The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-08-17

the candle was still burning The per
son at the door would knoo that some
one was within. .-
Again rattle of the latch, and this
time violent shaking of the door.
LET me in, sayr' Numbered the
voice. .E. r.#E'ttEa.
No answer--nothing but silence.
A heavy kick at the door, that resound.
ed all through the room.
"lf you don't let me in, I'll break the
door down !"
The man within was terrified exceed
ingly, and as fear began to get control, he
thought only Of policy and escape. He
would spring behind the door, and when
the stranger effected his entrance, he would
himself rush out, and so escape down
stairs.
Another kick upon the door, more vio-
lent than before.
The victim sprang across the floor and
tremblingly stationed himself where he
should be ready when the opportune mo-
ment came.
He could feel the insecure barrier Weld
before the steady push of that stout shout
der. He could hear il crack-erack. It
gave way. The bolt slipped from the
lock, bent nearly double. Slowly-slow
ly, and now faster, faster, faster-it came
with a crash
lie thought Of the light--why had he
not put that outl But it was too late
now.
a stout man camo tumbling in, and
holding on lay the handle Of the latch, was
wiIirted round so as exactly TO confront
the terrified prisoner face to face.
lie seized him mt once by the collar.
"What are We dom here2' he gr"ffly
demanded.
The poor man was too much under the
influence Of terror to reply. He only stood
and tremblcd. ...
Louisa J" called the new conner, looking
into the farther part Of the room.
No answer.
Still holding on upon his victim, he
walked slowly with him across the floor IN
the direction Of the bed.
"Murder! murder"
The cry escaped from his lips the mo.
ment that bloody spectacle presented it.
self.
Murder murler.' he cried again.
There was at once to be heard an oren-
ing OF doors, and tramp of feet in the
entries and on the stairs, and buzz of
voices. The cry had thoroughly alarmed
the whole house. f#
II did not do it !" was all the victim had
self-possession enough to say. .s
They came crowding and swarming
into the apartment-mcn, women and
Children. The room, was Instantly full
As soon as they saw what had been done,
wild shrek seemed to escape from the
lips Of all at the same moment. Even
that multitude stood appalled, with an
offence of such enormity. f--
Kill him Hill him = cried some in the
wildness Of their moneutary passion.
Throw hipout of the window !" cried
others. ... .... ........
And still the cry resounded through the
house and out in the narrow street. 1t
seemed to choke up the alley with its
dreadful sound.
~ Officers were soon at hand, who took
the man charged with the crime away to
prison. There, in the silence and dark
ness Of his cell. he was left alone, to reflect
on the singular event Of the night, and
how he might release himself from the
web that had been woven so artfully about
him.
When he was taken the next day be.
fore the magistrate, he found great crowd
ready to look on such monster Of wick
edness. He was asked il he had anything
to say in explanation Of the crime.
He paused, sta,nmered, lost courage,
aud felt overwhelmed. He almost fell
willing to let the whole matter 90 against
him, so dark were all the circumstances.
Then selfpossession came back again,
and he spoke.
He told them 0s ths manner iii which
be had been thoughtlessly entrspped into
this net, from beginning TO end; Of the
strange woman who came up TO him in
the street at evening, begging for charity
and assistance; Of his protest, and then
OF his sudden and impulsiye sympathy oi
his consenting TO go with her to the place
where he hoped to alleviate such deer
distress; Of his entering the room, and
her abrupt departure-her locking the
door, and drawing out the key; of hi.
overwhelming confusion and fear when he
ma le the awful discovery that awaited
him on the bloody bed /; of bis after re
Elections and plans Of escape, and ten thou
sand terrors such as no man ever had be-
fore; and finally Of his foolishly planning
sudden escape, and being caught by tho
one who he least hoped would End him.
The story was very strange one, and
excited much comment; particularly wa,
his cunning discussed. People though,
that such tale, if not true, was the very
shrewdest of devices.
There was general inquiry for this wo
man, whose artfulness had 30 completely
shielded her. Who was she i--whers
was shei Was there any one living nea,
the murdered person who was known L
bear her such enmityi Had any such
woman been seen about che place J
He was asked to describe her dsess.-
AZ iar - his confused memory helped him