Litchfield enquirer., 1874-09-24

possible, and endeavor to remember every thing ic6nneeted EWit1 eh6 sudden deaths that have occurred in your house. The incident tha: seems the least important may really be of the most immense val ue."
 So left and went home Strange enough, on the way met the doctor who had been called in. He was dull, heavy sort of q person, considerably given to beer-drinking, and my opinion of his ability was not very great However, I questioned him on the subject, and he replied:-
 ''We1 you see, don't say the old wo- man murdered him. If she did, I should say it was by sitting on him, or smother ing him with the bolsters. I suppose the cause of his death was asphixia, We'll then, what is asphixia? Why, too little breath to keep One3iving. He died be- cause he was short of breath. I wash my hands of the matter. Only there's the watch; that looks dark
 The coroner lived near me. His jury had been twelve of the most ignorant men in town.
 This was all he told me:-
 "He was smothered, that man was: SO were the other two Mon don't smother themselves. We made it inscrutable Prov ldence t'other time We make it murder thls time. That there watch, you know D
 Thus, without any new light, I went home and formed my plans. There was but one way in which to penetrate the mystery. l must enter the house; must see the people there; must penetrate to the room Ill which these men had died so suddenly, and must not be known in my real character. That Madame Matteau was innocent I fully believed, but that some one beneath her roof was guilty I made no doubt. It might be the libra rian, Mir. Bassford, whose key fitted the dead mans door. It was possible: but no, would not harbor a mad supersti- tion. There could be no supernatural power beneath which human beings dropped and died. Death as it came to us was mystery enough What had been said to me by a woman, who would have been Spiritualist had she lived, to-day. was mere absurdity.
 l "l believe that there is some horrible unseen thing in the room," she said. .'some awful, shapeless spirit, and, when 1t IS locked Ill with it's victim, murders hlm. Let others believe what they will I believe that"
 l The words haunted me, but laughed at them, of course. Whatever it was, would try to know. I had a plan.
 At dusk, that day. I went into my bed room myself. I came out strange man. wore a white wig, a pair of green gog- gies, and an overcoat, the tails cf which I reached to my heels. 1 had & mufiier about my throat, and q little hunch on 1 one of my shoulders. I carried thick cane, and stopped good deal as walked. In my hand l carried carpet bag, and in my bosom pair of pistols well loaded. 1 As I passed out into the street the early moon was just rising; she lit me on my way sto the door of Madame Matteau's | house.
 It was opened for me, when I knocked, by old Hannah; Her eyes were red and swoiteg, Then I told her that I was q ! stranger, and had received Madame Mat teau's address from gentleman in New York, and desired to stay under her roof l all night. She shook her head.
 'l don't think you can" she said, "tho lady IS away from home. Besides we are m trouble here; I don't think Miss Ga-
 But hege Miss Gabrielle herself appear ed.
 II am an old man, Miss" I said, "and, as you see, quite infrm. dread another step. l should take it as a kindness if you would accommodate me, and | will pay you any price you ask.'' Miss Gabrielle looked at Hannah.
 "We have only one room," she said, ''ani that
 | ended the question of my stay by beg ging to he taken to it. ''You will have supper, sir?" asked the girl.
 But declared that I had eaten. and l wanted rest.
 Her reply was:-
 Hannah. show the gentleman to the blue room, and make a fire.'' l was ln the room, the scene of tho three sudden deaths or murder. It was small apartment, painted blue. It had also blue window curtains, and blue silk GOV erlet on the bed; neat striped carpet, set of old mahogany furniture, and a very handsome ewer and basin of costly Chi na. It was at that time almost uniyer- sal custom to burn wood, In this room, however, was 2 small coal fire. I alluded to this s Hannah came in with the scut- } tle-
 ''Yes, sir," she said. s'Misses does burn cOals. Her son is a clerk. or the like, at the new mines at Mauch Chunck. and he sends it cheap to her; but it's nasty, dirty.smelling thing, and I hate it. Now it's built and lit; twill warm up in fifteen minutes. It takes longer than wood"
 She went out of the door and came back Tn minute with little tray. on which stood 8 pot and emp and saucer. also bowl and tiny pitcher, and some thing in Q napkin,
 "Miss sent bit and sip," said she. ''Tea rests us old folks nightly. Good night"
 Goodnight" I said. .sI expect l shall sleep soon; I must be up very early, though, for have bills to pay. have some hundred of dollars with me to pay out, to-ZnoEEOw, 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; I think that old folks of your age do wrong to lock doors on them selves. Xon might be i'll at night, and who'd get in to you?"
 Was 1t this womans practice to beg travellers who stopped with her mistress not to lock the door? Was there some baneful potion m the cup she had given me?
 AS "asO SAAi AAAAOCCut cup enough an old fashioned affair, covered with lit tie gilt sprigs. The tea was fragrant Hy- son; but the suspicion that had crept into my mind had tainted it. I fancisd strange color, curious smell. I put it from me, and would not have tasted it for a kingdom. ..... had not intended to sleep, and I did not undress myself. 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 l felt to be possible. Thought of all the old tales that had heard of trap doors and sliding panels, and secret en- frances to travellers rooms. I was not a coward, but I felt strangely nervous and singularly enough for man in my perfect health my hands were growing cold, and my feet were lamps of ice. while my heart was burning hot. Fifteen minutes had passed, and the fire was kindled, but the room was not warm.