mbertin 1868
vintage, and consumed half a bottle of Chartreuse."

"But you have no proof that they went off together," we suggested. "It
may be that murder was committed. The dead body of the chambermaid all
this time may be crumbling to dust and ashes in some hole or corner of
your cellar. Have you a cellar, or any other place in which a murdered
body might be concealed?"

"Santa Maria!" cried our host, turning pale. "The idea never occurred to
me, but I shouldn't wonder if you are right. It would explain a good
deal that has remained a mystery. We have a deep well out in the yard;
so deep that we do not know the bottom, which is supposed to communicate
with the river. The man might easily have murdered the woman and thrown
her down. And we drink the water!"

"That is hardly the solution that suggests itself. After drinking your
three bottles of Chambertin and your half-bottle of Chartreuse, depend
upon it their heads began to go round; they felt the world coming to an
end, and determined to be beforehand with it. It is clear as daylight:
they both threw themselves down the well, and there you will find the
skeletons. You had better have it dragged and give them decent burial,
or you will certainly be seeing ghosts in the house."

By this time the landlord was trembling with horror; his eyes, grown
large and round, would almost have matched the Dragon's. He was no
longer in a fit state to pour out wine or change plates.

"And we drink the water," he murmured half a dozen times over. "We drink
the water. This accounts for my queer symptoms. But, after all, the
bodies cannot be there. They must have communicated with the river, and
so floated out to sea. I dare say they will some day turn up in the
Panama Canal or on the shores of New Zealand. Senor, I am quite certain
this is the true state of the case. I never could understand why those
two should go off together. They were always quarrelling, and seemed to
hate each other like poison, and I dare say they even disputed as to
which should go first down the well. But when all's said and done, it is
three years ago, and they will never come back to trouble me."

"Not even as ghosts?"

He shivered.

"I never saw a ghost, senor, but I suppose there are such things. I
shouldn't care to see one. Nevertheless, I will have the well
dragged--quietly, not to raise a scandal. I can pretend to have dropped
in a diamond ring belonging to a client. If the skeletons turn up w