The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-10-17
landlord, and curious about tho black


My mind wandered from Greenacre, the
murderer, to the horrible Pantin tragedy;
from Portia to Bluebeard; from the dra-
matte narrative Of the "Mistletoe Bough"
to the thrilling tragedy of the "lron
Chest" which ! had seen during Mr..
Charles Kean's management at the Prin-
cess Theatre.
And then suppose from sheer fatigue
mustshave dozed.
A sudden and sharp click awoke me!
Lsat bolt up in bed and listened.
Not a sound.
The box again fascinated me; so,
shrinking down between the sheets again,
/ watched it.
Slowly-very slowly-inch by inch,
saw the lid Of the box move.
There was no use denying it, was in
terrible fright. / don't mind the
natural, but have holy horror OF the
supernatural. i was in a fevered, ner.
vous and unfortunate state; and in that
horrible condition between sleeping and
waking l hardly knew what was about.
Still the lid Of the box rose gradually.
There was no doubt about it.
Then q head appeared and it looked
stealthily around the room.
instantly pretended to fall asleep, and
gave a very good imitation of a snore.
The head heightened into a body. The
lid of the box flew back, and q short,
thick-set man stepped out of his hiding
place.
1t was no ghost.
He paid no attention to my jewelry, but
made at once for the door.
He walked as noisclessly as a cat, and
slipped quietly out OF the room.
There was no time to be lost. hurried
on a few articles of clothing, provided
myself with q stout walking stick, the
only thing had handy, thrust my money
and my jewels into my pocket, and started
off on the pursuit.
Twas wide awake by this time, and was
now terribly eager to arrest my midnight
visitor.
/ was determined not to arouse the
house until 1t was absolutely necessary.
The clock struck 3 as darted into the
passage to surprise him.
Down stairs went in less than no time.
But was too late. Those minutes oc-
cupied in collecting my valuables and
slipping on my things were all wasted
time.
ribly dark in the passages, and / was
EdlntT ncINouS VI u buu0tu cuCOuuItE III
the dark.
was comparatively unarmed. The notion
Of coming flop up against him in the
pitch darkness extinguished some portion
of my enthusiasm.
Besides, while was rejecting what to
do and where to go, I found that / had
lost myself entirely. ! knew nothing
he f-a - r.
Did hotel, and i had not taken my bear
ings and quite forgot the number Of my
room.
wandered about the passages for quite
half an hour, and at last, after fruitless
search for the mysterious man in the box,
j happily discovered q half-open door,
and found out my room by my boots.
Now came the question what to dor
There was mo trace Of the man in the
room. The door of the room was open, as
| left it, but the black box was shut!
What should do! Should alarm the
house, and get called a fool for my pains,
supposing the box was discovered empty?
Should lift the lid, and risk everything
in final tusslef Should lock the door
from the outside, or lock the door from
the inside and go to bed again.
went deliberately up TO the box and
struck it violently with my stick. 1t was
not quite closed after all, and I heard to
my surprise, howl of pain from the in
side.
As luck would have 1t, had got my
man after all. My 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 I shouted with might and
main. A bell pull was handy and peaied
at il. Up came half dozen walters, and ,