, 1861-01-03

no attention to the anxious whispers Of the sub
agent. .....
There seemed to be nothing remarkable about
the room when VIC had first entered It. II was
a trife larger than the other chambers Of the
house, and the furniture was Of more antique
pattern, especially the high posted bedstead.
| 81 think this will answer" said, alter sur
veying the apartment and belongings
"Will You lodge here tonight, Monsieurp
"Certainly; the room suits me in every par.
ticular.'
II the dark .browed host had entertained any
suspicious Of my intentions, they were certainly
by this time entirely dissipated; and he left the
room have no doubt gratiHed in the depths
Of his black heart that another victim was to
iall SO easily into his trap.
"You are determined on this step, perceive
N. Berret said, after he had gone. swell, l
will not attempt to dissuade you since ! know
you cannot be moved, but promise you, should
you be missing in the morning, will burn the
old rookery to the ground, and hang the villain
Gus inn-keeper upon his sign post, so surely as
| shall myself live till then." ai
"Take whatever steps you please when you
find me missing, N. Berret-until then leave the
matter in nv hands. But there is one material
service which you must not fail to render me-
You will, IL you please. conceal yourself with
two or three trusty men in tue room next 10
this which occupied last night, and there await
my signal When you hear from me, ycu will
instantly rush in, and assist me to secure who
ever you may find here" 7b
These arrangements were at the proper time
put fully into operation. As evening drew near,
saw that the sub-agcnt and his allies were pro-
perly secreted, and, first erjoining vigilance upon
| them, entered the mysterious and fatal cham.
ber. The lamp which i carried served TO re-
veal every part Of it and | quickly became
aware that there was nothing unusual about the
appearance Of the room. Il was very much
such bed chamber as might be met with in
almost every village inn. Nevertheless, | re-
solved to put no faith in Appearances, and i'm
mediatey l commenced a systematic examina-
ton. ! searched yerywhere-under the bed,
in the closet, and behind the window curtains
but my search, revealed nothing. ! was certain
that no one was hidden in the room, and there
as certainly seemed no place Of ingress save the
door.
Twas beginning to become anxious Irenectcd
that the danger might come from an unexpected
source. ] sat down, and for an hour waited
waited in restless expectancy for the appearance
Of the assassin-but Still waited in vain. Look
W at my watt h, found that Il was near midnight
Ny unaccu toned vigil had wearied me, aud
placing my pistols under the pillow, lay down
upon tie bed without removing my clothes. y
was not long IN discovering that this bed was
Of somewhat singula. conslruction-the fDrina-
ton Of the top being rather concave than other.
wise, and so adjusted that the occupant could
not possibly rcstin tin any other way than upon
his back in the middle. .ffFa rr
Upon his back That seemed rather q sin
gular discovery 70 make just at that moment
Had not every one Of the murdered men been
stabbed through the backl Yes and each one
Of them must have received his death while in
this very bed, just as :
Click-click click 8F AI
Three sharp distinct sounds apparently close
at hand, Interrupted my rehectious. l knew
their meaning in an instant these sounds need
no interpreter. arose quickly and silently, and
graspirg my pistols awaited the next movement
Of the unseen assassin.
Click, click. That noise again, and now the
crcaking oi hinge. Next there was q shutting
sound, which made me aware that there was
man under the bed, aud the next nionient saw
the blade Of a dagger driven up through the
nattrass, in the very place whsre I had been
lying gave a low groan, which was answered
by chuckle from beneath the bed. y
=, !" An easy death Now for the spoil, !" Iheard
At the same instant the head and shoulders
Of the intl.kecper were thrust out from the bed
hangings. Covering bin with the muzzle Of
my pistol, l said-s IS a. h,g.r.ia
"Come forth, sir, and deliver yourself ur.
| YOnr Innocent guest Is no other than detective
officer. DO not attemptto escape; shall GER
tainly fire II you doIr
But be did try, and speedily sent pistol
ball after him. The report was succeeded by q
deep er,ian, and Instantly N. Bertet aud bis as
sstanls rushed IL. A hasty search dseoYer,d
the landlord under the bed, wsltering in his
blood, and the hostler was seized bciare he had
/ 80, az ernf in
wall, through which he attempted to escape. =.
This panel, as short starch disclosed 70 Us
opened directly into hollow partition, which
communicated with lower room. BY means Of
this strange contrivance, the assassins had al
ways been able to enter this particular chamber
at any time, and once through the pannel with
out having disturbed the unsuspecting sleeper.
their work was easily done. This bed was, as !
have said, constructed in such manner that q
sleeper could maintain only one position in u a
hole had been worked for the passage Of the
dagger, for powerful thrust had been in every
instance enough TO translix the heart Of the vic
tim. Aher rifing the body Of everything val
liable, the murdercrs were accustomed to carry
il out into the darkness Of the night, aud leave
il in one Of the public streets Of the town Aud
so BdrOitly had this galne been played, that no
suspicion had attached to the real criminals.
The inn-keeper recovered from the wound
which gave him. but il was only, together with
his partner in guilt, the hostler, to receive one
Of much more serious character from the
hands Of the cxccutiOuer. s-teFrr
Jones was riding up in Westchester. county
New York, and saw board nailed up on post
in the yard Of a farm house, with the sign paint
cd on IT, This hrm for sail" Always ready
for little pleasantly. and seeinga woman in 9
checked sun-bOnnet, picking up an aproniul ol
chips at a wood-pi in f. mt oi the house, he
stopped and asked her, very politely, when the
larm was a. sail. She went on with her work,
but replied to his question inslantcr "Just as
sonn as m. man comes along that can raise the