The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-08-07


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 showing it to us as something
very handsome. I knocked at his door
to restore it to him. He had not left
us but fifteen minutes before; but he
must have been asleep already, for he
made no answer. so kept it for the
night, and wore it down to breakfast
next morning. As I came down I met a
gentleman in the hall. He INQUIRED
for Mr.. Glen. That was the new
comer's name. I sent Hannah to wake
him. She had key that would open
the door, and used it. The next thing
I knew we were all in the room and the
windows were 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 there was the inquest, and they ar
rested me. The brother said the first
! thing to be noticed was that I wore Mr..
Glen's watch and seals. L had forgot
ten it in my terror.
so Hannah had key to the room ?''
I said.
eyes; at least It was a KEY that
would open it. It was the key to Mr..
Bassford's door. She knocked the
| other out with stick and put that in. -
! "The people who were there on that
night were your boarders when the 9th
! er men were found dead, asked.
"Oh, yes =
And Hannah was there also ?"
''All my married life Hannah has
lived with me. )"
'FYour daughter oversees your house
hold in your abseDce?"
yes, poor child, with Hannah's
help"
thought little while.
" Madame" I said, ''there is some
strange mystery in the affair. do not
despair of proving your entire inno-
cencs. Meanwhile, be as calm as pos
sible, and endeavOr to remember every
thing connected with the sudden deaths
that have occurred in your house. The
incident that seems the least important
may really be of the most immense
value"
So I left and went home. Strange
enough, on the way I met the doctor
who had been called In. He was dull,
heavy sort Of a person, considerably
given to beer drinking, and my opinion
OF his ability was not very great. How
ever, 1 questioned him on the subject,
and he replied:
Well, you see, I don't say the old
woman murdered him. If she did, I
should say it was by sitting on him, or
smothering him with the holsters. I
suppose the cause of his death was as
phyxia. Well, then, what is asphyxia
Why, too little breath to keep one liv-
ing. He died because he was short of
breath. I wash my hands on that mat
ter. Only there's the watch that looks
dark
had learned nothing from the doc
tor. The coroner lived near me. His
jury had been twelve of the most ignor-
ant 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 in
scrutable Providence t'other time. We
make it 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. L must enter the house;
l must see the people there; I must
penetrate to the room in which these
men had died so suddenly, and must
not be know in my real character. That
"
lieved, but that some one was guilty I
made no doubt. It might be the libra
rian, Mr.. Bassford, whose key fitted
the dead mans door. It was possible;
but no, I would not harbor a mad sU-
perstition. There could be no super
natural power beneath which human
being dropped and died. Death as it
came to us all was mysterious enough.
What had been said to me by woman,
who would have been a spiTitualist had
she lived to-day, was a mere absudity.
'I believe that there is some horrible
unseen thing in the room" she said,
some awful shapeless spirit, that when
it is locked in with the victim murders
him. Let others believe what they will,
I believe that.
The words haunted me, but I laughed
at them, of course. Whatever 1t was I
would try to know. I had q plan.
At dusk went into my bedroom my
self. ] came out a strange man. I
wore white wig, a pair of green gog-
giles and an Overcoat, the tails of which
reached to my heels. had a mufier
about my throat, and little hunch on
one of nay shoulders. I carried a thick
cane, and stopped a great deal as I
walked. In my hands I carried a car
pet-bag, and in my bosom pair of pis-
tolls, well loaded.
AS I passed out into the street the
early moon was just rising she lit me
on my way to the door of Nine. Mat
teau's house.
Tt was opened for me when knocked,
by old Hannah. Her eyes were red and
swollen. Then I teld her that I was a
stranger, and had received Nine. Mat
teau's address from a gentleman In New
York, and desired to stay al night under
her roof. She shook her head.
''I don't think you can" she said.
''The lady Is away from home. Besides
we are in trouble here. 1 don't think
Miss Gabrielle would"
But here Miss Gabrielle herself ap-
peared.
''I am an old man, miss" said,
" and as you see, quite infrm. I dread
another step. 1 should take it as a
kindness If you would accommodate
me, and viii pay you any price you
ask"
Miss Gabrielle looked at Hannah.
g We have only one room" she said,
g and that
ended the question of my stay by
begging to be taken to it.
'' You will have supper, sir ?" asked
the girl.
But declared that I had eaten, and
only wanted rest.
Her rrply was
s. Hannah, show the gentleman to the
blue room and make q fire.
! was IN the blue room, the scene of
the three sudden deaths or murders. It
was small apartment, painted blue,
It had also blue window curtains, and a
blue silk coverlet on the bed q neat
striped carpet, a set of cid mahogany
fnrnitrra and o Earu handanrna anaE