Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-03-20

VIVA d"O Ol SutSc CilohSN AOAuA0N
the sole attemps at furniture.
The woman set the light-an old
oil lamp--on the table.
Anything mole can get you,
sir? ,"
Nothing, thank YOU"
81 hope you will sleep well, Sir.
When shall I call sou ~
"a; O'Clock in the morning, if
you please. Il must walls over to
B-Station in time for the Z
O'Clock express.
IN be sure to call you, Sir"
She withdrew, leaving me alone
in the gloomy little apartment. l
sat down and locked around me
with no very agreeable sensation.
~ will sit down and write to
Alice" l tought "that will
soothe my nerves and quiet me, per-
haps."
descended the laCder, the fire
still glowed redly in the hearth be-
meath ; my companion and the wo-
man sat beside it talking in low
tone, and a third person sat at the
table eating +; short, stout, vii
demonstrating man, in a red IAN
mel shit and muddy trousers.
/ asked for writing materials and
returned to my room to write to
my wife.
"My darling Alice"
paused and laid down my pen as
I concluded the words. half smiling
to think what she would say, could
she know of my strange quarters.
Not till both sheets were covered
did lay aside my pen and prepare
for slumber. As folded my paper
happened to glance toward the
couch.
Was it the gleam OF a human eye
observing me through the board par
tition or was it my own fancy ?
There Was a crack there, but only
blank darkness beyond, yet | could
have sworn that something had
sOarkled halefully at me.
/ took out my watch-lt was !
O'Clock. 1t was scarcely worth
while for ma to undress for three
hours sleep. l would lie down in
my clothes and snatch what slum-
Der l could. 81, placing my valise
at the head of my bed, and barricad-
ing the lockless door with two
chairs, extinguished the light and
lay down.
At first was very wakeful, but
gradually a soft drowslness seemed
to steal over me like misty man
tie, until, all OF a sudden, some
startling electric thrill coursed
through my Yeins, and sat up, ex.
cited and trembling.
4 luminous softness seemed to
glow through the ro0m-no light OF
the moon or stars was ever so pene-
trating-and bV the little window /
saw Alice, my wife, dressed in
floating garments Of white, with
her long, golden hair knotsed back
with a blue ribbon, Apparently
she was coming to me with out
stretched hands, and eyes full OF
wild, anxious tenderness.
Isprang To ny feet and rushed to-
ward her, but rs reached the win
dow the fair apDarition seemed to
vanish into the stormy darkness,
and was left alone. At the self
same instant the sharp report OF a
pistol SCUM ied-I could see the jag
ged stream of FIRE above Ihe pillow
straight through the very spot where
ten minuues since my head had lain.
With an instantaneous realization
of my danger l swung myself over
the edge of the window, jumping
some eight or ten feet into tangled
bushes below, and as crouehed
there recovering nv breath 1 heard
the tramp of footsteps into my
room.
as he dead 2" cried voice up
the ladder-the smooth, deceitfu
voice of the woman with the half
closed eyes.
"Of course he is" growIed 6
voice back THAT charge wold have
killed ten me1. a light there
quick and tel Tom to be ready
A cold, sgonized shudder rar
through me. What den IF mid
right murderers had L fallen into
And how fearfully narrow mad beer
my escape
With the speed that only morta
terror and deadly peril can give,
rushed through the woods, now il
Illuminated by FAINT glimmer o
starlight. 1 kCow not what i'm
pulse guided my footsteps-I neYe
shall know how many times l cross
ed my own track, or how close
stood to the brink Of the deadly ra
vine lbut a merciful Providence
eucompassed me- with guiding ant
projecting care, for when the morn
| ing dawned, with faint, red bars o