Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-11-08

the Grand Jury at Wiltonburp' ' T Ivlone
there in company with Mr. Dam mem'
nus secured lodgings at the Sabine
house. 1t was q small inn, well and
comfortably kept, and frequented by
patrons OF moderate means. There
were two public houses of more fash.
aonable pretensions in the place.
IL was on the afternoon of Monday
s one l4th day Of February, that 1 took
quarters at the Sabine House. and
AFTER tea L requested the landlord tn
ouiid flre IN my room, which he did
ana he also furnished me with good
lamp. 1t was eight o'clock. and / sat
~ inc table engaged in reading, when
someone s%n raped upon my door. I said,
come IN" and young man named
La5an Shaw entered. This Shaw T
mad known very we'll as clerk of
Tabl1el Butterworth, but had never
Deen intimate with him from the fact
That l had never liked him. He must
nave seen the look of displeasure upon
my face, for he quickly said:
Pardon me, Mr.. Watson. I don't
mean to intrude. I have come down
to be present ut the examination to-
morrow-summoned by Butterworth's
man, of course-and I got here too late
to get room with a stove in 81. and
worse still, l must take room with
another bed in it, and with stranger
Tor company. And so, may just warm
my fingers and toes by your fire, and
leave my carpet bag under your bed ~
He laughed when he spoke of the
carpet bag; but yet he did not know
what sort of faculty his stranger
roommate might have for getting nm
and walking off in the night
vi course l granted him his request.
and he put his carpet bag under nv
bed, and then sat down by nv stove.
and we chatted socially enough for
half an hour or more without once
abiding to the business which had
brought the pair Of lis to Wiltonburg.
His conversation was pleasant, and I
really come to like the fellow; and I
thought to myself that I had been
prejudiced against him without cause.
At length he arose, and babe me good
night, and went away, and shortly af-
terward retired.
L had been in bed but little while,
when another rap upon my door dis
turbed me; and to my demand of what
was wanted / received answer from
Laban Shaw. He babe me not to
light a lamp. He had only come for
his nightgown. He could get it in the
dark. 1 arose and unlocked my door,
and his apologies were many and earn
est. He always slept, in winter, in a
flannel nightgown, and he had thought
1essly left it in his carpet-bag. Hewas
sorry-very sorry. He had thought to
try to sleep without it rather than dis
turb me, but his room was cold,
I cut him short, and told him there
was no need of further apology; and
while he fumbled over his bag, I went
to the stove to make double assurance
that the fire was all right. I offered
to light match for him, but he said
he had got his dress and all was right.
He then went out, and I closed and
locked the door, after him, and then got
back into bed.
But was not to sleep. I had been
very sleepy when Shaw disturbed me:
but an entirely different feeling pos
sessed me now. First came nervous
twitching in my limbs "a "craw-
ly" feeling. as some express
it-that sensation which induces gap
ing and yawning, but which no
amount Of yawning could now subdue.
By-and-by a sense of nightmare stole
upon me; and, though perfectly awake,
q sense as Of impending danger pos
sessed ME. At length, so uncomforta-
BILE did l become in my recumbent
position, that arose and lighted my
lamp, resolved to replenish my fire,
and dress myself, and see if 1 could
read away my nervous fit. -.
My lamp was lighted, and as I re-
turned to the bedside for my slippers,
my attention was attracted by string
which lay upon the carpet-a string
leading from the bed to the door. 1
stopped to examine it, and found it fast
at both ends. brought the lamp and
took more careful survey. The string
was a fine silken trout line, new and
strong, one end Of which disappeared
beneath the bed and the other beneath
the door. In my then present condi-
ton I was suspicious Of evil, and my
senses were painfully keen. Raising
the hanging edge Of the coverlet
looked under the bed. The
carpet bag which Laban Shaw had
left lay there, partly open, with
the silken line leading out from it.
What could it mean? Had the man
accidentally carried the end of the line
away with his night-dress without no.
ticing it? I drew the bag out from be-
meath the bed, and as I held its jaws
apart I saw, within, double-barreled
pistol, both hammers cooked, bright
percussion caps cleaning upon the
tubes, while the silken line, with dou-
BILE end, was made fast to the triggers!
And saw that the muzzles of the PTS
toll barrels We're inserted into the end
of an oblong box, or case, Of galvan-
lied iron. And I comprehended, too,
that very slight pull upon that string
might have discharged the pistols
and, furthermore, that man outside
of my door might have done that
thing!
For little time my hands trembled
SO that I dared not touch the internal
contrivance; but at length | composed
myself; and went at work. First, l cut
b.