St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-05

i ""fe ta.eu 20 remember both of
those inmatesn
AZ TINS point IN the agents narration
aoy' hcf tfeulendoss bolt shosk the iB,s.
an" We heih our breaths as II the earth
va. ta~eing beneath w. nsficed
'hs' me stfsnzet bad shruBk still further
ou' 81 SIGHT, as v the lightning vas tes
m"oh i~f his eyes call him the
stranger, foi though the re.t of b.. haa
never met before. We had sE..I-----.,.
: a''...-s;-s=-iii-, aBd feii dfnwn tnvetl..t
~ having rossasSn interest iu- The
stOral bat this last conner vas a v.Ev
silent man. bstray ing onls bisA Ycice
81 considerable ssap when be asked for
his ale. IL seemed to me a singular
voice Tor that sort of man, but gave
NO thought tO il at the time.
This thunder remiHds ne OF The
thunder of that night" eentinned the
agent. "But III to the story. When
] had dried myself and eaten meal
which was frugal enough, assure YOU,
! was shown into the loom, which
might with propriety term loft, but
which the iun-keeper digni3ed by the
title of the guests chamber. That man
was not one to exchange words with,
even in a joke, 50 | accepted the title
with serious air and iiiiiiCing candle
on rickety stand, the tall inn-keeper
bade me gruff good night, and left
me to myself.
'NOw always had that perception,
regarding men and their motives. which
in most persons is intuition, but which
III me was so prophetic that it might be
termed second sight. The rain beat
against the loose window just as it is
beating against this one, and the thun-
der shook me up just us we are being
shaken up tonight. | needed neither
the thunder nor the rain, but tried the
edge of knife l had picked up from
the table below and secreted it in my
clothing. l placed this by my side,
ready for use in the dark. and put my
revolver under my pillow, which was
reliable only as | could get Il sight at
any desired object in an instant.
"You may think | was little foolish,
but if you had observed the glances be-
tween the Goliath and the crone below,
and studied them both as had studied
them, | think that yOu would have
mounted guard as did. I'll leave it
to our new arrival here, if | was a
coward or prudent man. Come, now "
exclaimed the agent, rising and clap
ping his hand on the strangers shoul-
der, ''you look like wise man-for |
never saw a tall man with students
head and blue glasses but had some
sconce-de you think | was wise OF
foolish?"
"Wise, sir-wise, of course"
"a Daniel" returned the agent
jocosely.
"Now that questions settled, III pro-
} ceed. Excuse me, gentlemen, but
saw that one or two of you looked as
if you thought l was little scarisI
E about nothing, but our umpire ha:
settled the question. Now let's see how
near the mark he's hit" The agen
, cast a lightning glance upon the stran.
ger, which, | think, no one noticed but
, myself. and then went on with hi.
l story.
t II heard heavy steps below anf
= some mumbling from the innkeepel auE
squeaking from the crOne, and then al
was silent. L threw myself on the be;
without disrobing, and was lost in th,
d weird enjoyment of the tempest. NJ
e candle | left burning, though tie con
!. stant flashes of lightning rendered it
light unnecessary. As l lay on the bee
one hour and then two hours, listening
to the thunder as it died away anC
then burst upon me again, | grew yea.
a ry of the deafening sounds and dazzling
d lights and found myself sinking into one
:. of those states ofsemi slumber, as tern
e them, or waking dreams, which one of
: ten experiences while watching will
= the sick and dying. heard voices il
d the thunder, and there seemed tObe /;
d warning all around me. There was
IS hOrrid feeling coming over me which
d found it impossible to throw off.
s | saw by the expression wOrkingOve
the agents face that some awful de
W nouement was approaching, and oh
e served that the original five of ou
b.; number were bracing themselves fo
)f some fearful revelation. The strange
n in the blue glasses worked his Goa
Is pockets, and seemed to draw bacl
e from the lightning that blazed incessapt
It ly. The rain poured harder than ever
,r and the thunder was now one contiIu
g Gus roll. don't know why it was, Ju
IS the stranger with the blue glasses an,
/. mass of dark beard brought to my min,
2, stories of stOrm-demons, and it relll
seemed to me that the storm of 5ha
l. night suddenly increased on his en-
IS trance into the inn, and was kept up i
l fury by his presence. Some mySter
,, about him made my blood creep, and
n found certain comfort in forgettin
him for a time in the story of th
d agent.
"Well," continued the agent, 81 gre'
h more and more drOwsy, waking by fiji
l. and starts, as some vivid flash wOul
illuminate the room with its blue ligh
d OF burst of thunder shake the I'M
t. But as if voice whispered into my ca
re during momentary lull and state
lr partial wakefnlness, | heard the word
II Beware the chamber is drugged
1t Gods, gentlemen | know not to th
lie day whether those words came from a
.h unearthly source, or were the warning
le originating from the abnormal state
Il my brain. seized my pistol and I'll
4 knife, and leaping from the bed, mad
lie for the window. With blow of M
- fist | smashed a pane of glass the raj
he beat in upon the floor. The candle W;
just flickering preparatory to going ou
1e but the lightning lit the chamber ;
it bright as day.
of 'The breaking of the glass gave n
le new life, and l was prepared for an
T. emergency that my awakened imagil
u alton could coniure. Am making
IN fool of myself, or am 1 not l sal
re half-musingly. AS if in answer to III
brief soliloquy, puff of wind blew o.
he the dying light of the candle, and Il
nt lightning ceased for a season, leavil
It. me in utter darkness.
of 81 was now in high state of excit
as ment, for this sudden darkness SCENE
e. an omen of evil. 1 can tell you that
n clutched my revolver and knife wi
tn dread and determination combined.
IN | hant INV oar to liStan J,nt ao;da f,o,,,