The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-08-21

before; but he must have been asleep
already, for he made no answer, So
l kept it for the night, and wore it
down to breakfast next morning. AS
/ came down l met gentleman in
the hall He inquired for Mr.. Glenn.
That was the newcomers name. l
sent Hannah to wake him. She
could not do so, and grew alarmed.
She had a key that would open the
door. and used it. The next thing l
knew we were all in the room and the
windows were all wide open, and the
doctor had been sent for; and the
young man who had called was
screaming that his brother had been
choked to death; and then there was
the inquest, and they arrested me-
The brother said the first thing he
noticed was that l wore Mr., Glenn's
watch and seals. l had forgotten it
in my terror.
$50 Hannah had a key to the
room?" l said.
eyes; at least it was key that
would open it. 1t was the key to
Mr.. Bassford's door. She knocked
the other out with stick and put
that in.
"Ihe people who were there on
that night were your boarders when
the other men were found deadY' l
asked.
"Oh, yes"
"Aunt Hannah was there also?"
"All my married life Hannah has
lived with me.
"Your daughter oversees your
househould in your absence?"
eyes, poor child, with Hannah's
help"
l thought little while.
"Madame," l said, "there is some
strange mystery in this affair. l DO
not despair of proving to all the
world your entire innocence. Mean
willie be as calm as possible, and en-
deayor to remember everything con-
nected with the sudden deaths that
have occurred in your house, The
incident that seems he least impor-
tant may really he Of the most i'm
mense value"
So lett and went home. Strange
enoaoh. ON the way [ met the doctor
who had been called in. He was a
dull, heavy sort OF person, consld-
erably given to beer-drinking, and
my opinion OF his ability was not
very great However, 1 questioned
him ON the subject, and he replied
"Wel, you ser, l don't say the ole
woman murdered him. Ii she did,
should say it was by sitting on him
him, OF smotheling him with thu
holsters l suppose the cause OF hi
death was asphyxia. Well, then
what is asphxia? Why, too littl'
breath to keep one living. He die
because he was short OF breath.
wash my hands of the matter. Onl.
there's the watch; that looks dark.
l had learned nothing from thu
doctor. The Coroner lived near me
His jury had been twelve of the mos
ignorant men in town.
This is all he told me:
"He was smothered, that man; 81
were the other two. Men don
smother themselves. We made
inscrutable Providence t'other time
We make it murder this time. Iha
there watch, you know"
Thus, without any new light,
went home and formed my plans.
There was but one way in which t
pene rate the mystery. l must ente
the house; I must see the peopl
/, there; I must penetrate to the rool
in which these men had died so sue
, denly, and must not be known i
my real character. That Madam
Matteau was innocent l fully b'
lieved, but that some one beneat
her roof was guilty I made no doub
1t might be the librarian, Mr.. Bas
' ford, whose key fitted the dead man
? door. Ii was possible-but no,
, would not harbor mad superstition
| There could be no supernatural pov
er beneath which human being
n drooned and died. Death as it can
to us was mystery enough. VIII
had been said to me by womal
r who would have been Spiritual
had she lived to-day, was a mere a
e surdity.
: 81 believe that there is some ho
A rible unseen thing in the room, " 81
t had said, "some awful, shapele
- spirit, that when it is locked in wi
| its victim it marders him. l.
( others believe what they will, l b
d lieve that"
The words haunted me, but
0 laughed at them, of course. Wha
: ever it was, 1 would try to know.
At dusk that day l went into L
I bedroom myself. l came out
strange man. l wore a white wig,
4 pair Of green goggles, and an owe
coat, the tail Of which reached to q
Y heels. had a mullier about n
4 throat, and little haunch on one
! nv shoulders. l carried & thi
r cane, and stopped a great deal as
.e walked. In my hand l carried
a carpet-bag, and in my bosom pi
Ie OF pistols well loaded.
r As passed out into the street t
| early moon was just rising; she
3. me on my way to the door OF Ma
n ame Muateau's house.
It It was opened for me, when
W knocked, by old Hannah. Her ey
we're red and swollen. Thon | u
D her that l was a stranger, and h
I received Madame Matteau's addr'
?. from a gentleman in Now York, a
+ desired to stay under her roof
1f night.
D. She shook her head, 81 do
Co. think you can" she said. "The Ia
IN is away from home. Besides we {