Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-08-06

my midnight visitor.
was determined not TO arouse the
house until 1t was absolutely neces-
sary.
The clock struck three as ! dartcd
into the passage TO surprise him.
Down stairs | went in less than no
time.
But was too late. Those minutes
occupied in collecting my yaluables
and Slipping on my things were all
wasted time.
There was no trace Of him. II
was terribly dark in the passages,
and | was rather nervous OF sud.
den encounter in the dark.
Besides he might have firearms,
while was comparatively uuarincd.
The notion OF coming Hop M against
him Ia the pitch darkness oxtin
guishcd some portion Of my onthu
Biasm.
Besides. while I was rejecting
what to do and where 10 60 found
that | had lost myself entirely /
knew nothing nbout the ins and outs
Of the rambling old hotel, and l had
not taken my bearings and quite
forgot the number of my room.
wandered about the passages for
quito half an hour, Md at last, after
u fruitlcss search for the mysterious
man in the box, happily discovered
a half open door and found out my
room by my boots.
Now came the question what 10 dor
There was no trace Of tho manin the
room. Tho door Of the room was
open as 1 left it, but the black box
was shut.
What should dot Should alarm
the house and get called a fool for
my pains, surprising tho box was dis.
covered empty Should lift the lid
and risk everything In final tusslel
Should I lock the door from the out
aide or lock the door from tho inside
and go to bed againl
went deliberately up TO tho box
and struck IL violently with my
stick. IL was not quite closed after
all, and heard TO my surprise u
howl of pain from the inside.
As luck would have IL, Ihad gotmy
man after all. My mind was instant.
ly make up. Idartod suddenly back,
gave the box another violent crack
with my stick, rushed out of the room
aud locked the door.
Aud then l shouted with might
and main a pcll pull was handy
aud pealcd at it. Up came half a
dozen waters. aud, lastly, up came
tho pursy landlord of the Drei Licb.
chen.
Having collected my forces, !
opened the door. We were only Just
In time. for the window was wide
open, and with one bound across the
room l just managed TO secure his
last roieating leg.
dragged the culprit back into tho
middle of the room and made him
show his guilty face.
MAXI cried the landlord aud tho
walters with ono voice.
They knew the object of his visit
when they looked into the black
box, for there were secroted every
atom of silyor-lnives, forks, spoons
and dishes-which tho household
possessed.
The mystery was soon explained
The midnight visitor was dis.
charged waiter, and he had hit upon
the happy cXpedient Of the black box
and the false telegram in order To
conveniently rob the house.
The thief was Immediately handed
over to the police. Tho detestable
box was dragged out Of my room into
the passage. locked myself into
tho room and slept without a break
until every bell in Annasbcrg woke
me out Of my slumbcrs and reminded
me It was morning
As for my dear Annabcl, she made
far more of a hero of meas all good
women do-than | really deserved,
and after dinner that night, over the
walnuts and the wine, with a dean
little hand resting coZily in mine
under the table, told the assembled
guests, with ns much picturesque
force and dramatic intensity NJ
could muster, the hue and authentic
legend of "a Night ut the Drci Lob
echcn; or the Landlord, the Lacliey
and the Black Box. Clement "
Scott in Boston Globe.