Nevada County picayune., 1891-01-08
4 NIanT OF TERROR.

lliE lo l>DuNtOu lOI JIG itloL liiiiI. Oi' the steamer the sensation had been the many mysterious disappearances that were occurring in that great ci ty, the victims being strangers like myself. From what was known they were robbed and murdered in their sleep by means of trap-door commu- nications from the cellar to the floor under their beds and their bodies were buried in the cellar.
 Owing to my blunder in taking a wrong train, it was long past mid night when Preached London station and my resident friend was, of course, not there to meet me. The weather was drizzling and foggy, with nasty chill striking into me, and, forlorn and tired, took the first cab that was offered, telling the wicked-looI>ing driver to take me to hotel. By and by l began to notice that we were long while in getting there, and that we seemed to be going through slum quarter of the town, but just as l was feel ing little bit nervous about it the cab stopped and the cabman, taking my yalise. helped me across the walk to what appeared in the dark to be more of lodging-house than ho tel. Before l had time to question he had me in it's sill-smelling hall, and after whispering to a vile-looking man holding smoky candle he hur- ried off, saying the cab fare would be on the bill. Then my host, after locking the hall door and putting the key in his pocket (which pro- cceding l did not like, ) and hearing me say 1 would not cat, picked up my bag and led the way upstairs, drawing from me as he dld so parti- culars about myself and journey that l didn't wish him to know. for l was already suspicious of the surround ings from which it was then too late to retreat.
 Setting the candle on the bur eau in back bed chamber he wished me a good night, and shutting the door, left me alone in my misery. Then l collected what wits had and took a survey of the situation.
 The gloomy room was big and carpctcd; it had double bedstcad in the far corner, washstand by the two windows, chairs, table and the high bureau, where the light, only q small bit of candle, as l then saw, was llickering dismally.
 Stepping to window l quietly tried to raise it, when the deep grow ling and clanking of chain from some fierce brute below made me de- slst. l peered through the crack but nothing was visible in the black ness of the night. Then, all of a sudden, the tales of those murder s told me on shipboard, came to mind and for moment 1 think l faint ed.
 When l came to myself l vigor- ously drank from my whiskey flask, preparatory to searching under the bed. The candle was fast burning itself out as 1 placed it on the floor and crawled beneath the bcdstead to look for that cellar trap door, calling myself fool for my fears while do- ing so.
 1 reached the vnusty carpet in the far corner by the wall and nearly tainted again when I found it was not tackled. Using what courage 1 had left l carefully lifted it, and, feeling softly, my hand touched cold iron ring sunk in the boards, and by the dim and expiring candle light l made out the square outline of the trap door-just where had been told it was,
 When l got back to my chair, strange to say, my fright and trem- bling was over and was perfectly calm, as l had need to be.
 Cautiously trying the door l was not surprised to find it bolted on the outside. l raised the window high CT, but the ugly bull-dog below warned me to stop and qucnched my idea of escaping in that direction. was smart enough 10 make some noise, so, the robbers and murders waiting to come up might hold off a little longer-till l slept. There was no place in the room-not even