The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-10-03

winch seemed as Dig as q nearSe. IneIs
was no lock to the door, and the bolts
were rusty, so / could only put
the latch down. / thought of putting
a chair against =. sSsIt hat seemed
childish and no protection after all.
The night was wet and windy, and
tbs Sky black as ink. Try as / would
I couldn'tget to sleep, and there / lay
listening to the ghostly tapping of the
ivy leaves against the window, and
thinking of the evil look in the land
lords eyes, and all the horrid stories /
had ever read came crowding into my
mind, when suddenly / started up in my
bed, wide awake enough, for / heard
something or some one climbing up the
ivy to my window, I lay with pal
pitating heart and s~training eyes, list
ening to the horrible ghostly rustling
which every moment sounded nearer.
Suddenly o thought struck me; and
/ arose, hastily smoothing the bed
clothes, as though the bed had not been
slept in. / had just time to creep UNI
der the bed, when the window was shak-
en- open, and somebody softly slipped
in. 1t was q man and, listen
ing intently, I heard him sigh YEARLY
to himself, as if he were tired out.
Then he got into my bed, drew the
clothes over him, and in a few minutes
/ heard him snoring. You can imagine
how pleasant / felt, and the scamp had
my money bag under his pillow tool
What was to be done? / thought OF my
happy home and the dear little wife
now perhaps dreaming OF me, and the
thought of her gave me courage. 1 de-
termined to snatch at my money and
fight for it with the unseen visitor TO
the death, if need be. / was crawling
from under the bed when / heard an
other sound nearing the door this time.
In a minute the latch was quietly lifted,
the door was gently pushed open, and ]
saw the landlord glide into the
room. Then a hand holding
a candle stole in at the door-only o
hand; but j knew those %quiyering fin
gers well enough. The man crept on
tiptoe to the bed and, leaning softly
over the sleeper, stabbed him to the
heart. There was one deep groan and
all was over. The murderer drew the
money from under the pillow and
crept stealthily to the door, glancing
behind him as though he feared the
dead man would get up and follow
him.
Shaking all over and with hair on
ena / crawled from my hiding place,
groped about for my clothes. and, af-
ter standing a moment, dazed with
horror, followed the guilty couple.
Their room was almost opposite mine,
and [ could see the light under their
door, which was barely closed. 4
pushed it open and peeped In. The
table faced the door, and there they
stood with their backs to me, so intent
upon the money that l crept close to
them without being ileard.
"sLook. look I heard the man whis-
per-there is more than enough TO save
our boy! How they shine! And all
ours, ~wife-oursr
".No, mine, murdercrt / shouted
with a voice of thunder, and snatching
the bag from his ~ncrveless grasp, /
dashed the light from the woman's hand
and fed back swiftly TO the room where
the dead man lay.
Opening the window, / CROPPED
about with one hand for an ivy
Dough, clinging somehow to the sill
with the other, and at last managed to
scramble down, reaching the ground
bruised, shaken breathless. As rest
ed a moment to get breath, I heard
from the room above hi awful cry sung
out in q woman's voice
My boy, my boy, my only SOM
IT clambered over the gate which led
into the street. Al watch-box stood close
by in the square, and I hurrledly told
my story to the watchman. He stared
in horror, as well he might, and wanted
to fetch his mate; but / told him we
should find at the inn, 50 he cam with
me. A frightened servant opened the
door to MS, and / led the way to the
room / had just quilted. The watch
man bent down and peered into the
dead mans face.
"sAh, he whispered, it's as I fearedl
It's their own son-they didn't know he
was home, and so they mistook him for
you, sir.
II felt myself turn queer and giddy,
for / knew the meaning of that pitiful
cry, MY only sonp
"And what of the murderers? They
had not so much as tried to escape, and
the door wasn't even barred against us.
The woman lay moaning on the floor;
the mar sat huddled up in a chair by
the bed. When we entered he held out
his hands to be manacled without utter
ing g wwera. When / told him how it
happened hat his SON had fallen a VIC
tim instead Of me he just stared in my
face, and made no sign that he heard
The CHASTITY tale.
Well sir, that's about all. The moth
or, poor soul, died raving mad, and the