Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-09-07

nave Dccu holctp aiEcduys iOi hC hooc
no answer. So I kept 1t for the night,
and wore il down to breakfast the next
morning. As came down / met a
gentleman in the hall. He inquired
for Mr.. Glen. This was the new COM
er,s name. i sent Hannah to wake
him. She had q key that would open
the door, ami used il. The next thing
[ knew we were all in the room, and
the windows were wide open, and the
doctor had been sent for, and the young
that had called was screaming that his
brother had been choked to death; they
arrested me. The brother said the first
thing he noticed was that / wore Mr..
Glen's watch and seals. had forgot
ten it in my terror
so Hannah had key to the room?
1 said.
Yes; at least it was key that would
open it. 1t was the key to Mt. Brass
ford'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
other men were found dead" asked.
'Oh, yes.'s-r
'And Hannah was there also?'
'All my married life Hannah has
lived with me-
Your daughter oversees your house
hold in your absence?'
YES, poor child, "a with Hannah's
help, Ithooghta little while.
Madame said, there is some
lstrange mystery in this affair. l do
not despair Of proving to- all the world
your entire innocence. Meantime, De
Is calm as possible, and endeavor to
remember everything 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
Sol left and went home. Strange
eneugh, on the way met the doctor
who had been called in. He was dol,
heavy sort of person, considerably
given to beer drinking, and my opin-
ion of bis ability was not very great.
However, I questioned him on the
subject, and he replied:
We'll, you, see / don't say the old
woman murdered him. II she did, /
should say by sitting on him or smoth-
ering him with the holsters. sup
pose the cause of his death was as
phyxia. Well, then; what is asphyx-
la? Why, too little breath to keep one
\ living. He died because he was short
of breath. / wash my hand on that
matter. Only there's the watch; that
looks dark sos
had learned nothing from the doc.
tor. The coroner lived near me. His
jury had been twelve Of the most ig-
nOraBt men in the 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
watch you know
Thus, without any new light, 1 went
| home.
AT dusk that day went into my
bedroom by myself. l came out a
strange man. / wore white wig, a
pair of green goggles and an overcaat,
the tails of which reached to my heels.
had muffier about my throat, and
little bunch on one of my shoulders.
l carried thick cane, and stopped 8
good deal as I walked. In my hand L
carried a carpet-brg, and in my bosom a
pair of pistols well loaded.
AS 1 passed into the street the early
moon was just rising; she lit me on my
way to Madame Matteau's house.
1t was opened for me when l knock
ed, by old Hannah. Here eyes were
red and swollen. Then told her that
1 was a stranger, and had received
Madame Matteau' address from gen.
tleman in New York, and / desired to
stay under her roof all night. She
shook her head.
L don't think you can.' she said; the
lady is away from home. Besides,
we are in trouble here. l don't think
Miss Gabrielle would
But here Miss Gabrielle herself ap-
peared.
lam an old man, miss / said, and
as you see quite infirm. / dread anOth-
Ter step. i should take 1t as kindness
| if you would accommodate me, and I
will pay you any price you ask
| Miss Gabrielle looked at Hannah.
I'VE have only one room,' she said,
and that
I Tended the question of my stay by
begging to be taken to it.
you will have supper, sir?' asked
the girl.
ButI declared that I had eaten and
wanted rest.
Her reply was: Hannah, show the
gentlman to the blue room, and make
q fire. was in the room, the scene
of three sudden deaths or murders. 1t
was small apartment painted blue.
1t had also blue window curtains. and
a blue silk coverlet on the bed; a neat
striped carpet, set Of old mahogany
furniture, and a very handsome ever
and basin of costly china. 1t was at
the time almost a unerversal custom to
burn wood. In this room, however,
was small coal fire. / alluded to this
as Hannah came in with the scuttle.
Yes, yes,' she said. Misses does
burn Goals. Her son is clerk, or the
like, at the new mines at MauchC Chunk, ),
and he sends it cheap to her, but it's
nasty, dirty smelling thing, and l hate
1T. Now it's built and lit; twill warm
up in fifteen minutes. 1t takes no
longer than wood
She went out of the door and came
in in minute with little tray, on
which stood pot and cup and sau-
Ger, also bowl and tiny pitcher with
something in napkin.
Misses sent bit and sip,' said she.
Tea rests us old folks nightly. Good
night
Good night 1 said. L expect 1
shall sleep soon; 1 must he up very
early, though, for have bills to pay.
1 have some hundreds of dollars with
me to pay out tomorrow, and it's in
this bag''
She looked at me in queer sort of
way, and fingered beside me. At last
she spoke:
Look ye, sir; think that old folks
of your age do wrong to lock doors on
themselves. You might be ill at night,
and who'd get in to see you.'
Was it this woman's practice to beg
travellers who stopped with her mis-
tress not to lock the door? Was there
some baneful potion in the cup she
had given meo