The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-10-17

tected him in the act of depositing a
large sum of money in bank in Buff
falo His action Immediately followed,
and Butterworth was arrested.
This was the way matters stood
when was summoned to appear before
the Grand Jury at Wiltonburg. Invent
there In company with Mr.. Damon,
and secured lodgings at the Sabine
comfortably kept, and frequented by
patrons of moderate means. There
were two public houses of more fash
ionable pretensions in the place.
1t was on the afternoon of Monday,
the 18th day of February, that I took
quarters at the Sabine House, and
after tea I requested the landlord to
build fire in my room, which he did,
and he also furnished me with good
lamp. It was eight o'clock, and sat
at the table engaged in reading, when
someone raped upon my door. said,
Come in" and young man named
Laban Shaw entered. This Shaw I
had known very well as clerk of
Gabriel Butterworth, but had never
been intimate with him from the fact
that I had never liked him. He must
have seen the look of displeasure upon
my face, for he quickly said:
Pardon me, Mr.. Watson. [ don't
mean to intrude. I have come down
to be present at the examination to-
morrow-su by Butterworth's
man, of course-and I got here too late
to get room with a stove in 1t and,
worse still, must take room with
another bed in it, and with stranger
for 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 a faculty his stranger
roommate might have for getting up
and walking off in the night.
Of course L granted him his request,
and he put his carpet bag under my
bed, and then sat down by my stove,
and we chatted socially enough for
half an hour or more without once
alluding to the business which had
brought the pair of us to Wiltonburg.
His conversation was pleasant, and [
really come to like the fellow; and [
< 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.
had been in bed but little while,
when another rap upon my door dis
turbed me; and to my demand of what
was wanted I 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. [ 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
lessly left it i'll his carpet-bag He
sorry-very sorry. He had thought to
try to sleep without it rather than dis
turb me, but his room was cold,
and
[ 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 [ 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,
a sense as of impending danger pos
sessed me. At length, SO uncomforta
BILE did I become in my recumbent
position, that [ arose and lighted my
lamp, resolved to replenish my fire,
and dress myself, and see if [ could
read away my nervous fit.
Ny 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.
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 comb
ton 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-
ble end, was made fast to the triggers
And 1 saw that the muzzles of the pis-
toll barrels were inserted into the end
of an oblong box, or case, of galvan-
lied iron. And l comprehended, too,
that a very slight pull upon that string
ho 4CTc