, 1886-09-19

GeorQe, TINS Is terriDlel L am sorry
down to tn, bottom of my heart. Come
back to my room until we consider what
is best to be done
I'VE retraced our steps slowly. a
vigilant night Waterman passed on his
rounds, but did not heed us. How he could
Know the anguish that was racking our
very lights and liversi He couldn't,
happy fellow. As We neared my door, l
had an idea. 1 sometimes have. Strange
that neither of us had thought of a most
reasonable explanation before. or course,
the whole thing was clear now. Pshaw,
what a brace of blockheads we were, to be
sure. The season. was gradually coming
to an end; the hotel was thinning out,
and Mr.. Palmer, the ever thoughtful
room clerk, had moved my companions
wife to a larger apartment at the front of
the house. When mentioned this to the
suffering husband he clutched at the idea
AS a drowning nan does at driftwood.
Only a moment was he relieve |. however,
for he Rasped the horrible words:
But, the trunk"
THAT was n blow to my fine spun
theory, l had to admit. Still, 1 reasoned,
the transfer of rooms might have been
made lnte in the aftern Don and the over
worked porters might not have been able
to attend to the transfer of the baggage.
Il tOultSS lHHt L was uudDl6 70 Impair
much enthusiasm to my consoling assur-
ances.
Clearly, there was only one thing to
be done. the husband must go down TO
the desk and ascertain II his room-his
wife's room-had been changed since his
departure. No; / couldn't go. Positively mol
lie must be diplomatic, too. assured
him, for his wife's honor depended on not
awakening any suspicion at the desk. l
still felt that there must be a clear way
out of this tangle, but / couldn't see any
daylight ahead. He argued with ME
again. The husband, not the friend. must
go. Yes, l was firm on that point. l
braced him up IA well as l could to the
top of the main stairway leading to the
office. Then l waited. My friend was
about as diplomatic as a Hollander. He
wa KIDD up to the desk and, glazing wildly
at Clerk Ben Hays, demanded:
"'Why in the fend's name did you
move my room while | was away"
"'Your room has not been changed, SIR
was the calm reply of the veteran clerk
rs he glanced over the rack on which the
names are all carefully set down. Then
he said Front. In a voice that made the
colored porter on duty spring forward.
Mr.. Hays said to him in a matter of
fact way:
SNOW tulS gentleman 10 MS room.
Il saw that a crisis had come. Stepping
down the stairs, l plunged into the thick
of the contest. My friend. the husband.
acted as though he would fall limp upon
the floor. Mr.. Hays expected him to, evil
IDENTITY for he whispered to the porter to
take the guests arm, but the husband
wouldn't have it. He recovered himself
and stormed like a tiger. He knew the
way; didn't want anybody to show him
to-to-his room. Hotel clerks were al
ways impudent, he added.
MIR. Hays, who has had thirteen years
experience at the Fifth Avenue hotel and
West End, had seen such cases before.
He knew the only way to manage IA man
under the circumstances was 20 let him
alone. That's what he did. His theory
worked like a charm in this case; and,
making what apology l could for my now
thoroughly distracted companion, l be-
gan to navigate him toward the stairway.
Now, expect you to believe mt when l
tell you this staggering man was dead
sober He hadn't had a drop In my
room, because there's never any there.
1t don't last. Why, l actually thought
I'd have to carry my friend, his legs
doubled up so under he weight of his
grief. God knows l pitied him.
What was to be donei l tried again
Ia again. " iildklut IhJStl IN Ills dW'
full predicament. Impossible. / must, OF
course. regard all that | knew and had
seen as n sacred secret Though an I'M
willing ~conidence) that could not be
dragged from me with heated pincers. 1t
should die with Inc. But what nexti
That was the husbands place to decide,
and his only.
"'Have you a pistolin he finally asked.
Eyes l answered, reluctantly. 1
hadn't any real wish to be made an ac-
cessory to a murder before the fact, nor
had / the heart to refuse a boon to a
wronged and outraged friend. Anything
l had in this world was at his disposal,
and l said so.
w had reached my room for the third
time. 1t was after / o'clock-nearer 3, in
fact, as l found by looking at my watch.
l got out the heavy weapon, examined it
to see that II was properly loaded, and
laid 1t on the table so that he could take
it. He OWNED my mental observation
He evidently believed that l shrunk from
handing him "a pistol about to be used in
taking a human life. I'd cross the Ru-
bicon. / SEIZED the heavy revolver, placed
it in his hands, and, with a heroic rising
infie xion, said:
"'Go, and do your dutyr"
"The way in which the merchant ham
dltd bht weapon NdtlSlltti ms lnhJ ne
never be ore hal had n pistol in his hng-
ers. His first act was TO place the butt
against his breast and to bring the
weapon to n full cock. Then his conf
dence grew stronger aad his reckless ness
increased. .
stepping back to give the injured hus-
band courage, | urged him to avenge him
self. | told him how Mr.. Murat Hal
stead had only the other day actually
threatened to shoot Mr.. John r. Mclean.
and that he had teleSraphed n column or
so about the daring act To al. the papers
of the country. Now, do you know, that
was one OF the most unfortunate remarks
i ever remember to have made. The mer-
chant and husband had read the blood
curdling screed himself. and, recalling
likewise the fiercenes> OF Mr.. Halstead's
letter to Secretary Chase in 1863, he said:
"'They both had seconds. You must
be mine. l amt kill a man without a
second. l tell you, 1t isn't rightp
~ would have smiled, too, had ibeen
Indifferent to the fate of this family, as
you are. But assure you IL was n most
solemn moment, which the succeeding re-
mark did not render less grave. The
husband had Strengthened himself up as
he made the high professional point
about killing the destroyer OF his peace
of mind. but | fancied he witherei some
what as he added;
Remember the size OF his shoes. He
must be a terror
Two O'Clock had parsed. and the en-
ragged man certainly had a right to know
the worst. l would stand by him to the
last | hal gone too far to draw back
now. Perhaps | could avoid bloodshed
and scandal | accompanied MI unfortu-
nate friend along the hall We reached
the door, There still sat the damning
evidence Of his wrongs, innocent OF con-