Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-11-23
MY MURDER.
From the London Society. ]

itooibJ W pau LWo anu t"O JSOtu9i'
Most persons who have been to
S 3itzerlaud viii understand where
the hotel Of Les Trois Sages ID situ~
ated. They will know what thu
chief hostelry OF the large town
where the majority OF tourists outer
ing and returning from the region
of the Alps usually iialt, at least for
a night, as from it diverge the main
channels lea ting from the choisest
scenery of the little Republic. They
will recollect that the inn ia charm
ingly situated on the banks of the
Rhine and that its balconies and
windows look out upon and abso>
lutoIy overhang the rushing river,
not 100 miles from is falls at Shaft
hanson. Enough, then, SIS to the 10
cality; now, as to my coming there,
and what happened.
The surperfuous energy of Brit
on six-and-twenty years Of age, six
feet two IN height, and strong in
properties, finds no better outlet
than serambling over peaks, passes
and glAciers; and had beoa doing
this on the occasion of which write,
TO my hearts content, for five or six
weeks. 1t was not my first expert
ence among the Alps by many; but
it had, on the whole, been tho Iaast
enjoyable. The companion who was
to accompany ms disappointed me at
the eleventh hour, and started
alone, the limited time tor my outing
not brooking delay and although at
tim9s fell in with pleasant people |
was bored with my solitude. Ny
ter per too, always a peppery enc at
the best, was considerably rutfed by
tho loss, coward the end of my JOUR
ney, by my remaining circular notes.
| most stupidity licked the little case
containing them out of my breast
pocket with my handkerchief as |
was leaning over the side Of the
steamer coming down from F.uIen
to Lucerne, and had tho mortfiea-
ton of seeing it sink into the b.ue
lake before my very eyes. My remain
ing caah was just sufficient TO carry
me to we'll, say lbs Trois Sages; 20
Immediately upon reaching Lucerno
| had TO write home for more money,
directing that it should await me ut
the aforesaid we'll kaoVn hotel |
therefore timed my arrival there ae-
aording!y, aud it was not an hour too
soon, for | could Only just avoi over
staying my leave by stating for
Paris 5y the first train the next day.
Hence it was with no little anxiety
that on reaching my inn | demanded
Of the concierge whether there was
any letter tor me, and my ) tisfAe-
ton was 80 great when that m ajostic
fpuctionary handed mo enc, thAs |
tore it open then and there, display
ing the nature of It's contents to the
throng o. walters, porlers and idlers
usually louugiog about the hotel
balls.
1t being late | was soon sho yn to
my room--a luxurious one for an
alcove whore stood the bed, vas il
vided from this salon by a heavy
portiere, thus making two apart
nents. | took little heed, however,
Of these vanitles at the time. | was
to be off early the next morning,
and ere long | was in bed and my
light out. The loss of the money
tended to maze mo now uDus1-
ally careful of that which | had re-
ceived 80, though | left my watch,
etc, on the table ia the salon, [ laid
tho packet of notes on the little mar
BILE stand at the bed-head, and it was
lucky | did SO.
Sound sleep? Sound is not the
word for it, Dead asleep would BE-
nearer the mark that sort Of sleep
which comes to man in perfect
health and training after q fatiguing
days journey. What it was that first
| aroused me from it shall mover
clearly understand but my belief is
that it was instinct rather than a
noise which caused me, without alto
! gether returning to consciousness,
to open my eyes. My face was
turned from the wall against which
the one side of the bed stood, so that
| looked straight across the little al
cove, and through the half drawn
portiero into the salon. The moon
must have risen, for there was
much stronger light IN the rooms
than when | put out the candle, and
q deep shadow was cast across the
opening between them. Her rays
thus flooded both apartments by the
| =, q ,r;rdO rr - ooaI
Now | was in that curious sta G
that although | knew | was awake |
thought | was dreaming; in fact, |
was on that mysterious frontierlan4
between the two states, which is not
the least perplexing amongst the
phenomena Of q mortal existence
that is to say, thought | was dream
ing-when | saw the figure Of man
on all tours crawling ont of the
moonlight into the shadow cast, as /
have said, by the arch and heavy
folds of the portiere.
But | knew | was awake when,
losing sight of him there for MIN
ute, saw him again emerging into
the rays of light which fell across the
floor Of the alcove where / lay. |
knew, | say, that | was awake now,
for could | not distinguish plainly as
he came very slowly and stealthily
towards the bed, that his face was
hidden by sort Of Grape mask ?
And yet, still for moment more, l
thought ! must be dreaming. I bad
never moved or raised my head from
the pillow; | had simply opened my
eyes, and still abstalned from move
ment while endeavoring to realize in
what condition | was.
Suddenly, however, doubt disap
peared. | took 10 on an instant the
fact that this was an attempt at rob
berry, perhaps worse; for, approach
ing the little table at the bed head,
the figure without rising from the
floor lifted one of his hands as if to