Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-05-19

exception or rnc toilet arrangements,
and a low saddle-back chair-was
antique, and of oak. The bedstead
was particularly wide, with four
carved pillars carrying a baldaquin,
and heavy curtains Of some thick
brocaded stuff, looped at the foot,
but hanging loose at the head: it faced
the oriel.
Between the right side OF the bed
and the wall was square table,-on
which stood the lamp, with the saddle.
back chair beside it. On theleft. hand
side OF the bed was a tall, carved black
press. A large chimney, with sculp.
tured man.el and an open hearth,
faced the ouor. A screen shut off the
washstand, which stood to the left of
the oriel. A broad settle, with val
ance, and covered with q, stuff simil-
ar to the hangings of the bed, ran
round the three-sided recess formed by
the window,-curtains Of the same
kind shut off this recess. A corner
cabinet, with folding doors in the
lower part, fitted the angle OF the
walls to the right; between this and
the door was deep, wide, and long
chest, and above it q large mirrow.
An escritoire, some high backed chairs,
| and q second table. completed the fur
llture. There was no door but
the one opening upon the corridor,
and no windows save the oriel.
In the early part of the night, had
described these particulars to Van
Hoeck, at his request, and he had
made me examine the press, the old
chest, the hangings OF the bed and
settles; everything, in fact, which
might afford a hiding-place to Lola
or another.
l had even gone down upon my
knees, and looked under the bed, to
appease his anxiety. And yet, now,
vague uneasiness possessed me as l
raised the lamp shade, and looked
around the room. The dark oak
wainscot, the sombre hangings, the
painted ceiling overhead, absorbed
the light; there was q black void on
the opposite side OF the bed, where
the light from the lamp was inter-
cepted by the curtains; could not
see even the outline OF the great press
l readjustcd the shade, turned the
wick higher, and, half-undressed, threw
myself upon the bed. 1 was not
afraid,-in strength was match for
any natural Joe, and did not believe
in the existence of any other,-yet I
felt myself infected with Van Hoeck's
presentiment of impending calamity.
Van Hoeck's theory OF Lola's COM
plicity in a plot to steal the diamond,
had been upset by the fact that l was
watching her asleep at my door at the
very time Edith believed she saw the
girl looking through her blinds; but
this had in no wise shaken his con-
victlon that the mysterious appear
ance was connected with q scheme to
rob us.
'Are q mans convictions to be linn
tied by his senses?" he asked. "You
are convinced that cloud is rising in
tie horizon because you seeit; but am
to deny its existence because have
10 sight? Are you justified, then, in
declaring that we are not menaced by
this disaster which is to overwhelm
us because you have not my faculty
of provision? You who can not deny
prescience to a bee, the presentiment
OF coming storm to cattle, tell me that
my conviction is nothing. It is only
by conviction that we live. What
saves us from destruction but the
conviction that, by stepping into an
abyss, we must fall? tell you to
look about you; we are on the edge Of
an abyss. There are signs to strike
the dullest intelligence. Your turn will
GOMEZ"
had hung my watch in the pocket
upon the hanging at the head OF the
bed; its lively ticking sounded strange
ly out of keeping with the gloom and
stiffness of the surroundings. The
shaded light gave a funeral aspect to
the bed hangings; the balda4uin over
my head might have been a catalal-
que for the dead / wondered how
this bed since these hangings had been
put up. Would Van Hoeck's presen-
timent be fulfilled? Should be found
there in the morning dead?
TWAS well suited for a murder, that
bed, with its pall-like hangings to con-
ceal the lurking murderer.
Tlc-tac, tlc-tac, tic-tac,. tic-tac, tic
tao.
My ear had become so familiar TO
the brisk movement of my watch that
the slightest sound was audible above
it. And sound slight indeed heard.
To my mind, dwelling then upon as
sassins, it sounded like the drawing of
a dagger from it's sheath.
Turning my head toward the side
from which the sound seemed to pro-
coed, fancied l saw the heavy cur
tain move; it was between me and thu
lamp. The movement was as slight
as the sound. If it was fact that I
heard one, it was fact that saw
the other
drew myself up gradually, and,
leaning forward, suddenly flung back
the curtain with my left hand. There
was no resistance to my hand;
nothin: COZ be seen beyond but the