The Yale expositor., 1894-11-30

Gated. And he called me doctor. All
this looks like real mystery, DENIM.
Shall we follow 1t upy"
I'm with you," said DENIM, starting
toward the side door.
i caught him by the arm
go slow, my boy. Remember MS
warning about the walls having ears
and not going to work until the house
was quiet. Let's wait and ask no ques-
tions lest we betray ourselves. The
more l think of it the more l am con-
vinced that he has in some unaccounta-
BILE way mistaken us for other people.
Who? What sort? OF course l cannot
conjecture. But certain 1t Is, we are
not supposed to be here for any good
purpose. Didn't you notice how fright
ened he loked when he spoke of itT'
YES" said DENIM, land that leads
me TO believe we are on the point OF
making some important discovery
cannot imagine what-but which VIII
bring that villain. and perhaps the
landlord himself into trouble
Having delivered himself OF this
sage conclusion, DENIM washed him
self and after / had done likewise we
went below to see about supper, exert
ing ourselves TO the utmost TO appear
Us uuCOuCeTueu dS pOoSlDlts
Ike was not visible, and the land
lord, who was waiting on some new
customers, directed us to the dining
room slyly handing me, as he did so,
something wrapped in paper, which
like key.
On sitting down to supper / opened
the paper, and sure enough, l found 1t
contained n door key, while on the pa/
per were scrawled several lines, which
1 made out to read as follows:
This Key fits the Dore between the
rooms-don't kun to the Bar agin IL
mite, and LUX out for people in Room
on t'other side of Partition-you will
find Bags in Closet Of Room"
Aha" said DENIM. when he had de-
ciphered the scrawl in his turn, 'the
mystery deepens! What on earth are
the bags for? Really, Joe. I'm beginning
to think Wen get our fingers burnt If
we attempt to handle this thing. Let's
get out Of this Internal hole before 1t
Is too late"
what, you are not going to back
out p i said. my curiosity being so
| fully reused by the strange note, so
! vas determined TO fathom the mys-
| terry.
"Not. if you are determined to stick
to 1t, my old chum.'
After supper we went directly to our
room, taking with us large lamp
which had been lighted for our use.
1t was then eleven o'clock.
Through the partition on the right,
opposite the door opening into the 9th
er room. we heard voices. and listened.
1t was some miners, Judging from their
talk. discussing business matters.
These were doubtless the people
against whom the note had warned us.
They did not separate till midnight,
and l can assure the reader IL was a
long wait for uS-for DENIM and me.
Soon after we heard them so out;
the house became as still as death.
Then, with strange feeling creeping
over me. l babe DENIM take up the
camp, and. going on tiptoe to the side
door, 1 unlocked 1t, very carefully, so
as not to make the slightest noise, and
slowly opened ii.
A damp. chilly air struck our faces,
and the light flarcd up. Tie windows
Of the room were raised, but the shut
terS We're closed tight.
We entered. There was no carpet on
the floor, and no furniture save Il long
deal table in the middle of the room.
cot. with blanket thrown over il;
to the left a closet.
We'll" 1 was on the point of say
ing. Il see no mystery in this wien
DENIM, who was between me and the
farther corner, holding The lamp, stari-
ed back, suddenly and clutched my
arm.
Heavens. Joew he said, in Il hoa;se
whisper, there's something covered mp
on the cot!'
The hand with which he held The
lamp shook so Thar. ;alring he would
drop it, 1 took IT from him. and, IN
breathlesS uSp~nS", we wen: on tiptoc
to the cot.
Yes; there way certainty scm2, hing
unde- the blanket. Something that
looked like the top If a hulnnn head
peeped out
L pulled down the blanket a little,
and ghIstly face, framed by long,
brown hair. stared up ut us with CLASSY
eyes.
Horrificd. / recoiled and set the lamp
upon the table. while DENIM staggered
back against the wall, murmuring:
For Gods sake, Joe, what does this
mean?'
1T Means" ! replied, mastering my
emotion, lit means that we stand face
10 face with the victim of 4 crime
Il murdered woman. Choked to DEATH
"Choked!' gasped DENIM. How do
you know that?'
1T is very evident" 1 made answer,
approaching the cot again. "See for
yourself" and / showed DENIM, nj
the throat, several dark marks, like the
imprints of fingers. There" l said,
gravely, "are the irrefutable proofs.
To the medical eye they are crying
witnesses"
Cover it up again, joe The sight is
too horriblew moaned DENIM. 1--WE
must not disturb tit must be left rs
we found it, and seizing the blanket
with shudder he pulled it over the
staring face.
And now what's to be done?' he
continued. Our first step Is undoubt'
edly TO go and lodge complaint
against this Ike and Pete Burroughs
the landlords. We must do SO at
once"
Not so fast. my boy. Do you imag
inc we would be allowed to leave this
house by stealth at this hour? No
indeed, we are supposed to be"
WHAT" asked DENIM, impatently