The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-09-26

head heightened into body. The I'D OF
tie box flew back, and short thlck-sSt
man stepped cut Of MS hiding place II
was no ghost. He paid no attention 10 my
ieGelry but made az once .or the door.
He walked as noselessly as a CIT ana
Slipped quietly out of the room
There was no time to be LOST RglIio0
on few articles of clothing, provided my
self with stout walkingstiek, the chlF
thing l had handy. and thrust my money
and jewels into my pockets ana starteo Oh
on the pursuit.
/ was wide awake by this time and was
now terribly eager to arrest my mldnlght
visitor. | was determined not to arouse the
house until il was absolutely necessary.
The clock struck three as l darted into the
passage To surprise him. Downstairs L
went in less than no time.
Bus was too late. Those minutes oceu-
pied in collecting my valuables ana slipping
on my things were all wasted time.
There was no trace OF him. III was TERRI
bly, dark in the passages and L was rather
nervous Of sudden encounter IN the dark.
Besides, he might have firearms, while /
was comparatively unarmed. The notion
OF coming flop up against him IN the piteh
darkness extinguished some portion OF my
enthusiasm.
Besides. while was rejecting what to do
and where 10 go l found that had lost my
self entirely. l knew nothing about the ms
and outs of the rambling old hotel ana L
had not taken MY bearings and quite forgot
the number of my room.
| wandered about the passages Tor quite
half an hour, and at last, after a fruitesS
search for the mysterious man in the box.
l happily discovered half open door. and
found cut my room by my boots.
Now came the question what TO do There
was no trace Of the man In the room. The
door of tie room was open, as left 1t, but
hny u-uc
What should do? Should / alarm the
house and get called. fool Tor my pains,
surprising the box was dlScOyered empty?
Should | lift the lid and risk everything IN
final tussle? Should l lock the door from
the outside. or lock il from the inside and go
10 bed again?
| went deliberately up TO the box and
struck it violently with my stick. 1t was
not quite closed, and l heard to my surprise
howl Of pain from the inside.
As luck would have it, | had got my man.
after all. NV mind was instantly made up.
| darted suddenly back. gave the box
another violent crack with my stick, rushed
out Of the room and locked the door.
And then l shouted with might and m ain.
A bell-pull was handy and l pealed at it.
Up came half dozen walters, and, lastly,
up came the puffy landlord of the inn.
Having collected my forces l opened The
door. We were only just IN time. for the
window was wide open, and with one bound
across the room | just managed TO secure
his last retreatiDg leg.
dragged tie culprit back into the middle
of the room and made him show his guilty
face
Max" cried the landlord and the walters
with enc voice.
They knew the object of his visit when
they looked into the black box, for there
were secretei every atom Of silyer-knives,
forks, dishes and spoonS-which the house
hold possessed.
The mystery was soon explained. The
midnight visitor was a discharged waiter,
and he.had hit upon the happy expedieut
OF the black box and the false telegram in
order 10 conveniently rob the house on
Christmas eve.
The thief was Immediately handed over 10
the police, the detestabe box was dragged
out Of my room into tile passage; | locked
myself into the room and slept without
break, until every bell in Annaberg woke
me out of slumbsrs and reminded NE it was
Christmas morning.
As for my dear Annabel she made far
more of hero of meas all good women
dO-thsn l really deserved, and after dinner
that night, over the walnuts and the wine,
with dear little hand resting coZilY in
mine-uuder the tablet told the asse mb led
guests. with as much force and dramatic
intensity as | could muster, the true and
authentic legend OF "A Night at Drei Lieb-
schen; or, The Landlord, the Lackey and
the Black Box"