Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-04-16

1 dld marx, out not 70 the clOch-
"Whose step is thatF l asked, after
she had left the clock and sat down.
''Oh, some one in the next room.
The walls here are very thin-only
boards in places"
/ did not complete what / had be
gun 10 say. II l could hear steps
through the partition. then could our
neighbors hear US talk, and what l had
determined upon must be kept secret
from all outsiders. l drew a sheet of
p toward me and wrote:
81 shall stay here tonight. Some
thing tells me that in doing this l shall
solve this mystery. But 1 must APP
pear TO go. Take my instructions As
usual Id bid me good night. Lock
the door after me, but with a urn of
the key instantly unlock it again. l
shall 20 down stairs; see that my car
rage drives away, and quietly return
On my remittance l shall expect TO
find Miss Wilcox on the couch, with the
screen drawn up around it, you in your
big chair, and the light lowered. What
l do thereafter need not concen you.
Pretend to go to sleep"
The nurse nodded, and Immediately
entered upon the programme | had
planned. l prepared the medicine as
usual, placed it in its usual glass, and
laid that glass where it had always
been set, on a small table It the far
Their side of the bed. Then | said,
Good night" and passed huniedly
out.
l was fortunate enough to meet no
one, going or coming. / regained the
room, pushed open the door, and, find
ing everything in order, proceeded at
once to the bed, upon which. after
taking of my hat and cloak and care
fully concealing them, | lay down and
deity covered myself mp.
Ny idea was this-that by some ines
meric influence of which she vas
ignorant the nurse had been forced
TO either poison the glass herself or
open the door for another TO do it. II
this were so she OF the other person
would be obliged TO pass around the
foot of the bed in order 10 reach the
glass, and l should be sure TO see il, for
l did not pretend to sleep. BY the low
light enough could be discerned for safe
movement about the room and not
enough to make apparent the change
which had been made in the occupant
of the bed. waited with indescriba-
BILE anxiety, and more than nee fancied
/ heard steps, IL not a feverish breath
| ing, close 70 my bed head; but no one
appeared, and the nurse in her big
chair did not stir.
At last ! grew weary, and, fearful Of
losing control over my eyelids, | fixed
my gaze upon the glass, as il in 80 doing
/ should find a talisman TO keep me
awake, when, great God! what was It
that / sawl A hand, a creeping hand
coming from nowhere and joined TO
nothing, closing about that glass and
drawing it slowly away till il disap-
peared entirely from before my eyes!
Igasped-I could not help it-but l
did not stir. For now / knew / was
asleep and dreaming. But no, / pinch
myself under the clothes and find that
l am very wide awake indeed; and
then-lookl look! the glass is return
ing; the hand-a woman's hands
slowly setting il back in its place,
and
With a bound / have hat hand in
my grasp. 1t is a living hand. and it
is very warm and strong and fierce,
and the glass has fallen and lies shat
tered between US, and a double cry is
heard. one from behind the partition.
through an opening in which this hand
had been thrust, and one from the
nurse. who has jumped 70 her feet and
is rel now assisting me in holding the
struggling member. upon which ! have
managed TO scratch a tell tale mark
with a piece Of fallen glass. At sight
Of the iron like grip which this latter
lays upon the intruding member, l at
once release my own grasp.
Hold on!" / cried, and, leaping from
the bed. / fastened first 10 my patient,
whom ! carefully treasured, and then
into the hall, where l found the land
lady running 10 see what "a the mat
ter. Il have found the wretch" l
cried, and, drawing her after me, hur-
ried about L the other side Of the par
tition, where / found a closet, and in it
the woman | had met on the stairs, but
glaring now. like a tiger in her rage,
and fear.
That woman was my humble little
patients bitter but unknown enemy.
Enamored Of a man who-unwisely,
perhaps-had expressed in her hearing
his admiration for the pretty type
writer, she had conceived the idea that
he intended 20 marry the latter, and
vowing vengeance had taken up her
abode in the same house with the in
nOcent girl, where, had it not been for
the fortunate circumstance Of my meet
ing her on the stairs, she would certain
ly have carried out her scheme of vile
and secret murder. The poison she had