The Washington times., 1895-05-27
MuSt6ru Of D08p-
Waker Inn.

1t was nearly dark when i reached Deep
water, aud 1 was glad enough to see the
Fly of the Ten Jolly DTovers" waiting
at our end of the station.
The Ten Jolly Drovers" was gem of a
country innl And the plump, ,cornely woman
in a widow s cap and gown, whostoodonthe
porch, with a silver tankard OF home
brewed" inner hands, Ito take ethedustouto of
the throat"-what OF her? Why, she was
gem OF a country landlady, to be surel
mentioned that IL was nearly dark when
/ reached Deepwater station. A drive OF
four miles with Jim, the coachman, had
made it still more near, and by the time
/ entered the tiled porch, every fowl
had gone to rooSt and lamps were twinkling
III the kitchen. Candles had been taken
into room at the right, Just beyond the
bar, for ME, and the sight OF a tempting
table, laid for meal, made me SO hungry
that | at once "feitto" and then went TO
bed.
The week which l had allotted for my
holiday passed rapidly. / congratulated
myself upon having found the happy valley
this home where no shadow brooded-
these friends whose lives had more of
sunshine than any / had ever known before.
But Call no man happy till he dies, says
a wise old Eastern proverb. And / re-
join-Call no place Paradise till you see
its angels.
On the last night Of my stay sat late in
my parlor below stairs When | took my
candle TO go up the house was closed. Mrs
Ball had retired to her room in the third
story, and / could hear Jim snoring in
the kitchen, where he always slept, with
the house dog at his feet.
The dog growled, but, hearing my voice,
gave satisfied snort and betook himself
to slumber again. / stole cautiously up
the creaking stairs. A gust of wind COM
ing from the landing place nearly blew my
light out, and, shading it with my hand, I
saw small arched door opposite the stairs,
which / had never noticed before, stood
ajar. 1t seemed to lead into a narrow
passage-and, wondering much how it could
have escaped my notice, l stepped in.
Another door, strongly barred with iron.
was just before me. l hesitated mo-
ment, but something stronger than mere
curiosity urged me on. / opened it, Not
easily, however-till it was suddenly
wTenchedfrcm my hand by some one inside
so suddenly that / almost fell into a large
square room, hung with dark curtains and
only lighted by lamp in wire case that
burned high up on the wall. The door
closed gently behind me, but / could see no
person in the room. Yet something had GER
tainly wrenched it from my grasp
remember / was very much inclined to
whistle or sing-just as used to be when, in
my boyhood, had to pass a lonely church
yard at night. / walked into the middle OF
the room and put my lamp on the floor.
| Then / took a long look at my surroundings
Not picture hung upon the walis-uot an
article OF furniture made the place more
! homelike A low divan ran around the
! room; at one end it widened, and was fur
| nished with blankets and pillows, now
tossed into confused heap. The windows
| were heavily shuttered and barred-the
! CRATE was also barred in and wired. The
| floor felt strangely beneath my feet, and
| l bent down to examine it. 1t was padded
| l touched the walls-they were not hung
| with dark drapery, as had first imagined,
| but padded also. What strange mystery
| was this in this quiet, out of the way
| place? i sat down on the divan and won
dered at my discovery.
| At last, as my eyes grew accustomed to
the darkness of the place, saw something
! stir, near the bed.
A tall dark kfigurerose. 1hadnopowert to
| speak or stir, as 1t advanced slowly toward
me. Clad in a long, dark robe, like the
| habit of O monk, q man stood before me-
| pale, wasted, and with long, white hair,
| and beard like snow. l gathered up my
courage.
who are you, and how came you here?"
/ asked.
] 81 am lost SOUL" he said, in melan-
choIy voice. Lost, and forever"
| Heaven knows l am as matter of fact as
| any lawyer can very well be, and have little
| faith to spare for hallucinations; but there
was something SO awful in his look and
tone that m ade my blood run cold.
''But why do you seek me?' managed
! to say.
"You were to come. You came, /" said the
sad voice. "But will you help me?'
How can I?'' zlH
He drew nearer and bent down.
'.There was blood-upun the stairs tonight,
suppose, when yoq came up?'
'sNor, III
"Are you sure?''
.'Quite!''
mo bloodi 1t is very strange 1t is all
because / did not go myself. If had been
out / should have eutJher throat from ear
to ear, you know; and that would have
made a beautiful path to walkiu.''
I nodded, though my heartd died within me-
"You know her blood is like carmine, y
be went on. II cut her once-before she
put me here-and YOU might have painted a
house with it. You would be charmed with
the color-would you uot?'
mo doubt, sir.
''Well, tben-I promise you some. car
find my way to her, only you must lead me
through the passage. l can't go through
there alone-I always see him if do.''
''Who?"
'sCharles-my brother, you know The
| minister said he was in heaven, and If
that is the case don't see why he should
| always stay in that passage, aud keep me
from going out"
"Shall / go and see If he is there no w?''
| said, fancying a chance of escape.
"Noi' he ans sWered, and his eyes began to
CLEAN. ''On second thoughts 1 will not
go to her-she shall come to u.s. l kno W
how 1 can bring her.
He snatched up the lamp I had left ou
the floor, and held it so that the flame
touched the padding of the wall In an
other moment it would have been on fire
but the real danger drove the imaginary one
out of my head, and I sprang upon him
He dropped the lamp and caught me in his
| powerful arms / managed to trample out
the flame and then gave all my strength to
the task of keeping his taiou-like fingers
from my throat. Up and down the padded
room we struggled, fighting for life aut
death, yet making no noise. The stiffness