The National tribune., 1884-09-25

but you can, if you will
"Well, if l can,o replied doubtfully, you
| may depend upon it that will
SO You can lend me your body"
Gracious heavens cried, "what sugges-
toni You must take me for madman TO i'm
agine I'd do such thing"
But it was clear, on the contrary, that Mr.
Sugg had every confidence in my sanity, for he
quickly showed that unless yielded he had it
IN his power to drive me completely out of my
senses. Moreover, he claimed the fulfillment of
the promise that would help him if could.
1t was useless to point to the impracticability
of the plan If / consented, he argued, there
was no difficulty about It. For this he made
himself personally responsible.
:" But suppose" | objected, you went off
with my body and never came back. What
guarantee have for your return?"
lie answered III an injured tone, Whatever
/ may have been in the flesh, you need have
no fear now of my breaking faith with you.
Spirits never iie"
Possibly not. thought but could I be
equally sure of my own tongue even with SO
truthful a mentor behind it2 However, con-
| sidered it as well not to express this doubt
: You promise, tben,p / said, "to be here
again by SIX in the morning and to vacate my
body at once?"
Il pledge you my word of honor" he an
swered.
Whereupon, wearied by his Importantly, I
gave reluctant assent to the proposal
How the change was effected / cannot tell,
but Immediately after found myself floating
about in midair, with an uneasy sense of being
| incompletely clothed. AT the same time no.
ticed my body pacing the room with every ap-
pearance of life.
"Thank you,p said Mr. Sugg. making use of
my mouth TO speak the words, and turning to
the table on which / had placed the contents of
his pockets; " see my keys are here; this will
save me ALL trouble IN getting what ! want
And now, az Teroir."
sOne moment, Mr.. Sugg," I cried aa he
walked toward the door; "before you go, will
you kindly put on some Goals? Don't spare
| them. 1t certainly is chilly tonight"
He replied, with an irritating laugh, "I
told the truth, you see. But, as the Goals are
your own, | don't grudge the expense"
After doing as / had requested he quilted
the room, leaving me prey to a host of doubts
and evil forebodings
/ am not concerned TO relate in what manner
/ spent the night. Certainly it was the most
uncomfortable l ever passed apart from the
physical-if | may use the word-disconfort
OF the position, / was tormented with the
thought that Mr.. Sugg would not perform his
part of the agreement. The very idea sent a
thrill of horror through my shadowy frame.
My relief, therefore, was intense when, a lit
| tie before SIX the door opened and my body
entered the room. It looked pale and tired,
but this did not surprise me, as my habits are
methodical, and have always shown to my
person the greatest consideration, even to over
indulgence. As it sank wearily into the easy
chair / said
'.Wen, hope you've arranged everything
| satisfactoriIy2R
Quite" returned Mr. Sugg; "and now, Sir.
I'm ready to change places with you again
Your throat seems to have contracted slight
hoarseness. probably from exposure to the night
air, but with ordinary care you'll soon get rid
of that"
"Thank you,o replied. "Pn see that it has
every, attention" Scarcely were the words
uttered before found myself, somewhat to my
astonishment, reinstated in my old position.
Good bye" said Mr.. Sugg's voice from the
further end of the room. / sha'n't forget your
kindness" And then, suppose he vanished
up the chimney or through the keyhole, for /
know no more of him.
/ rose and opened the shutters it was broad
daylight, and had not been to bed yet. My
legs ached with fatigue, and it was with diff
Guilty Kept my eyes open. Hastily penciling
line for Joseph, stating that I had been
obliged to work till an early hour and was on
no account to be disturbed, mounted to my
room, and, quickly undressing threw myself
on the bed. Before two minutes had elapsed I
was sound asleep
1t must have been nearly four in the after
noon when was awakened by loud knock
ing; SO persistent was the noise that I was
forced at last TO acknowledge it. Come int"
| shouted, wondering what could have induced
Joseph TO disobey my instructions.
The door opened and that worthy appeared on
| the threshold. We'll" / said angrily, what
is it7"
"a gentleman, SIR he answered, "who
says he must see you at once"
" Oh, nonsense" | replied; "I can't see any
one at present. Tell him to call again to-mor-
row.
Before Joseph could answer he was roughly
put aside, and an officer in plain clothes, fol-
lowed by two policemen, entered the room So
complete disregard of the ordinary eourtesies
of life fairly reused me-
"What do you mean by intruding herefn I
asked. One would think you were come to
arrest a thief or a murderer"
" You couldnt have hit the mark nearer if
you'd tried, said the one who appeared to be the
chief OF the party. But warn you that what
ever you say viii be taken down and used
against you
" Used against ms?" repeated. Explain
yourself, Sir!"
" just this" he answered. Early this morn
ing Mr.. Sugg the Solicitors office was entered
and important papers stolen. After committing
the robbery the thief passed to the housekeep-
er's room, and there in cold blood and without
any provocation strangled the poor old woman.
The evidence is pretty strong, Sir, as TO who
did it, SO you'd better come along quietly"
The blood froze In my veins. / saw the
whole thing at a glance. This, then, was Sugg's
revenge. Not content with destroying the
documents he spoke of, he had killed this un-
happy being, and had clearly been careful to
leave abundant evidence by which the crime
could be brought home to me. Overwhelmed
by the thought, I fell back in my bed more
dead than alive.
Let me acknowledge that the officers treated
me with every consideration. There was,
however, nothing for it but to rise and go with
them. did not even attempt to speak word
Ia my own defense.
need not repeat here the particulars of my
trial, as these have already been made public
through the medium of the daily papers. The
evidence against was irresistible. Every
step from the moment of my leaving the house
up to that OF my return was traced. / had
been seen by the night policeman to quit Mr.
Suggs premises about in the morning and
had even stopped TO say few words to him
explanatory OF my presence there at so unusual
an hour. Moreover. a child, seven years old,
who slept in the same room, had actually been
witness of the murder and testified to its
utter wantonness. The finding of Mr.. Sugg's |
keys in my pocket added another link to the !
chain. In short, my guilt was so plain that no !
one would have been more surprised than N.Y.
self had | been acquitted.
The one unexplained point in the case was
the disappearance of Mr. Sugg. But as his
affairs were found on investigation to be hope
lessly involved it was shrewdly suspected that |
he had absconded.
I ha va y,o couenlaipf "a, voaba ~. $1,000