The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-05-28

string which lay upon the carpet--a
string leading from the bed to the
door. Istopped to examine it and
found it fast at both ends. | brought
the lamp and took a 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 condition l was sus-
picious Of evil, and my senses were
painfully keen. Raising the hanging
edge of the coverlet, looked under
the he'd. 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 accidently carried the end
of the line away with his night dress
without noticing it? I drew the bag
out from beneath the bed, and as |
held it's jaws apart [ saw within a
double barreled pistol, both hammers
cooked, bright percussion caps gleam-
ing upon the tubes, while the silken
line, with double end, was made fast
TO the triggers! And saw that the
muzzles of the pistol barrels we're in
serted into the end of an oblong box
or case OF galvanized iron. And l
comprehended, too, that a very slight
pull upon that string might have dis
charged the pistols, and, furthermore,
that a man outside ofmy door might
have done that thing!
For Il little time my hands trem-
bled SO that I, dared not touch the
Internal contrivance; but at length |
composed myself, and went at work.
First, cut the string with my knife;
and then, as carefully as possible, I
eased down the hammers Of the pis-
tol, after which I drew it from the
iron case. l had just done this when
/ heard a step in the hall outside my
door. Quick as thought l sprang
up, and turned the key. and threw
the door open, and before me, re-
vealed by the light ofthe lamp, stood
Laban Shaw. He was fri ghtened
when he saw me, and trembled like
an aspen. Twas stronger than he at
any time, and now he was as a child
in my hands. I grasped him by the
collar, and dragged him into my
room; and I pointed the double-bar-
relied pistol at his breast, and told
him l would shoot him as l would
shoot dog if he gave me occasion.
He was abject and terrified. Like
a whipped cur he crawled at my feet,
and begged for mercy. His master
had hired him to do it with promise
of great reward. 1t had transpired
that my testimony before the jury
would be conclusive ofButterworth's
guilt, and Butterworth had taken
this means to get rid of me. In his
great terror, the poor accomplice
made a clear confession, and when
he told all I released my grasp. He
begged that l would let him go, but
[ dared not-my duty would not al
low it. rang my bell, and in time,
the hostler, who slept in the office,
answered my summons. I sent him
for an officer, and ut length had the
satisfaction of seeing my prisoner led
safely away.
On the following day the carpet
bag was taken before the grand jury
and the iron case examined before an
experienced chemist, assisted by am
old armorer from the arsenal. TWAS
found to contain illuminate of mer-
curry, mixed with bits of iron; and it
was the opinion OF both the
chemist and the armorer that
the power of the explosive agent, had
it been ignited as it was placed, be-
meath my bed, would not only have
been sufficient to brow me to atoms,
but that it would ALSO have literally
stripped and shivered to fragments
all of the house above it!
And a single pull of that silken
string would have been sufficient to
this horrible end! And but for my
nervous waking-my incubus offore-
boding-the destroyer would have
come; the fatal cord would have been
touched, the mime sprung, and 1
should have been launched into
eternity as upon the lightning's bolt!
And SO Gabriel Butterworth did
not procure the destruction of my
testimony, but through that :testi-
mony the grand jury found cause for
Indictment OF tar graMer character
than had at first been anticipated,
and of those graver charges he was
convicted. Seth Damon received
back the full sum he brad intrusted to
the false mans care and shortly
afterward Ientered into business with
him, and to-day Seth Damon and
are partners. Labam Shaw came
ont; from nr;con q nd nure.,,.k .%o Tl,ho
| have not heard of him since.
Gabriel Butterworth did not live to
serve out his full term @f sentence.
Chicago Ledger.
He Ought to Have Sworn off