The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-06

that ne was the VlcIlm OF clrcum-
stances. with other such expressions;
! and it was a long time before the land
! lord could satisfy him (for he was
rather deaf that no other motive had
brought him to his room but fear that
he was i'll.
NO" said the old gentleman. ap-
p2rentlv much relieved, mo; am not
i'll; l have leptscundly; there is nothing
the matter. | have not complained nor
uttered a sound; why have you dis
turbed me?"
AS soon as 1 heard this 1 rctreated at
once to my own room and closed and
locked the door. 1t was a cowardly
thing to do, but | confess | dared not
face that regiment of excited men and
women, who were beginning already to
abuse each other, and who, | felt sure,
would presently turn upon me with the
conviction that l had been playing a
silly practical joke upon them.
''Ou est done ce, MONSIEUR" | heard
| them exclaim, and the word ''Betise
betise," was repeated often in variety
OF voices: then there were snarling
sounds, as if. like Demosthcnes, they
had been taking lessons from tie dogs
in the pronunciation of the letter
''r-r-r-r." and mutual determinations.
| Somebody was called "a great turkey
and told to ''go to bed" which | have
no doubt he would be very glad 70 do.
| | suspect it was the tall white cook,
who had been, next to myself, the chief
agent in the disturbance: however, hard
words break no bones, and As no one
seemed to know who | was, from
whence | had issued, or to what ''nu-
nero" / had retired, did not think it
necessary to betray myself, and after a
time they all withdrew, still chattering
and complaining, to their beds, and 1
also went to mine.
In the corridor. or it might be Just
inside my neighbours room, am not
sure which, had taken up from the
floor an envelope on which nv name
was written. | did not think much of
it at the moment, supposing | had
dropped it from the pocket OF my coat,
which | had flung hastily over my shout
der when | left my room; but the next
morning, when | was dressing, it at
tracted my attention as it lay upon the
table where had placed it. ItOok out
the enclosure (the envelope had been
opened previously, and TO my great
surprise discovered nothing but Il copy
of the English alphabet, with the same
letters repeated in a different order, or
rather disorder, under it. did not
recognize the handwriting, nor did |
remember ever having seen the paper
before; but M name was on the envel-
ope plainly enough, so | thought it
might possibly belong to some other
member of my family, and have come
into my possession by mistake. When
| descended to the coffee room [ asked
the waiter whether there was any other
person of the name of Dickens in the
hotel, and, after he had made inquiry,
he answered.: NO." but a gentleman
who was sitting near me looked up so
quickly and so anXiously at the
moment that | was on the point of
speaking to him, when he rose up sud
denly and left the room. | noticed the
same gentleman, a man OF about sixty
years, perhaps, with a sad, depressed
look and manner, reading the Times
newspaper in the afternoon, or rather
the first page of it, and signing dismal
ly, as if he We're in some great trouble.
More than once | should have spoken
to him, but every time he caught my
eve he seemed confused and anxious to
avoid me; and. OF course, did not wish
to intrude upon him, though would
gladly have cheered him up little if |
could have done so, as he seemed to be
quite alone.
The following night l was again dis
turbed about the same hour as before,
but by different cause. As soon as l
was fairly awake became aware that
some one was in my room with light.
The light was indeed 50 faint, or rather
so carefully shaded from sight, that it
was almost confined to one spot. like a
ray from a dark-lantern. 1t served,
however, to show me the form of a
man standing near my dressing table,
upon which had laid my purse and
watch and some other contents of my
pockets when | undressed The figure
was busy with these articles, turning
them over as if making selection;
and for n few seconds | Law still, watch
ing him, | saw him take something.
which from the sound | thought must
he a letter, and after examining the adj
dress. clasp it eagerly in his hand; and.
then he turned TO leave the room, walk
inc with Stealthy steps and carefully
shading the light from my eyes with
his hand
| was determined not to be robbed in
this manner, and slipping hastily out of
bed, cOntrived to reach the door and
intercept his retreat. almost before he
knew that he had been observed. In
his surprise he dropped the candle and
with a sudden gasp or exclamation
stood still before me, making no effort
to escape, and presently began to sob
Historically. l closed and locked the
door. and then, as quickly rs | could,
lighted my candle. To my great sur
prise and'sorrow, found that the per-
son had detected was no other than
the sad old gentleman whom | had no.
ticed in the cofee-rOOm reading the
Times, as have told YOU.
l perceived Immediately that my
watch and purse, with one or two rings, |
were living on the table undiSturbed; it |
was evident, therefore, that thisw no
common thief.
What have You taken?" | asked; |
''what motive had you in coming to my
roOm?"
Ifelt very sorry for the poor man, he
seemed in such distress, and 1 suppose |
something in my look or tone of voice |
made him aware of it.
Il will tell YOU he said, III you
will only be silent and promise not to
betray me. / am the most unfortunate
of men; but l will tell you everything
and then throw myself upon your
mercy. | am entirely in your power,
but If you believe my story you will be