The mountain Democrat., 1865-08-26
The Double-Bedded ROOn 8
A TRAGEDY.

ana atten0 flal which vas then before
the c,iDiDas 'rSsSz.., = " ><SsS IN session
! reached the place late in the evening,
after hard days journey, and found that
the only hotel in the village Was full, with
the exception Of one bed in double bed
ded room.
"The other bed is occupied by a gen.
tleman from New York." said the land
lord, and a. an inducement for me 10 help
on the profits OF the house, he added, che
is neither rogue nor q cut. throat judg.
ing from bis appearance. They never
have any such characters up there in Go
than. Of course you'll not have any
scrupIes about sleeping in the same room
with one Of your own townsmen."
As | had nothing about me to tempt
even = third rate thief, and had never
given any Of my fellow men sufficient
reason for severing my jugular in the
dark, ! decided to take the bed in ques-
tion, and soon after retired TO my room.
My fellow traveller was already in bed
and apparently as eep, with his face turn.
I'd towards rne. II was that Of mild.
looking man Of Thirty five, OF . sandy
complexion, With a hungry look. AS |
ran my eye along his outline under thr
brdclotheS, ! did wish that he had heen
fntter, for in one respect am hike Caesar,
| rrefer fat men about me when there is
anything like prospective danger. There
was nothing in his physiOgnomy, howev
er, that led me to suspect him as given
to deeds ot darkness, so ensconsed my
self in bed, and with my last thoughts up
on dear MIS-. Jones, was soon as uncon.
SciOus as ore Of the seven seepprs.
A little past midnight | was awakened
by voice from my neighbours b,d. |
listened. He was muttering something
in his sleep.
"Oh, Mary, how can you cast me of,
he went on, in the pleading tone Of dis.
tracted lover "How can you forg, the
| love that has followed YOU for so many
years, and never turued from you in your
miSfn' tune when you stood alone in the
worl1!"
Then came n pause, after which he
continued with more uoving tones than
before:
"Say not sn, say not so. Before ne
with lis wealth crossed your path. we
were happy in each other, and why should
now be cast off after yor have sworn bv
all that is high and good that you would
he mine? All! Mary, if you reject me
my soul will be given up to some dark
deed that will DESTROY US both. | shal,
have faith neither in God nor woman to
restrain ME.
"Then You turn n deaf ear to my last
PRAYER! You have chosen yonr own fate,
and mark my word, you shall never mar
ry him !"
The mind Of the sleeper seemed to have
become cain and his dreams undSturbrd
MS soon as he had given uttcrance to these
last woldS.
Tie doesn't sleep well, thought I. II"
Is going through with the romantic part
Of lie. He has taken the disease at an
nntimelv age; it goes hard with him. -
Aud as remembered had had just such
tossing the present Mrs. Jones, was not
EARNED by my neishtor's oninouS ex
pirS>innS.
thought no more about the matter till
saw e man in ceurt the next day
The case was that Of n young man on tri-
al for the murder Of a Young woman To
" HON he had been betrO,hed. The
ground Of his arrest WAS. that on the
isht Of the murder in her own fathers
house, he was the last person known to
be with her. She had lived for several
years in New York city, and it was re.
ported that she there made the acQuaint
ancc Of penIilrSs Young man, to whom
she was engaged to be married and that
she bad broken her engagement with him
him for more wealthy rival, whom she
met on her return home.
AS | listened to the proceedings Of the
court, ! E0riced that my fellow lodge.
=. eInvd to take more Uf an Interest H.
them than would be expected in an ordi
nary spectator. then brRan t. think
whether there could he any connection
between this crme and what heard him
saying in his sleep during the preceding
night. 1t was o striking coincidence that
young woman. He had seemed to BE-
pressing his claims as more binding than
those Of later and wealthy lover. His
thread bare suit and general makeup,
SHOW cd that h. might personate the poor
lover. Mureovtr,hr was from New York,
and seemed 10 have no particular bust
ness, except to hang about the court.
room and note the proceedings.
kept my thoughts to myself, howPv'
er, and watched for further developments.
That night went To bed first Nv
strange friend came up after | was appa.
rcntly asleep. lie seemed wholly nnc"n
ScinuS Of nv presence. He placed his
candle Oa a table near his bed, and hogan
to examine some papers which he pulled
from the breast pocket of his secdy coat.
Occasionally he would rise and pace back
and fnrth, as if there was some burden on
his soul.
"Yes, it must he So" be- muttered.-
"There is no other way for it. A man
driven on by such passion as May IN.
spired, is not master Of himself though
close upon the horrid deed may follow
black remorse. But I'll to bed and bidc
the morrow's events; Gnd then, If see
no other way, I'll do it "
What was il that he was to do?
could only speculate. That it was con.
nected with the trial, could not doubt
1t seemed plain that he was n some way
connected With the murder. Perhaps be
was the real murderer, and, driven by =
guilty conscience, was awaiting the ac'
ton Of the court before making full con-
fession Of the crime.
The next day attended court as be.
fore. My strange friend was there, and
seemed scarcely less interested than'the
prisoner at the bar. | watched him at
tentively.
Later in the afternoon, as Twas riding
through the outskirts Of the village over
desOlate looking spot, passed him pa:
cling slowly alorg with his hands behind
= -. l. lLaa ka Al