It's a holiday, and you're visiting your nephew and niece, Hennie and Janet, in their new house on Klipfontein. Not long after you get there, they show you around—the rows of neat houses on either side of the shady streets. The town is surrounded by hills. Leaning against a stone ridge stands a huge, castle-like stone house with turrets and skylights. Some of the windows are boarded up, and others are hidden behind vines and trees. A large dog sits chained in front of the outhouse. You ask your cousin if anyone lives in the big stone house.

"In Burgershof? Are you crazy? The people around here wouldn't live there for any money in the world," Hennie said. call

"The house is said to be cursed," adds Janet. "They say that some people who went in there were never seen alive again. Nobody knows what happened to them."

"You see," says Hennie, "a Mrs. Burger lived there alone with her cat for a long time. She died, and her will stipulated that the cat must stay in the house for the rest of his life. The people said that she cursed the house so that no one would venture near it and disturb the cat."

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"Haven't the police ever gone to see what's going on?" you ask.

"The police did go there, but they only found the ones there," says Hennie. "But there is also talk that Mrs. Burger never died and that she still lives there!"

"What does the caretaker say?" you ask.

"He doesn't say anything," replied Hennie. "Some people say he's crazy. Others say he's just a sullen man. But I think he's also quite scared of the curse, because he never goes into the stone house." "Oh, you're kidding me!" you say.

"Okay then," replied Hennie, "why don't you go yourself?"

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"You see," says Hennie, "a Mrs. Burger lived there alone with her cat for years. She later died, and her will stipulated that the cat must stay in the house for the rest of its life. The people tell me that she cursed the house so that no one would venture near it and disturb the cat."

"Haven't the police ever gone to see what's going on there?" you ask.

"The police did go there, but they only found the cat there," says Hennie. "But there are also rumors that Mrs. Burger never died and that she still lives there!"

"What does the caretaker say?" you ask. "He doesn't say anything," replied Hennie. "Some people say he's crazy. Others say he's just a grumpy old man. But I think he's just as well afraid of the curse, because he never goes into the stone house."

"Oh, you're kidding me!" you say "Okay then," replied Hennie, "why don't you go and see for yourself?"