The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-07-18


supper afterward. He talked long time
to Gabrielle. 1t was late when he retired
late for quiet household Hannah
had made his fire. She came and told us
that she had done SO. He said good
night.
ssAfter he had gonewe found that he had
left his watch on the table. He wore it
only with a bunch of seals, and he had
been setting it by the clock, and showingit
to us as something very handsome. l
knocked al the door to restore it to him.
He had not left us but fifteen minutes be-
fore; but he must have been asleep al
ready, for he made no answer. So kept
t for the night, and wore it down to
breakfast next morning. As Icame down
| met gentleman in the hall. He in
quired for Mr.. Glenn. That was the new
comer's name. | 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
know we were all in the room and the
windows were all wide open, and the doc
tor 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
ms. The brother said the first thing he
noticed was that wore Mr.. Glenn's watch
and seals. | had forgotten it in my
terror.
$50 Hannah had key to the room ?"
said.
Yes; at least it was key that would
open it. 1t was the key to Mr.. Bassford's S
door. She knocked the other out with a
stick and put that in"
s'The people who were there ON that
night were your boarders when the other
+ rod
/ "Oh, yes.''
| "Aunt Hannah was there also?''
"All my married life Hannah has lived
with me-"
Your daughter oversees your house
hold in your absence? p
Yes, poor child, with Hannah's help"
| [ thought a little while.
Madame" | said, ''there is some
strange mystery in this affair. / do not
| despair of proving to all the world your
entire innocence. Meanwhile be as calm
| as possible. and endeavor to remember ev-
erything connected with the sudden
deaths that have occurred in your house.
The incident that seems the least impor-
tant may really be of the most immense
| value.'
So | left and went home. Strange
enough, on the way met the doctor who
|
sort of a person, considerably given to
beer-drlnking, and my opinion of his abili-
1 ty was not very great. However, ques
/ toned him on the subject, and he re-
piled:
"Well, you see, don't say the old wo-
man murdered him. If she did, should
say it was by sitting on him, or smother
| ing him with the holsters. | suppose the
cause of his death was asphyxia. Well,
then, what is asphyxia? Why, too little
breath to keep one living. He died be-
/ cause he was short of breath. wash nay
hands of that matter. Only there's the
watch; that looks dark
i had learned nothing from the doctor.
The Coroner lived near me. His jury had
been twelve of the most ignorant men in
/ town.
1his is all he told me:
4 He was smothered. that man was sc
were the other two. Men don't smother
themselves. We made it inscrutable
Providence t'other time. We make il
murder this time. That there watch. you
i know.n
Thus, without any new light, l went
home and formed my plans. There was
but one way in which to penetrate the
4 mystery. / must enter the house; | mus
see the people there must penetrate tt
the room in which these men had died 81
suddenly, and must not be known in my
real character. That Madame MatteaI
was innocent I fully Believed, but tina
some one beneath her roof was guilty
made no doubt. 1t might be the librarian
Mr.. Bassford, whose key fitted the deat
mans door. 1t was possible-but no,
: would not harbor a mad superstition
There could be no supernatural power be
meath which human beings dropped ant
died. Death as it came to us was mys
terry enough. What had been said to m
by a woman, who would have been Spir
itualist had she lived to-day, was mer
absurdity.
81 believe that there is some horrible un
seen thing in the room," she had said
s'some awful, shapeless spirit, that whel
it is locked in with its victim murders him
Let others believe what they will believ
, that"
The words haunted me, but laughed a
them. of course. Whatever it was, IwOul
try to know.
AT dusk that day went into my bed
) room myself. | came out a strange man
J wore white wig, pair of green goggles
} and an .overcoat, the tail of which reache
to my heels. l had muff1er about m
throat, and little hauneh on one OF m
shoulders. I carried thick cane, an
stopped great deal as l walked. In m
hand | carried a carpet-bag, and in m
bosom pair of pistols well loaded.
AS I passed out into the street tn
early neon was just rising; she lit me O
my way to the door of Madame Matteau
house.
1t was opened for me, when | knocked
bv old Hannah. Her eyes were red an
| swollen. Then told her that was
stranger, and had received Madame Ma
I teau's address from gentleman in Me-
{ York, and desired to stay under her rot
i all night.
She shook her head. II don't thin
YOU can," she said. ''The lady is ava
from home. Besides we are in troubl
J here. I don't think Miss Gabriel
would
But here Miss Gabrielle herself appeared
Il am an old man, miss" said, ant
as you see, quite infrm. / dread anothe
) step. / should take it as kindness If 20