A fast-moving plot to keep us on our toes. I will be sharing the entire book today at book club and preparing for a chilling live performance later dressed in the black garb of a witch with my cauldron.

the ghostbreaker a novel based upon the play by charles goddard and paul dickey this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org chapter eight the new profession a knock on the door brought them both back to the deck of the maritania with tara firma not so far distant below there he is now she whispered nervously who shall i say you are and what oh any whole thing warren mr warren leave the classification to me self-identification is an american trait she crossed the cabin and after a timid pause opened the door come in she murmured ah i'm intruding exclaimed carlos duke of alva with an intonation which expressed an invitation for warren jarvis to make a graceful exit not at all blankly observed jarvis i've just been discussing my professional task at the castle as a member of the family you can give me some good working material i don't understand spluttered carlos taken aback pardon me cousin this is mr warren of america who has consented to help me my cousin the duke of alva she walked behind the two men comparing them keenly the deadly parallel column was not at all unfavorable to the insouciant kentuckian glad to know you volunteer jarvis have a cigarette i never smoke in the presence of ladies retorted the duke then with a patronizing heir he added i am honored to meet you sir if you are in my royal cousin's employee so you are interested in the castle oh not so much in the castle as in the ghost i'll attend to him and is that your regular profession you're a good guesser my dear duke that is my business solving mysteries locking up family skeletons chasing spooks and putting salt on their tails we have a professional name for it in the united states and what is that sir asked carlos uncertain whether to be affronted or to draw out the strange bird to a confidence a quick glance at his cousin's immobile face gave him no hint jarvis continued amiably we are living in an age of specialists you have dallas heard of farley the strikebreaker of roosevelt the trust breaker i forgot to bring my business cards with me but if i may be so immodest as to tell the truth i am known from bowling green to the golden gate as warren the ghost breaker this astounding news fairly took the duke off his feet he mentally clawed the air for his equilibrium

ejaculated the duke dropping his sword cane as he recovered from his astonishment the princess interceded i am so glad you came i promised the ghost breaker that you would join us shortly you will be able to tell him so much better than i of all the strange circumstances i have only given him a rough outline of what happened up to the time i left my brother on his way to the castle carlos sank into a chair irritated at the americans disinterested lack of courtesy jarvis had not even risen from his seat on the trunk somehow or other carlos despised that trunk i will be delighted to throw any possible light on the mystery of the castle but first let us leave your brother in peace to let me know why you came to america maria theresa drew the locket from her reticule this is what brought me may i see it and the duke held out his hand ingratiatingly what a charming old antique no carlos rather you may see the lockhead but not the memorandum in the back the duke registered an expression of polite surprise memorandum yes and the princess removed a small bit of paper from the ivory back swinging it forward to her cousin's hand on the long silver chain the nobleman's dark face assumed a ruddier hue as he caught the trinket in fingers which jarvis noticed were trembling in tail-tail manner jarvis watched the two of them in silence it's a curious old piece of work and you came all the...