped in shadow。
It moved into the moonlight； and then my brother…in…law saw that it was
the figure of a wizened little old man； in knee…breeches and a pig…tail。
In an instant the story of the hidden treasure and the old miser flashed
across his mind。
〃He's come to show me where it's hid；〃 thought my brother…in…law；
and he resolved that he would not spend all this money on himself； but
would devote a small percentage of it towards doing good to others。
The apparition moved towards the door： my brother…in…law put on
his trousers and followed it。 The ghost went downstairs into the kitchen；
glided over and stood in front of the hearth； sighed and disappeared。
Next morning； Joe had a couple of bricklayers in； and made them haul
out the stove and pull down the chimney； while he stood behind with a
potato…sack in which to put the gold。
They knocked down half the wall； and never found so much as a four…
penny bit。 My brother…in…law did not know what to think。
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The next night the old man appeared again； and again led the way into
the kitchen。 This time； however； instead of going to the fireplace； it
stood more in the middle of the r