The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-04-07

| young wife when he saw the Ares q jeal-
ousy and hate that burned in the eyes Of
his master, but he dared not warn her. To
his wife Brewer did not betray his knowl-
edge of the presence in the house of
stranger. When they met there was no
sign of the shadow that had come between
| them.
Brewer brought with him from England
many presents for his wife, and some more
furniture for the big stone house. Among
the latter articles was strange looking,
old fashioned bedstead, in which he seemed
I much interested, and insisted on unpack-
| ing it himself. 1t had been the property of
one of his Norman ancestors, he said. The
headboard was an immense affair made of
oak, and was covered over with carvings
| of ancient and odd designs. At the points
against which the pillows of the bed
should rest had been carved the heads of
| two hideous looking dragons, with open
mouths and eyes of blood red beada.
II am afraid of them, take it away
cried the young wife, when she saw the
carved dragon heads ON the headboard OF
her bed.
81 NEht it over for you," said her
husb lille strange, cruel looking
smil about his thin lips But we
can $. in the little square room in
the west wing of the house, if you are
afraid of it,"
Mrs. Brewer started at. the mention of
the little square room. Her husband no
ticed it, and again that strange smile came
to his lips
"You can see that the servants put it
there" he said, and then his wife looked
relieved.
"She is hiding him in that roomP' Thur
ston heard the master say to himself as he
turned away.
The day after the bed was put in the
room one of the slaves went there for some
purpose. She had scarcely crossed the
threshold when, with a scream Of terror
that aroused the household, she turned
and fled.
Thurston and his master reached the
room at the same time, but before they
could enter Mrs. Brewer, with white face
and look of terror in her eyes ran by
them. They followed close behind her and
lying full length on the old Norman bed
they found the handsome young stranger
dead.
my brother! Oh, my brother, speak to
mep cried Mrs. Brewer, as she threw her.
self on the bed and placed her arms about
| the neck of the dead man.
At these words guilty, startled look
passed over the face of her husband, but
only Thurston noticed it.
Startling disclosures followed close on
the heels of one another that day. The
dead man had been murdered. A small,
sharp pointed dagger had been plunged
into the top of his head and had entered
the brain, causing instant death. The
man was Mrs. Brewers brother, who had
been compelled to leave England because
he was accused Of grave crime, of which
he was innocent, but owing to the death of
witness he could not clearly establish his
innocence.
Who committed the murderp There the
mystery began in earnest. The officers of
the law came, but found no clew, not even
the dagger.
Two days after the funeral of her brother
Mrs. Brewer went to the room where he
had 1een killed and threw herself down on
the bed, weeping bitterly A few hours
later servant found her there dead, with
the tears scarcely dry on her cheeks and
the same mysterious dagger wound in the
top of her head.
When the husband came and looked at
who was watching, saw him tremble and
turn pale, while look Of horror came into
his eyes. The old servant said nothing,
but from that moment he believed the
master held the key to the mystery.
Again the officers of the law were baffled
and when a week later old Martin Brewer
was found lying dead ON the Norman bee
of his ancestors, with the same strange
nd in, ha hand fbau doolaraH not
human hands had not welded the instru-
ment Of death.
Then the big stone house was closed
Relatives of Brewer came from England to
take possession of the property, but when
the ghost of the old man and his pretty
wife appeared they went away and re-
turned no more.
Such was the story of the tragedy of the
haunted house.
"What became of the old Norman bed ?"
/ asked of Donald Thurston when had
read the story to the end.
ut is rotting there with the old house,
unless the ghosts have carried it away"
"Then am going to have a look at it,"
answered.
The old man finally agreed to go with
me and help me find the room that was
| Cdlleu Uue CudulUer VI ucdUu. We lOunu
it after short search through the crum-
bling ruins, and there was the bed in a
fair state of preservation because It had
been sheltered. The dragon heads were
still intact, and hideous looking things
they were. l inspected closely, and look
ing into the open mouth / saw something
that resembled the point of dagger.
"Bring an AK, and / think we will clear
up this mystery" l said to Thurston, and
he brought it without word.
A few blows on the rotting wood and the
mystery of the haunted house was re-
vealed. In the mouths of the wooden
dragons, carved on the headboard Of the
bed, were concealed two long, slender dag
gers. They were attached to spring that
was arranged SO that the weight of per-
son lying down on the bed would thrust a
dagger into his brain.
In his mad jealousy old Martin Brewer
had planned astrange instrument of death.
Omaha World-Herald.
A Successful Conundrum.
"Cholly has never given you a ring?"