The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-03-10

told you what my ideas of futurity are; but
they are not very different, Mr.. Remington
from your own. One thing | know, which
is that such VOWS rs he has uttered are
registered by unseen hands, and strict full
tillment of their conditions demanded-al-
ways, alwaysw
His last words died away to an almost in
articulate moan, and he closed the door and
left us alone ogether-Dorntorn Leroy and
| myself For a moment we sat silent and
paralyzed with astonishment then / rushed
to the door and attempted to open it, but it
was locked on the other side. knocked
and ratified the handle. Soon / heard Mr..
Trent's voice:
"Mr. Remington, you will oblige me by
making less noise; | wish to sleepv'
retired from the the door and resumed
my former seat.
"What do you understand by this?" I
asked Leroy. 'Is it not strange, mysterious,
incomprehensible? ?"
''Not at ALL" he said, "merely a coinci-
dence. We happened to be talking of Doc
tor Trent while he was in the next room.
He overheard us and seized the opportunity
"What!' | cried, grasping his arm.
He repeated the words.
at cannot be-" | gasped, "you are mis-
taken. He left me in perfect health at mid
night-it cannot be"
Il have just left his home, Charlton said;
it is 'true."
81 cannot realize this! What was the
cause of his death ?"
Bennington, twas suicide"
"Suicide!" l exclaimed, almost prostrated
by the accumulation of horrors. George
Charlton told me that the inmates of the
house in which Leroy had boarded had been
awakened by the report Of pistol ; it pro-
ceeded from his room. They had found
him lying upon the floor, dead, the fatal
weapon in his hand, a bullet in his head.
Upon the table was note containing these
| words:
81 have no desire to live longer. Fare
well, ALL"
"Merciful heavenp / exclaimed when /
heard this, sit seems impossible that this is
so. When he left me at midnight he was in
the best of spirits"
"And yet" Charlton said, "at twenty
minutes past four he took his own life in &
fit of melancholy. Is not"
"At what hour?' / interrupted.
$50 you see my boy" Leroy said "our ole
friend came in that room by perfectly
natural and legitimate means"
| Notwithstanding this, I could not sup
press a shudder of loathing at the very
thought of the man.
Dornton Leroy left me with a cordia
pressure of the hand and a good-humoreC
admoniton to carefully fasten the door be
tween my room and Doctor Trent's-advic
which | followed.
That night | was awakened from a sount
slumber by a peal Of unearthly, horrible
laughter in Doctor Trent's room. spran,
from my bed and lighted the gas a cole
moisture was upon my forehead Th
laughter ceased. / consulted my watch i
was just twenty minutes past four. 1t wa
long before / could sleep again. At last
fell into slumber, from which | wa
awakened at eight o'clock by a loud knock
ing at my door.
"Who's there? ?" / cried.
"George Charlton was the reply, "le
me in ; | have news for YOU"
"Good or bad? ?" | asked, as | admitte
my old friend.
"Bad, bad?" he said, gravely. 'porn
ton Leroy is dead"
for ventilating one of his peculiar ideas"
'But how came he in the next room :"
This is hotel; therefore | see nothin
singular in his presence there. 1t is eS
tremely improbable that he came there b
other than natural means. If you will tax
the trouble to accompany me down stairs t
the office when | start home-which will b
directly-you will doubtless see his nam
on the register. You have a singular drea
of this man, Frank"
81 have, | always have had; / cannC
help it. You're not going yet"
"Must, my dear boy, | have to get IL
early in the morning, and it's already,
consulting his watch "as | live, it's mic
night--an hour later than | thought"
Iwent down to the Office with Leroy, an
on the hotel register we found the name, %
Trent, NJ. d."
"The shot was heard at precisely twent
minutes past four"
1t was at that very moment that the pc
of fiendish laughter from the old doctor
room had awakened me from my sleep.
did not tell Charlton of this. 1t seemed
horror too great for utterance. The thougl
occurred to me to notify Doctor Trent
Leroy's death. Trapped on the door, il
forming Charlton briefly that an old friel
of the deceased occupied the room, b
there was no response to my knock. On i
quiry at the office | learned that Doct
Trent had left the Office at six o'clock tn
morning,
went with George Charlton to the roo
J where DorntOn Leroy lay dead As '
: looked upon his face we each thought of o
Z to whom his loss would be far more bitt
7 application than it was even to us, his b
som friends. That one was Alice Bentle
a the young girl to whom Leroy was to ha
0 been married in month, They had be-
: engaged one year, with the full approval
!, all concerned or interested. She was rar
: ly beautiful and intellectual girl, the idol
her parents, who thought Leroy the on
t man in the world worthy of becoming /