The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-11-23
A Moment OF Horror.

keg port dsH4t know shat saEt ol
fishing grauud j, Is at present. bat a
the simz oi which speak there were
fish "a abandAnce 10 b caaght there.
We made soccessiuI FHn - Key
port. A. which place we arrived Jus, -
the shades III evening werc gathering
around. aud a, snee began 70 iook
around for an abiding place during the
night. as Il wa- oar lntentiol to make
for the fishing grounds early or the fol
lowing morning
There was bat one hJu,e on the
beacn. aud that was AL uupreteatIogs
iishermau's hut. aud having made car
boat safe, toN All th.s humble domicsic
we took oar ~ay. AMI ! at ace knocked
for admittaBce
The door was opeueI by a man of
most forbidden appearance lie was
almost giant in size HI face was
s~arihy, weather beaten. aud -eamei
by ugly scars. and his black hair hung
ia tangled masses around his broad
shoulders.
Can We have bed for the nighis" |
asked
'Iie looked searehingly 8, our small
party. and then replied Ia a gruf voice.
" / ,'pose can give you place to
sleep. II you are willing to put up with
such az sommodations as can afford
bat you won't find any luxuries in the
shsnty. Come In. and ! will DO .hc
best can for you.
Accordingly We entered and seated
ourselves on the lid of an old sea chest
the furniture consisting only Of pine
table aud a couple of rickety stools \
fishing net lum Dered one corner of the
ROOM. aud oars. boat hooks, and other
implements used by fishermen were
scattered around ia various places.
| s'pose you are hungry : be con
tinued, when we were seated.
We intlmatcd that We were.
-" Well, be went on. I can give YOU
some pretty good fried bacon aud egg,
aud that's about the best | can do for
you.
Accordingly he proceeded 10 prepare
supper Tor us. aud furnished Us with a
rcpast TO which We did ample justice
The meal was discussed il silence.
and after il was over. our host said,
with hideous attempt At a smile
s'pose shouldn't have had YOU ii you
could have found any other place,
Folks ain't::generally very much pleas ID
either with my appearance or my &C
bat | eau assure you OF
one thing, which is that those who
lodge with me generally sieep soasdlg
enough
The fattcI portion of this speech sent
thrill OF horror through my frame.
couldn't help feeling that 1t had a
sinister meaning However, tried 10
dismiss every feeling of suspicion, and
argued myself into the belief at last
that wronged enr host greatly in thus
Judging him.
III was about nine o'clock when We
decided to retire. and, taking up n
pinnacle of light, the fisherman led
the way into the only other apartment
the cabin contained. This was large
room which had been divided into
two by board PARTITION.
1 have two beds, he said this
one here and one on the other side OF
that partition I've got partner who
il away just now. When he's home he
sleeps in this bed. aud use the other.
Yon are the largest man OF our party.
he continued. looking at me with a
grim smile. and you'd better take this
bed and le; Your two friends occupy
the other. As for me. ! amt very par
tioular, aud I'll bunk on the floor Of
the cabin This is the best | can do
for YOU. Good night aud IN mo.
ment hc was gone.
Again the old feeling Of doubt and
distrus, took possession Of me, bat |
did not impart my suspicious 10 my
companions for fear they might prove
10 be ill-grounded. in which case |
should have become the laughing stock
Of the party.
My two friends bade me good nlght
and I proceeded 10 disrobs myself and
tumble into bed. but not TO sleep |
could not shake off the fear which pos
sesse,l me, and for more than tw0 hours
lay listening to the loud snoring of
my ieilow-voyagers on the other side OF
the partition. Nature as.ented herself
nj last. however and fell into an un-
quiet sleep.
Il must have slept some hours going
from one unpleasant dream to another
until at last | awoke FROM a horrid
nightmare. in which | thought our hos,
Was astride OF my breast. holding a
knife 70 my throat.
"A cold peFspiration stood on my
brow. aud every nerve was ans'rnpg
1, was ridiculous to thtnk Of going 10
sleep again. aud was on the point Of
arising froaA led TO dress myself, when
suddenly . strange sound from the al
loining room struck on my car. IL WAS
a sound a tha. evoked when steel Is
drawn across whetstone--tsf sssad 81
skargsgaias a kasff.
"Tremuuns VITA toFror sTose cau-
liously fron. the bed, aud placed my
eve 20 the keyhole. gaSed fesrfally into
the adjoining rsom. Horror There
wAs cur host sharpening long, iornid-
able knife hy The light Of pinnacle
lamp. His features wore look Of
>tern resolve and ever aud aaon, IS
be stcpped TO tes, the edge Of the knife
acros. the ball IT bis thumb, a grim
smile stole across his sinister features.
I forget ~ state ths. previous TO re-
,iring | had piled agAins, the door Of
my roo;n every thing that VS. nova
be. - that the entrance of anybody
mus. awaken me.
Now. my 6rs; impulse wasto a~ake
my compsnious. who were silil snoring
leuily | discarded this idea al once,
however | argued that anv attemf