The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-07-02
DONE IN DARKNESS.

1
bills II am tired. and could sleep
comfortably II 1t were not for this
money" Thought.
Tho 10th stroke OF the clock had
just reminded me that IL was to get
much sleep before taking the $3.50
train in the morning. l had no timo to
lose.
! rose reluctantly and examined the
doors and windows then passed
from this room which had been fat
tered by the name of ''parlor" into
my bedroom and stopped before the
sole window OF the latter. There lay
the weakness OF my defenses The
window was without shutters and
lacked one pane. which left an open
ing SO situated that fastening the
! sash would have been useless. These
rooms were on the ground floor. and.
by leaning out OF the window.
might have touched some OF tho
passers in tho street
The insecurity had occasioned me
no concern before but money breeds
distrust and I thought OF ugly posi-
bilities as / stood in front OF that win
dow. Circumstances forced me to
keep money in my possession. AS 1t was
necessary to be at the end OF u long
journey in the afternoon / could only
take train starting before banking
hours and the nature Of my business
precluded the use OF n check.
After all why should anything
happen tonight" thought and then
! ~, asrxk hou III
have their detectives and wondered
whether one had not seen me paid in
the bank and followed to my lodgings.
l Thought OF several hiding places
and finally decided to put the money
in q large dictionary. and. with a
feeble effort to treat tho matter light
ly remarked. that although money
was always to be found in diction-
airy, no one would ever think OF look
ing for IL there. Then into my mind
came the whimsical idea OF putting 1t
on the page which bears tho word
money" Now. it oddly happened
that on opening the book. the first
word that met my eye was murder. :"
1t was so significant that shuddered.
1t was like speaking OF ropes In the
house OF hangman.
am not what is ordinarily called
superstitious but must confess that
this incident annoyed me greatly.
l tried to drive it from my mind by
reading. looking at pictures. and re.
| peating verses; but every device
failed. / could not forget it. Per
haps IL rs a prophecy. was my morbid
thought Being a very persistent
man. finally returned to my first
! idea aud taking from my pocket ten
500 bills found the page containing
! the word money placed them
there. closed the book. and returned
1t to tho book case. then put some
smaller bills In the toe OF shoe and
there remained only few coins OF
little value which left in my waist.
coat pocket
was practically alone. for IL was
not worth while considering my land
lady. who was the only other person
, in the house. She slept on the floor
above me- and was very old and very
deaf
There were no street.lamps near.
! and IL was so dark could not see a
yard from the window.
lit would be difficult" I said to
myself for anyone to examine my
rooms without light and that would
expose him to discovery from chance
passer-by."
That was some consolation. and to
add to the risk OF using light took
the rolling curtain from tho window
Just before went to bed. Assuring
myself that my revolver was under
tho pillow. closed my eyes I was
very tired. and, in spite OF my gloomy
apprehensions, soon fell asleep.
How long slept have never been
nble to determine. I was awakened
no doubt by the opening OF a drawer
in my writing desk for that was the
first sound OF which was conscious
There was utter darkness.
strained my eyes but saw nothing. /
heard a rubber band snap and re-
membered that one had fastened the
top on a small box In tho first drawer
OF the desk. felt a draft OF air In
such volume as to convince me that
/ the window was wide open. These
were proofs OF confirmation strong
enough.
According to Napoleon. the 2
o'clock lint the morning courage Is the
rarest That, he explains IL the kind
that keeps tho mind clear when sud-
den danger awakcns ono from sound
sleep ! confess II Is courage that
10 not mine felt on this occasion
the impulse 10 act like mailman. to
make leap In the dark, to fy. II not
opposed. but to destroy with the
strength OF desperation whatever I'M
peded me. Such acts have often been
miscalled bravo When. in reality.
they are the effects OF terror
For few moments 1 labored under
q terrible excitement my heart bedts
were so violent that they seemed aud
iblc. and had any new or nearer sign
or danger appeared. could not have
remained quiet But perfect still
ness prevailed. and had time TO col
I lect myself
Becoming calmer I began to hope
| that was mistaken. A mouse might
have made the noise In the drawer