The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-09-29

feet, she tottered from the room and
softly c,osed the door. In her pertur-
baton she failed to hear the door of the
ad djoining room open ut the same instant.
The upper hall was narrow and dark -;
and plungiug forward toward the head
of the stairs, she ran violently against
something-h- ard stihed exclamation
and found herself seized by strong pair
Of arms.
''Murder! murder" shriekcd the land
lady. Historically.
''Hush, madam !" spoke the visitors
70 ce. Eve are only"
"Oh, know it all" gasped lis strug-
Cling captive. s'Let me go-you asass-
sinator, YOU distilled sleeper let me 60
this moment, 1 tell you! Murder -
thieves watch poll 'e!"
She wrenched herself free in last
frantic effort to reach the stairs, and the
impetus carried her fairly over the first
step. An instant she wavered on the
edge, her arms flung wildly out in the
attempt to regain her balance, and then
over she went, accompanying each revo-
luton with most ear-splitting shrick,
while the two men, with bur>t of mir
gled CONSERVATION and merriment, pre-
cipitat d themselves after her, although
in somcwi at more orderly fashion.
Just as they reached the hall, and Mrs.
Benson had succeeded in picking herself
up, the street -door WAS burst open, and a
policeman's a tonished eyes took i'll the
scene. The landlady on one hand, her
face covered with perspiration and dust,
and giving vent to shrek after shrek
with as much persistence and rspidity as
her breath would allow.-and the con-
spirators on the other, scarce able to stand
in their excess of merriment, holding
their handt to their sides, convulsed with
paroxysms of laughter.
whats the muss here?' demanded
the public guardian.
"Arrest those two villains right
away" sputtered Mrs. Benson, gasping
for breath.
"Arrest 'em2" echoed the officer, as
Brown and Moore went off into another
convulsion. ''What for2"
"What forl" sobbed the landlady. ga
nice reliable set you police are, to be
sure! Here they've gone and murdered
somebody, and carried off tia: girl the
papers are advertising for, as we'll as
lot of money, and-oh, dear r.'-wring-
ing her hands-''they were calculating
to attack me, lone widow woman, and
distill me to sleep, and take away my
hard earnings, and carry me off to take
care of that young girl" and her over
wrought lima agination found vent in Sec
ord burst of tears.
"What does she mean, anyhow"
asked the officer, hopclessly mystifcd.
'Just wait till 1 get my brIath."
choked Moore, with renewed burst of
merriment.
''Distill her to sleep!-oh, hold me"
exploded his friend, following suit.
"Aint you going to arrest them before
they murder me?" demand.d d Mrs. Ben
son, mopping her face with her apron.
s.Ju>t hold on till hear their side of
the story!" replied the officer, grinning.
:'Come, what's the row about?" He
turned to Brown.
sSuppose we 60 in here and sit down
I'll make it all clear IN two minutes"
replied the lodger, as he made motion
to enter the sitting-room.
.'No, you don't!' shrieked Mrs. Ben
son, plunging forward. "My baak-book
is in there, in the right hand bureau
drawer, and I amt going to be robbed
before my own face and eyes! Beside,
they'd like as not jump out of the win
dow and get away-thats the way they
always do"
Controlling his disabilities with diff
Guilty, Brown held the opened roll of MS.
t>ward the officer.
''This will solve the mystery, ;" he said.
"My friend, Mr. Moore, has lately be-
come attached to the staff of local pa
per, and is at present composing thrill
ing romance for its columns. He has
been in the habit of bringing the several
instalments to me, for revision a:d crit
icism, and it occurred to b m today, as
we were talking over the plot, that it
would be a good idea to have my land
lady figure rs one of the subordinate
characters. That is the entire extent of
our conspiracy"
'But how did she get wind of it2"
asked the perplexed ofic,r.
''favesdropping, of course! There's a
vacant room next to mine, with a closet
in it; and we were talking over the sub
iect somewhat animatedly. We came
out into the entry at the same time that
she did, and ran against her in the dark.
My friend instinctively caught hold of
her, but she pulled away, and being close
by the head of the stairs, the rest can be
summed up in few words. Oh, what a
fall was there, my countrymen!" a1d the
conspirators broke once more into peal
Ct merriment, in which they were heart
ily ioiued this time by the policeman.
In some way the landlady's mind had
become suddenly enlightened, and she
came forward with beaming smile.
"Oh! is that it," she exclaimed, cor
daily care you story-paper man?'
81 have the honor to be associated with
the TAaude er, madam" replied Moore,
with low bow. And one pat Of my
GRAND here to-day was to ask you if you
could accommodate me with lodgings. I
will pay whatever Mr.. Brown does"
"Oh certainly, certainlyw cried the
del GIFTED widow. $50 long as you
amt t."
"Quite such a vii ain as I appeared to
be, eh" laughed Moore. ".lnd you shall
have complimentary copies Of all my pro-
du tions.'
well, since there amt nobody to
arrest, I'll bid you. good afternoon re-
marked the policeman, in lofty defiance
of Murrays Grammar; and he bowed