Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1858-07-23

tended his mopstrous hand to take them.
"No, sir" | replied, with a heavy
frown gathering or my brow.
Il have very safe place to keep
them," he rejoined, while his blood-shot
eyes stabbed me to the heart.
No doubt" said | with a meaning
nod, "but l would prefer. taking them
with me-"
This conclusion was received rather
coolly, ane as | was preparing to leave
the room, one of the men espied the
handle of my revolver protruding from
beneath my coat.
Hello, strangerm he exclaimed in a
quick tone, slet's sec that ore pistol, will
YOU" So sudden had been the demand
and in such seeming innocent curiosity,
that put my hand back to give it to
him. But second thought decided me,
and | replied that sit was no great curl
osity, and | would show it to him in the
morning"
BY this time the men had gathered
around me, and seeing things looked ra-
Their peculiar, backed myself through
the door, followed by the host. When
the door was closed, | could hear loud
murmuring, and an oath or two, uttered
in vehement tones.
The landlord hurried me up feeble
pair of stairs, and few yards from the
landing, pushed open door, and babe
me enter. ! glazed around the apart
ment, and showed i.y ny action, that
| was dissatisfied with its appearance.
" 1t is the best | can 60 for you, stran-
ger" said he, land you needn't be afraid
of the fellows down stairs, they won't
hurt anybody"
Z" shall not be alarmed" L replied,
as he closed the door and descended the
steps. L was somewhat annoyed at the
appearance of things, and determined to
place myself in the best possible position
of defence. | examined my quarters
closely, and found the door had no fast
ening whatever, nor was anything con-
venient with which it could be secured.
Determined not to be bafled, I tore a
strip of board from tho wall, and with
my knife cut piece sufficiently long to
make a brace from the lower clete of the
door to the floor Then with my pocket
knife ! bored holes in tho casing at the
upper end and drawing several nails from
the wall | drove them in with The handle
of my large knife
Having examined the walls. and appre-
bending no treachery from them, ! Sc
cured the window, and then turned my
attention to the foos. Beneath the he'd
| discovered trap door, and its discov
cry made my hair stand on end. found
that it opened downward and the posi-
bility of securing it strongly seemed
hopeless.
Once ! thought of removing the bed,
and then watching, as a trapper does a
hole in the ice for his game. But chat
would not do, for should ! successfully
repulse the first intruder-for | no Ion :
ger had any doubt of being in Rob-
bers' Roost-I would leave a hole open
which would expose me to their fire
AT length a plan came to my relief,
moved the bed from over the door, and
taking the clothes off, / threw the chafT
bed over the suspected trap. But, oh !!
horror what discovery / made. The
bed was saturated with blood, and in
many places hard from the gore which
had dried in it.
Having thus fortified myself, / took a
seat on one end of my bed, with my
saddle-bags close by me, my knife in
one hand, and my revolver in the other,
and my ammunition convenient in case |
should need it. / blew out my light,
and in the darkness awaited the denoue-
ment of the plot. How long / had wal
ted ] could not tell, but in spite of my
perilous situation, my eyes grew weary,
and | was almost overcome with sleep.
But an easy movement of the bed aroused
all my perceptive faculties, and in an
instant j was awake. 1t moved several
times easily, and then all became quiet.
listened few moments, but could hear
nothing. Presently faint whisper
from the next room came; my eyes fol-
lowed the direction, and / saw small
stream oflight pouring through an open
ing in the partition. / stole softly TO
the spot, and listened for a moment. i
then put my eye to the hole and had a
fair view Of the operations inside.
SO horrible was the sight then be-
held that its recollection will never be
erased from my memory. Hanging
from the bed, and with his head nearly
severed from his body, was an old, grey
headed man, while the purple current
Of life was steadily streaming from the
cash. Ireeled a moment with dizziness,
and was about to withdraw from the
scene, when the door opened very softly,
and person entered. | looked again.
and three Of the men had seen in the
bM-room were standing near the dead
man.
"Wby, Hans" said one, "I thought
you had fixed him by this time"
wen have trouble with that eusto-
mer," said Hans, shaking his head, che
is up to something, he put his bed over
the trap"
"The devil~ they both exclaimed
and looked at each other in surprise.
1--WE must manage him somehow, ("
said Hans, " for he has money, | am
certain of that"
/" Hadn't VIC better tend to that ere
gal first" suggested one.
Yes; the old man is fixed, now for