The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-05-01

the little square room. Her husband no
tced IL. and again that strange smile came
10 his lips.
You can see that the servants put ID
there he said, aud then his wife looked
relieved.
"She is hiding him in that roomP' Thur
ston heard the master say to himself as be
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 scream OF terror
that aroused the household. she turned
ond fled.
Thurston and his master reached the
room az the same time, but before they
could enter Mrs. Brewer, with white face
and a 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 brothcrl Oh, my brother, speak to
mew cried Mrs. Brewer, a. 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. n 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 10 leave England because
he was accused OF grave crime, of which
he was Innocent, but owing to the death OF
a witness he could not clearly establish his
innocence.
Who committed the murder, 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 10 the room where he
had been killed and threw herself down on
the bed, weeping bitterly 4 few hours
later a servant found her there dead, with
the tears scarcely dry on her CheeIs aud
the same mysterious dagger wound in the
top Of her head.
When the husband came and looked nj
tine face Of his murdered wife, Thurston,
who was watching. saw him trembIe and
turn pale, while look Of horror came into
lis 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 bafiled,
and when a week later old Martin Brewer
was found lying dead on the Norman bed
OF his ancestors. with the same strange
wound in the head, they declared that
human hands had not welded the instru
mcnt Of death.
Then the big stone house was closed.
Relatives OF Brewer came from England t.
take possession of the property, but when
The ghost of the old man and his pretty
wife appeared they went away and TO
turned no more.
such was the story Of the tragedy Of the
haunted house.
What became Of the old Norman bcd9"
/ asked Of Donald Thurston when had
read the story to the end.
1T is rotting there with the old house,
unless the ghosts have carried it away"
"Thcn am going to have a look at til
answered.
The Old man finally agreed to 90 with
me and help me find the room that was
called the chamber OF death. We found
it after short search through the crum.
bling ruins. and there was the bed in
fair state Of preservation because it had
been sheltered The dragon heads were
still intact. and hideous looking things
they were. | inspected closely, and look
ing into the open mouth | saw something
that resembled the point Of a dagger.
Bring an AK, aud think we win clean
up this mystery" | said 70 Thurston, and
he brought 10 without n 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 We're attached to a spring that
was arranged 50 that the weight Of a per.
son lying down on the bed would thrust
dagger into his brain.
In his mad jealousy old Martin Brewer
had planned strange instrument Of death.
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