Frostburg mining journal., 1889-12-14

Laban Shaw entered. lhlS Shaw |
had known very well as q clerk of
Gabriel ButterwOrth, but | had never
been intimate with him from the fact
that | had never liked him. He must
have seen the look of displeasure upon
my face. for he quickly said:
Pardon me, Mr.. Watson. l don't
mean to intrudc. | have come down
to be present at the examination to-
morrow-summoned by Butterworth's
man, OF course-and | got here too late
to get room with stove in it; 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 i'll the night
OF course | granted him his request,
and he put his carpet bag under my
bed, and then sat down by my stove,
and We chatted sociably enough for
half nm hour or more without once
nlluding to the business which had
brought the pair Of lis to Wiltonburg.
His conversation was pleasant, and
really come to like the fellow; and
thought to myself that l had been
prejudiced against lin without cause.
At length he arose, and bade me good
night, and went away, and shortly nf.
terward ] retired
had been in bed but a little while,
when another rap upon my door dis
turbed me; and 10 my demand of what
was wanted l received answer from
Laban Shaw. He bade me not to
light lamp. He had only come for
his nightgown. He could get it in the
dark. l arose and unlocked my door,
and his apologies We're many and earn
est. He always slept, in winter, in n
flannel nightgown, and he had thought
lcssly left it III his carpet bag. He was
s0rry-very sorry. He had thought to
try to sleep without it rather than dis
turb me, but his room was cold
| and
l cut him short, and told him there
was no need of further apology; and
while he fumbled over his bag, | went
| 10 lne stove 10 lNhhc uOuDle hSSuTulce
that the fire was all right. offered
to light match for him, but he said
| he had got his dress and all wns 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 Snnw disturbed mo
but nm entirely different feeling pos
sessed me row. First came nervous
twitching in my limbs "a "craw-
!y' feeling. as some express
it-that sensation which induces shp-
ing and yawning, but which no
amount Of Eawning could now Subdue.
BY yand by sense Of nightmare stole
upon ne: and, though perfectly awake,
Il sense rs OF impending danger pos
se,sad me. At length, so uncomforta-
bic did | become in my recumbent
position, that | arose and lighted my
| lamp, resolved to replenlsh my fire,
and dress myself, and see If | could
read away my nervous fit.
My lamp was lighted, and as L rH-
turned to the bedside fbt my slippers,
my attention Was attracted by string
winch lay upon the carpet-a string
leading from the bed to the door.
stopped to examine 1t, ana found 1t fast
at both ends. / brought the lamp and
! took more careful survey. The string
was fine sllkch trout line, new and
strong, one end of which disappeared
beneath the bed and the other beneath
the door. In my then present condl-
! | n
seAseS We're painfully keen. Lansing
til" hanging edge OF the coverlet
looked under the bed. The
carpet bag "Hi'h l'"bHn ShG" ha!'
lrlJ !ay there, partly open, with
NE Sllken line leading out from 1t.
"hat could 1t mean? Had the man
accidentally carried the end OF the line
away with his might -dr"9s W'thaut hO'
tlcins It? l uraw tha bag out from be-
meath the bet, aud as | held Its Jaws
| apart l saw, Within, dout'le-barfeled
pistol, Doth hammers cooked, bright
, percussion caps cleaning upon the
tubes, Wh''e til" sli'en hne. wtth dou'
lie end, was made fast to the triggers
| And | saw that the muzZles of the pis'
tol barrels We're inserted into the end
of an oblonG box, or case, of galvan-
iZed iron. And | comprehended, too,
That very shght pun upon that string
might nave discharged the plstois.-
aud, furthermore, mat man oufsld,
OF my door might have done that
thlns ,,
tor little time my hahdS trembled
80 that dared rot touch the internal
r"ntflvanre; but at length composed
| nlVSclt aud went at work. irSt, ! eat