"O, no," said I, "I could not for a moment consent to take so much. In fact, I would have no right to." "Well, name the price." "If you give me fifty dollars I shall be satisfied." "No such paltry sum, sir," said the generous Southerner. "You shall take double, yes, four times that, at least." "Yes," said Mr. Hale, "and I'll gladly pay half of it, or the whole of it, or double it, and make it four hundred." But I insisted upon only one hundred; and paying me that, Mr. Clemens restored the ring to his finger, saying, "The next time I allow a stranger, no matter whose friend he is, to trifle with my property, I shall _know_ it, I reckon. It's been a good lesson, cheaply bought, for me." Business over, these cheerful people insisted upon entertaining me till a late hour, and I recited to them some quaint instances in the detective's life; but they could not but think that their adventure in New York had been the most remarkable of all. I dare say that the lesson they learned that night will serve them through life; and although their loss was so stupidly occasioned that I presume they keep it secret as to themselves, I've no doubt they sometimes tell it, in the third person, as a warning to their friends who may be "going abroad, travelling." It is a trite saying, that "'tis not all gold that glitters." Everybody has heard it, and repeated it, but few only profit by it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE MYSTERY AT NO. 89 ---- STREET, NEW YORK. -------------- "KLEPTOMANIA"--THE TENDENCY TO SUPERSTITION--AN OLD KNICKERBOCKER FAMILY--A VERY "PROPER" OLD GENTLEMAN, A MR. GARRETSON--HE CALLS ON ME AT MY OFFICE, AND FINDS A CURIOUS-LOOKING ROOM--HIS STORY OF WONDERS--"EVERYTHING" STOLEN--TALK ABOUT DISEMBODIED SPIRITS--THE MYSTERY DEEPENS--PROBABLE CONJECTURE BAFFLED--VISIT TO MR. GARRETSON'S HOUSE--MRS. GARRETSON, A BEAUTIFUL AND CULTIVATED OLD LADY--WE SEARCH THE HOUSE--AN ATTIC FULL OF OLD SOUVENIRS--WE LINGER AMONG THEM--MR. GARRETSON'S DAUGHTER IS CONVINCED THAT DISEMBODIED SPIRITS ARE THEIR TORMENTORS--SHE PUTS AN UNANSWERABLE QUESTION--A DANGEROUS DOG AND THE SPIRITS--TEDIOUS AND UNAVAILING WATCHING FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND NIGHTS--THE "SPIRITS" AGAIN AT WORK--RE-CALLED--THE MYSTERY GROWS MORE WONDERFUL--THE "SPIRIT" DISCOVERED AND THE MYSTERY UNRAVELLED--THE FAMILY SENT AWAY--THE ATTIC RE-VISITED WITH MR. G. AND ITS TREASURES REVEALED--A RE-DISCOVERY OF THE "SPIRITS"--THE FAMILY REVIEW THEIR LONG-LOST TREASURES FOUND--REFLECTIONS ON THE CAUSES OF THE MYSTERY--A PROBLEM FOR THE DOCTORS.