The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-01-18


ance. but perhaps the assassin.
What the agony of that time was
like, only the man who, full of health
and strength, has suddenly been
brought face to face with death, can
realize. l knew that I was doomed.
and each seconl / expected to hear
stealthy foot-step creeping toward Inc
and to feel murderOus grasp upon my
throat. But what need of these elabor-
ate devices? Why, if murder were in
tended, was mot dispatched in my sleep?
Minutes elapsed. nothing further hap
pened, and / could hear the pouring
rain without, but no other sound.
Almost the first thought that came to
my waking mind was the story of the
the mysterious death at La
Tour-du-Pin. 1 understood the situa-
ton in a moment had fallen into a
similar snare or, rather, should have
done SO had not reversed the position
of my head. Yet how extraordinary,
how utterly unreal such coincidence
was! But for the physical pain that was
too acute to be imaginary could not
have believed it was other than night
mare. l continued to endure without
struggle, on the supposition that my life
depended upon the assassins believing
that their murderous plot had succeed
ed. How long it was before relief came
can not Judge, but after lapse of
what seemed to me hours l felt the bed
gradually moving back to horizontal
position. Then the pressure slackened
upon my chest and legs, felt the cords
slide away, and 1 was once more free.
The worst of the danger was now
over, but not all; truly had the use of
my arms and legs, and could hight for
my life; but these people would be des-
perate at. the idea of. their diabolical
plan being discovered. and the odds in
such Il fight would be terribly against
me. must keep cool and not yield to
panic. 1t was still quite dark, yet l
feared to strike light, and after CROP
ing for my clothes and dressing myself
1 sat down in q chair and waited for
the dawn. Can ever forget the horror
of that vigil! Surrounded by an inn
penetrable blackness, over which brood
ed the phantom of murder; scarcely
daring to breathe lest I should betray
myself to some stealthy listener; fancy
ing every moment that / could hear
creeping footsteps; that I could feel an
invisible presence; that | could see
shadows moving across the darkness,
and outstretched hands making for my
throat! Would the dawn never break!
1t came at last, wan and CHASTITY as the
face of my dream; but never had the
most glorious sunrise been so grateful
to my eyes as was that CLEAN of cold
gray light that 'oke at last through
the shroud of darkness that enveloped
me.
advanced on tiptoe to the window
and cautiously peered through the
glass. | could see that it was at least
twenty feet from the ground, and looked
into paved yard with high walls That
way was hopeless. If l attempted to
leave the room might find the assassin
lurking on the stairs. The safest plan
would be to wait until later; until the
doors of the house we're open; until
people were about the streets, and
would be chance Of assistance, should
l need it.
looked at my watch; it was past
seven o'clock. Just then | heard some
one stirring below, door open and
shut. While stood listening with my
ear to the keyhole my attention was
attracted by another sound; it came
from beneath the bedstead, and might
have been the gnawing of q rat Fix
ing my eyes upon the spot whence the
noise proceeded, presently saw por
ton of the wooden casing that enclosed
the bottom of the bedstead move away,
and the next moment the space was
filled by head covered with long black
hair and a white, CHASTITY face shaded
by STUDY black beard; the morning
light was still dim and the room full of
shadows, but that vid face started out
of lis dark framework with terrible dis
tinctness. could not stir, very fas-
cination of horror seized upon me. Our
eyes met; could see the pupils of the
other d late, the mouth open, and 81
most the very hair stir W tn terror. For
seconds we faced each other thus. Then
| heard a cry of "Mon Dieu!" ana the
head was gone, and heard a scratch
ing and scrambling.
could endure no more; without even
waiting to put on my hat l turned the
key, shot ba k the bolt, opened the
door, and sprang down the stairs. The
girl was sweeping out the hall-the out
ward door was open--l rushed past her
into the street, and ran at headlong
speed until reached the center of the
town.
As soon as recovered my breath, 1
sought the bureau of the police, and
told my extraordinary story. From my
strange appearance and excited man
ner am sure they took me for a mad
man; but nevertheless l prevailed on
them to allow couple of gensdarmes
to accompany me back to the hotel.
Yet briei as had been the time thus
taken up, it had been sufficient to al
low tine criminals to escape. The ex-
animation of the premises, however,
quickly revealed the internal machinery
to which l had so nearly fallen a vie
tim. The chamber had occupied was
built over what had formerly been a
coach-house, but which was now used
as a lumber-shed. Between the ceiling
of this place and the floor of the room
was a loft about three feet high, also ap-
parently filled with lumber, but in re-
atty it was only the entrance that was
stopped up, the rest of the place was
perfectly clear, and it was from here
the mach merry was worked. The pal
let of my bedstead was simply wood
en- plank secured to the framework
only in the center, where it was made
to revolve to any angle by means of an
iron rod that acted as an axis. 1t was
supported at either end by two iron legs
attached to the floor but not to the
plank; that portion of the flooring that
was beneath the upper half of the bed
stead could be sunk like a stage trap
into the loft, so as to admit of the pallet