The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-03-18

Mauch Chunk, and he sends it
cheap to her: but it's a dirty, nasty.
smelling thing and I hate it. Now
it's built and lit and twill warm up.
in fifteen minutes. 1t. takes longer
than wood.'
She went out Of the door. and
came backin minute. with,a little
tray on which stood pot and cup
and saucer, also littleabowl and d
tiny pitcher, and something in 4
napkin. -
"Miss sent bite and a sip, said
she. -s.Tea rests us old folks might
| lily. Good night"
Good night" l said. 81 expect
+ shall sleep soon; L must be up
early, though, for l have bills to
pay. / have some hundreds Of dol
lars with me to pay out to-morrow,
and it's in this bag"
She looked at me IN a queer sort
of way, and fingered beside, me.
At last she spoke: "Look ,ye, sir"
she said, II think thatfolks ofyour
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"
The moment she was gone I
turned the key.
Was it this woman's practice to
beg travellers who stepped with her
mistress not to lock their doors ?
Was there some baleful 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 fragant hyson i but the sus-
picion that had crept into my mind
tainted it. I fancied strange col
or, a curious smell. I put it from
me and would not have touched it
for a kingdom. rngtas# IT
l had not intended to sleep, and
I did not undress myself. l merely
removed my disguise, and sat down
beside the table, with my pistols
beside me. That some attempt
might be shortly made to murder
me I felt to be possible. | thought
of all the old tales that I had heard
of trap-doors, and sliding panels,
and secret entrances to travellers
rooms. l was not coward, but l
felt strangely nervous; and singu-
larly enough for man Of my per-
feet health, my hands were grow
ing cold, and my feet were Jumps
of ice, while my head was burning
hot. I..,.
Fifteen minutes had passed, and
the fire was kindled, bat the room
was not warm. The blue flames
struggled among the black Goals,
and flung forkcd tongues tipped
with yellow into the room. There
was nothing cheerful about the
stove, though it was Of that open
style now called the Franklin. Yet
I drew a chair toward it from habit,
and set my feet upon the hearth. |
do not know how long I sat there.
Suddenly became aware that I
was not myself. 1 was losing my
senses. II unseen hands had been
clasped about my neck, and an un-
seen knee had been pressed against
my chest, my sensations could not
have been different.
A thought of the evil spirit which
my friend had suggested, family
struggled into my mind. AS | stag
gered to my feet, a noise like the
roaring of the sea was in my ears.
The flame of, the candle turned to
a great yellow blur. l barely re-
tanned strength enough to staggeI
to the window and fling it open.
The fresh, cold winter air rushed
in at it. 1t gave ME intense pain,
but it revived me. In a moment
more I was able to Chamber out OF
it upon the shed below.
There I remained until the day.
+ dawn. With my returning senses
the truth came to ne. That which
: had murdered the three men who
had slept before me in the blue
chamber, was nothing more or less
than the coal stove.
1t was provided with what is
called a dampcr, and this being
caught in a manner which closed it,
sent the poisonous gas into the
room. 1t had been kiudled as a
wood fire would have been at the
hour Of retiring, by one quite igno-
rant OF the danger possible from
coal-gas, and they had slept never to (;
awaken. Had 1 thrown myself
f npou the bed, I also should have
been found dead at daylight, IN all
, human probability.
As for the fact that neither doc
, tor nor coroner discovered the
: truth, I have but to say that they
were not deeply acientifc men-
that coal stoves were scarcely used
in the place, and that it had not
been mentioned that the blue
, chamber was thus heated.
Of course I rcjoiced the house.
hold by my discovery the next
morning, and equally, OF course,
Madame Matteau was not only freed
from all suspicion, but became the
object of universal sympathy. She