Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-03-18
"A NIGHT OF TERROR.

/ was young commercial traveller going
to London for the first time. On the steamer
the sensation had been the many mysterious
disappearance that were occurring in that
great city, the victims being strangers like
myself. From what was known they were
robbed and murdered in their sleep by
means of irap-door communications with
the cellar TO the floor under their beds and
their bodies buried in the cellar.
Owing to my blunder in taking a wrong
train, it wss long past midnight when
reached London station, and nay resident
friend was, of course, not there to meet me-
The weather was drizzlng and foggy, with
a nasty chill striking into me, and, forlorn
and tired, took the first cab that was Of
fered, telling the wieked-looking driver to
take me to hotel By and by I began to
notice we were long while in getting there,
aud that we seemed to DO going through a
slum quarter Of the town, but just as was
feeling little bit nervous about it the cab
stopped, and the cabmaC, taking my yalise,
helped me across the walk to what appeared
in the dark to be more of q lodging house
than a hotel.
My host, after locking the hall door and
putting the key in his pocket (Which pro.
oeeding I did not like), and hearing me say
I would not eat, picked up my bag and led
the way up stairs, drawing from me as he
did 30 particulars of myself and journey
that didn't want him to know, for 1 was
already suspicious Of the surroundings,
from which il was then too late to retreat.
The gloomy room was big and carpeted;
it had double bedstead in the far corner,
a washstand by the two windows, chairs,
table and the high bureau, where the light,
only small bit of candle, as | then saw,
was Pickering dismally.
Stepping to window quietly tried to
raise it, when the deep growing and clank-
ing of chain from some fierce brute below
made me desist.
I reached the musty carpet in the far
corner by the wall and nearly tainted again
when found it was not tackled. Using
what courage had left, I carefully lifted
it, and, feeling softly, my hand touched q
cold iron ring sunk in the boards, and by
the dim and expiring candle light I made
out the square outline of the trap door-just
where I had been told it was.
When I got back TO my chair, strange TO
say, my fright and trembling were o?er and
l was perfectly calm, as l had need to be.
Cautiously trying the door, was noi
surprised TO find it bolted en- the outside. |
raised the window higher, but the ugly
bulldog below warne;- ne TO stop and
quenched my idea of escaping in that dIrec
ton. l was smart enough to make some
noise, 30 the robbers and murderers wait
ing to come up might hold off little long
er-tlll I slept. There was no place in the
room-p0t even closet-to hide in, and l
had no weapon but my jackknife. Then
thought of the bureau, and pulling the
ORA weIs opan f0uBd they were empty.
quickly TOOK tie two lower drawers out
there was no time 10 lcse, fer tie light was
nearly gone and in the dark l would be an
easy victim) and with my knife managed
to ent out the thin bottoms, Their replac-
ing the drawers, first squee zing myself and
the cut boards inside the big bureau,
crouched there and waited in the now pitch
dark room.
1t seemed an age before heard the awful
sound that was listening for of the trap
being raised. From my position l could
look under tre bed through crack in my
hiding place and see duh glare of light
shoot upward from the shaft. Then it |
dimmed q bit as slowly and silently the
shadowy outline of head appeared out of |
the hole. Then 1t darkened completely |
and l could hear the devil working his way
like snake out from under the bedstead |
straight toward me. Then the form stood |
by the bedside ard listened.
The suspense of that moment was
horrible, and l feared the ticking of my
watch in the dreadful stiffness would dis |
cover me. Then / knew the bed was being
examined and that was missed, for the |
noiseless figure moved over to the window, |
which luckily had left open. l heard a |
low whistle from the trap and the dog growl |
and then the shadow struck match and |
seemed to be looking over the room. Then, |
with an oath, he whistled twice and another |
form with bulls-eye lantern in his teeth |
crawled from the hole under the bed and |
with biz companion began searching the |
room. Had l left splinter on the floor by |
the bureau? A cold sweat poured from me |
st the thought. heard them whispering
that must have escaped through the win
dow and curse the dog for letting me. Then
they said tomething about the bureau, and |
coming to IT., opened the top drawer. But |
the noise they made prevented my breath
ing being heard. Then they started to
open the next drawer, when a woman's |
f.,1e came from the hall, which stopped |
mem. In answer to something they said, |
! heard the halt withdrawn, and all three
sent out, leaving me thus far uptouched
and the door open.
Not da,iyg to move, Of course, waited |
.,r what Was coming next, and soon, by