The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-07-27

rs II Oy instinct, precisely upon the dam
ned spot. And now-have / not told you
that what you mistake for madness is but
over acutensss of the senses now, say,
there came to my ears a low, dull, quick
sound, such as a watch makes when en-
veleped in cotton. | knew that sound
WELL too. 1t was the beating of the old
mans heart. 1t increased my fury, as the
beating of a drum stimulates the soldier
into courage.
But even yet refrained and kept still.
hardly breatbed. | held the lantern
motionless. | tried how steadily could
maintain the ray upon the eve. Mean
time the helli,h tattoo of the heart in.
creased; it grew quicker and quicker, and
louder and louder every instant. The old
mans terror must have been extreme Ii
grew louder, | say, louder every moment.
do you mark me we'll -..#
| have told you that [ am nervous SO
J. am. And now, at the dead hour of
night, amid the dreadful silence of that old
house, so strange a noise as this excited
me to uncomfortable terror. Yet, for
some minutes longer refrained and stood
still. But the beating grew louder, loud
er. | thought the heart must burst And
now new anxiety seized me; the souml
would be heard by neighbor. The Oil
mans hour had come With loud yell
threw open the lantsrn and leaped into
the room. Ha shieked once-onoe only
In an instant | dragged him to the floor,
and pulled the heavy bed over him. l
then smiled gaily to find the deed so far
done. But for many minutes the heart
beat on with mufied sound. This, how
ever, did not vex me; it would not be
heard through the wall. At length it
ceased. The old man was dead. re-
moved the bed and examined the corpse.
Yes, he was stone, stone dead. | placed
my hand upon the heart and held it there
many minutes. There was no pulsation
he was stone dead. His eye would troub-
le me no more,
If you still think me mad, you will
Think SO no longer. when descIibe the
wise precautions l took for the conceal
ment of the body. The night waned, and
| worked hastily but in silence. First of
all dismembered the corpse. I cut off
the head and the arms and the legs. l
then took up three planks from the floor-
ing Of the chamber, and deposited all be-
tween the scantlings. | then replaced the
boards so clevery, so cunnngly, that no
human eye-not even Ais-could have de-
tected anything wrong. There was moth
ing to wash out-no stain of any kind no
blood spot whatever. had been too va.
ry for that. A tub had can ,ht all-ha, ha !,
When had made an end of these la
bors it was four o'cIock-sti!I dark as mid
night. AS the bell sounded the hour,
there came knocking at the street door.
| went down to opsn it, with Light heart
for what had now to fear, There en-
tered three men, who introduced them
selves with perfect suavitv, as officers of
the police. A shrek had been heard bv
a neighbor during the night; suspicion of
foul play had been aroused information
had been lodged at the police office, and
they (the otiicers) had been deputed to
search the premises. Ha.. 7-..}
| smiled-for what had / to fear! /
bade the gentemen welcome. The shrek
| said, was my own in u dream. The old
man, mentioned, was absent in the coun-
try | took my visitors all over the house.
| bade them search--search aceH He'd
them at length to has chamber. showed
them his treasures, secure, undlsturbed.--
In the enthusiasm Of my confidence |
brought chairs into the room, and desired
them here to rest from their fatigues, while
| myself, in the wild auiacity my per-
feet triumph, placed my own seat upon the
very spot beneath which reposed the corpse
of the victim
The officers were satisfied Nv manner
had convinced them. was sngulariy at
ease. They sat, and while | answ cred
cheerily, they chatted of familiar things.
But ere long, | felt myself gettirg pale,
and wished them gone. Ny head aohed.
and | fanGied a ringing in my ears; but
still they sat aud still chatted. The ring,
ing became more distinct :; | talked more
freely to get rid Of the feeling, but it con
tinued and gained definiteness-until, at
length, | found that the noise was not
within my ears. "a. se....,,.., -
No doubt | now grew very pale but |
talked more tluent:y and with a beighten-
ed voice. Yet the sound increased-anl
what could dol 1t was a tow, duH, guick
s0und-much such sound as a sDatch
makes ,chen enOeloped in cotton. / sasped
for breath, and yet the, officers heard it
not. | talked more quickly, more vehe,
nently; but tho noise steadily increased.
| arose and argued abo;it trifes, in a high
key and with violent gesticuIa,ions but
the noise steadily increased. Why qrouW
they not be gomez I paced the floor to
and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to
fury 10y .he observations of the men--but
the noise steadily increased. Oh, God
whot could do? | foamed, I raved, l
swore. swung the chair upon Which I
had been sitting, and grated it upon the
boards but the noise arose over all, aud
continually increasec. 1t grew louder,
loudsr-louder And still the men chat
ted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it posi-
bic they heard it notl Almighty Cod
no, no! They heard.-they suspected =
they hne" they were making a mockery
Of my horror This | thought, and tliisI
think. But anything was better than thh,
agony; anything was more tolerabls than
this derision | coulI hoar thosa hyr.