THE STORY HUNTER [Illustration: “Into the mouthpiece of the machine I spoke, asking, ‘Do you hear me?’”--_p. 21._] THE STORY HUNTER OR TALES OF THE WEIRD AND WILD BY ERNEST R. SUFFLING _Author of “Afloat in a Gipsy Van,” “Jethou, or Crusoe Life in the Channel Islands,” “Life on the Broads,” etc._ _ILLUSTRATED BY PAUL HARDY_ [Illustration] LONDON JARROLD & SONS, 10 AND 11, WARWICK LANE, E.C. [_All Rights Reserved_] 1896 PREFACE. A year or two since, when I wrote _Jethou; or Crusoe Life in the Channel Isles_, I received a large number of press reviews and criticisms, all but two of which were of a very satisfactory and encouraging tone, and spoke so flatteringly of my future career as a writer of fiction, as to cause a blush--perhaps of modesty--perhaps of hope--to suffuse my lily cheek. One of the adverse critics, who must have been troubled with liver complaint in some form, took a pessimistic view of my work, doubting the facts contained in the book, and--in a literary sense--running amuck with the fictional portions. But, as he unwittingly helped the sale of the first edition of _Jethou_, I thank the wielder of this biting pen. The other detractor found no particular fault with the book, but thought the writer somewhat _lacking in high invention_, _i.e._, in imaginative power. Of course few persons see their own faults, and I had never even dreamed that I had any lack of inventive power. But now that my deficiency has been suggested to me by the critic of London’s leading daily newspaper, I venture to place the present volume before the public as an effort towards the vindication of my imaginative power, and with the earnest hope that something may be found in it of sufficient interest to repay the reader for the time spent in its perusal. E. R. SUFFLING. _Blomfield Lodge, Portsdown Road, London, W._ CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION--A HYPNOTIST ON WHEELS 9 I. THE STRANGE DISCOVERY OF DOCTOR NOSIDY 15 II. TWO RUINED TOWERS 36 III. A STRANGE RESURRECTION 64 IV. A VISITOR FROM MARS 87 V. BARBE ROUGE 105 VI. ROBIN HOOD IN WINTER 124 VII. ECCLES OLD TOWER 144 VIII. THE MONK’S PENANCE 161 IX. DOCTOR ANGUS SINCLAIR 184 X. THE PHANTOM RIDERS 211 THE STORY HUNTER. INTRODUCTION. A HYPNOTIST ON WHEELS.