Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-05-27

he was doing there. She became
greatly embarrassed. and answered
Il cannot tell you now. but believe |
me. there is no wrong in his presence
here. and for my sake say nothing /
about it"
The old man shook his head. His /
first duty was to his master. The
next mail to England carried to the
address OF Brewers solicitor in Len
don long letter from Thurston tell
ing his master all about the presence
OF the stranger Three months later
the master came home. He had re-
ceived the letter. and to the faithful
old servant he said simply: IL thank
you. You at least have been faithful"
d, Thurston trembled for the safety of
the young wife when he saw the fire
OF jealousy and hate that burned in
the eyes of his master. but he dared
not warn her. To his wife Brewer
did not betray his knowledge 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 Eng
land many presents for his wife. and
house. Among the latter articles was
a strange looking, old-iashioned bed
stead in which no seemed much in
terested. and insisted on unpacking it
himself 1t had been the property OF
one of his Norman ancestors, he said.
The headboard was an immense az
fair made of oak. and was covered 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 dragons
with open mouths and eyes of blood
red beads.
Il am afraid of them; take 1t
away" cried the young wife when
she saw the carved dragon heads on
the headboard OF her bed
Il brought it over for you" said
her husband. while a strange. cruel
looking smile played about his thin
lips. But we can set it up in the
little spare room in the west wing of
the house. il you are afraid of 1t"
Mrs. Brewer started at the mention
of the little spare room. Her hus-
band noticed 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 roomr'
Thurston 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 fed.
Thurston and his master reached
the room at the same time. but before
they could enter Mrs Brewer, with q
white face and look of terror in her
eyes ran by them. They followed
close behind her and lying at full
length on the old NoS.nan bed, they
found the handsome young stranger
dead.
my brother! Oh my brother. speak
to me-" cried Mrs. Brewer as she
threw herself 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 hus
band. but only 1hurston 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 beer
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 tt
leave England because he was &C
cused of grave crime of which he
was innocent but owing to the deatt
OF a witness he could not clearly es
tablish his innocence.
Who committed the murderP There
the mystery began in earnest TIL,
officers OF the law came. but found NJ
clue not even the dagger
Two days after the funeral of hel
brother Mrs Brewer went to tn,
room where he had been killed ant
threw herself down on the bed. weep
ing bitterly. A few hours later a ser
want found her there dead, with TIN
tears scarcely dry on her cheeks an,
the same mysterious dagger wound il
the top OF her head.
When the husband came and locke,
at the face of his murdered wife
Thurston. who was watching. saw hin
tremble and turn pale. while look O
horror came into his eyes. The oil
servant said nothing. but from tina
moment he believed the master helt
the key to the mystery.
Again the officers of the law wer
ba He'd. and when week later oil
Martin Brewer was found lying dea
on the Norman bed of his ancestors
with the same strange wound in tn
| head. they declared that huma
hands had not welded the instrument
I of death
Then the big stone house was closed
J Relatives OF Brewer came from Eng
land to take possession of the prop
erty. but when the ghost OF the oil
J man and his pretty wife appeared the
went away and returned no more
Such was the story of the tragedy c
the haunted house.
, What became of the old Norma
bedp" l asked of Donald Thursto
when / had read the story to the end
ut is rotting there with the oil
house unless the ghosts have carrie
1t away"
Then l am going to have loo
at it. answered.
, The old man finally agreed to q
I with me and help me to find the roor