The Van Buren press., 1874-07-28

uau bctiI tWeiNo VI e"0 ""S'
/ men in town
This is all he told me:
, He was smothered, that man was; so
were the other two. Men don't smother
themselves. We made it inscrutable
Providence t'other time. We make 1t
murder this time. That there watch, you
know
Thus, without any new light, went
home and formed my plans. There was
but one way in which to penetrate the
mystery. must enter the house; must
see the people there; must penetrate 70
the room in which these men had died so
suddenly, and must not be known in
my real character. That Madame Mat
teau was innocent / fully believed, but
that some one beneath her roof was gull
ty made no doubt 1t might be the Ii
brarian, Mr.. Bassford, whose key fitted
the cad mans door. 1t was pessible--
but no, | would not harbor mad super
stiton There could be no supernatural
power beneath which human beings
dreoped and died Death as it came to
us was mystery enough What had been
said to me by q woman, who would have
been Spiritualst had she lived to-day,
was mere absurdity
IL believe that there is some horrible
unseen thing in the room, she had said,
"some awful, shapeless spirit, that when
it is locked in with its victim murders
I him Let others believe what they will,
believe that.
The words haunted me, but | laughed
at them, Of course. Whatever 1t was, /
would try to know.
AT dusk that day went into my bed
room myself came out a strange man
! wore a white wig, pair Of green gog
giles, and an ovcrcoat, the tail of which
reached to my heels had q muller
about my throat, and little haunch on
one of nv shoulders carried thick
cane, and stopped a great deal as |
walked In my hand carried carpet
bag, and in my bosom a pair of pistols
well loaded
AS passed out into the street the ear.
~ moon was just rising she lit me on
my way to the door OF Madame Matteau' $
house.
1t was opened for me, when knocked,
by old Hannah Her eyes were red and
swollen. Then | told her that | was a
stranger, and had received Madame Mat
teaus address from a gentleman in New
York, and desired to stay under her roof
all night
She shook her head. 81 don't think
you can. she had. "The lady is away
from home Besides we are in trouble
here. | don't think Miss Gabrielle
would d"
But here Miss Gabrielle herself ap
peared.
81 am an old man, miss, said, "and
as you see, quite nfrm. dread another
step ! should take it as a kindness {
you would accommodate me, and | will
pay any price you ask. f"
Miss Gabrielle looked at Hannah.
1--WE have only one room, she said
4" and that"
| ended the question Of my stay by
begging to be taken to it.
"You will have supper, sirg' asked
the girl,
But ! declared that | had eaten, and
only wanted rested
| her reply was
Hannah, show the gentleman to the
blue room, and make fire "
! was in the blue room, the scene of
the three sudden deaths or murders. 1t
was a small apartment, painted blue. 1t
had also blue window curtains, and
blue silk coverlet on the bed; neat
striped carpet, set Of old mahogany
furniture, and very handsome'ewer and
basin Of costly China II was at the
time almost universal custom to burn
wood. In this room, however, was a
small coal fire alluded to this as Han
nah came in with the scuttle.
"Yes, SIR" she said, "missus does
burn Goals. Her son is n clerk. or the
like, at the new mines at Mauch Chunk,
and be sends it cheap to her; but it's n
nasty, dirty smelling thing, and hate it,
Now it's built and lit; twill warm up in
fifteen minutes. 1t takes longer than
wood.
She went out Of the door and came
back in u minute with a little tray on
which stood a pot and cup and saucer,
also a bowl and tiny pitcher, and some
thing in napkin.
miss sent bit and sip" said she.
Tea rests us old folks nightly. Good
night.
Good night" said. 81 expect |
shall sleep SOON ! must be up very ear
", though, for have bills to pay.
have some hundreds OF dollars with me
o pay out to morrow, and it's in this
bag
She looked at me in queer sort OF a
way. and fingered beside me. At last
she spoke:
LOOK We, sir | think that old folks
Of your age do wrong to lock doors on
themselves. You might be i'll at night,
and who'd get in to you? Leave your
door unlocked.
Was it this woman's practice to beg
travellers who stopped with her mistress
not to lock the door? Was there some
bancful potion in the cup she had given
me?
1t was an innocent looking cup enough
an old fashioned affair, covered with
little gilt sprigs The tea was fragrant
Hyson; but the suspicion that had crept
into my mind had tainted it ! ianced
strange color, curious smeh. put
it from mo, and would not have tasted it
for n Kingdom
had not intended to sleep, and did
not undress myself. | merely removed
| 4 Il al. h ,h a.,