The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-09-29
The Mysterious Lodger.
BY EMILY II. HOUGH.

BY EMILY IL. HoUGH.
al don't like it! and the more I think
of it the worse it sremsw soliloquized
Mrs. Benson, letting her sewing fall in
her lap for moment II made up my
mind that there was mystery about him
from the first-and now that that brigan-
dish ie oking youg feller has taken to Wis
iting him and acting so queer, it's get
ting really dang rous. That comes of
being a lone widow woman with no
protector! I'm sure, when he came here
80 pleasant and civil, and offered good
price for the room, and didn't mind if
the accommodations weren't first class, I
could never have been expected to i'm
agine -"
a vigorous pull at the door-bell inter
ruptel the lady's musings; and jumping
up all in flutter, she hurried out into the
hall. 4 tall, slender young man with
piercing black eyes and long, waving
hair, and carrying a somewhat bulky
pap:r roll, stood before her.
''S1r. Brown in? Don't trouble your
self to call him-I'll 60 right up"
Mrs. Benson fell helplessly back, and
the visitor mounted the stairs with pom
derous strides. 4 door above opened
and shut, and after hesitating irrcso-
lutely in the hall for nom ent, the land
lady, in state of increased perplexity,
returned to her sewing.
The subject of her interrupted soliloquy
"a prcpos; ;essing young man of thirty or
thereabouts, giving the name of Brown
had engaged a room in the house about
two months before, as lodger, simply.
His pay was prompt, his hours and man
ners uncyceptionablc, and his wants few
and the good lady's heart had quite
warmed toward him. After a while,
however he fell into the habit of staying
out late; when they met incidentally, in
the hall, or on the stairs, his passing So
luton wore, to the widows sensitive ear,
Sn element of mystery; and la:teriy, he
had been receiving frequent and pro-
tracted visits from the stranger she had
Just admitted. Once or twice she had
hp.tocd upstairs after him, and listened
at the door, but failing to catch anything
Ineligible, and fea ing detection, she
had been obliged to retreat unenlight-
ened.
II can't consider it my duty to let this
90 on any longer!" she said at last, re-
suming her meditations. ''There's no
knowing what dreadful plot may be
hatched in my house. might be ar
rested, too, as an accomplice. It's we'll
/ thought of that closct-the good for
nothing villains! I'll circumvcnt 'em!
yes apd get reward, perhaps, for fur
nishiug the information"
Inspired by these mingled ideas, Mrs.
Benson once more lad aside her sewing
and stol. softly upstairs. The room ad-
Joining that of her lodger, contained Il
closet built against the partition wall,
from whi b some of the plaster had
fallen leaving small crack. Creeping
cautiously in, Mrs. Benson got down on
her knees and applied her ear to the wall.
Presently she heard MIR. Browns voice:
Eyes, that will do-leaves no trace
' for suspicion. Did you use poison?'
"Poisonm gasped the eavesdropper.
~ thought he looked like villain!"
'No-I decided that the dagger was
better" was the reply.
"What kind did you use2" queried
Brown, jocularly.
''Oh, the regulation kind Italian,
with ieweled handle. I left it there,
30 as to implicate the lover, you sec; then
had the girl abducted and carried to a
lonely house on tie moors. hope she
feels comfortable -ha! ha! ha"
''Merciful powers!" chok d Mrs. Ben
son. "That's the girl they advertised for
in yesterdays Heraldi To think what aw-
full characters I've been harboring and
abetting! It's just miracle that I'm
alive to tell of it,"
"Well," she heard next elbow about
the will and jcwclsl"
"Theyre secured. I'll make division
tomorrow"
'sNot forgetting me, hopc!" laughed
Brown. "And does that wind up the
plot2"
"Not quite. 1 have one more scheme
to develop"
"Why what an Unsuitable fellow you
arS Is it another murder2'
"No; Iwant to secure an easy, unsus.
picious body of middle age to act as d.
anna for the heiress. One with O small
bank-account that l can withdraw after
have her safe, and then have it giver
out that she has moved into the country
That diverts suspicion again, you see"
eyes, very clever! you are coming on
r Moore. How will you manage that
point?"
'sOh, I'll come in carriage with ~
invitation for her to spend the evcn;'s
with some friend; then if she becomes
uspicious and makes any trouble, III
fix her with little distilled sleep In
bound to have her, nolens volens."
"FirSt-rate! only don't make the dose
too big" said Brown, with blood
curdling laugh
'Tl look out for that; and-I tell yol
what, Brown"
"Well, what'-don't keep fellow il
suspense"
"I've hit upon the midd lc aged pcrsor
your worthy landlady.'
Mrs. Penson's heart stood still. How
did the wretch find out that she had ;
little money? BreatEiessly She listened
for the next words.
"Ha! ha. ha." roared the lodgcr
"You'll blossom out into o tirst-clas!
body-snatcher. Moore! Really, you're {