The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-04-07
THE HAUNTED
Inland.

course or completion etWee England
= and another power. A draft of tina.
treaty wa ent to my chdef. We had 1t
at the embassy and 1t was rather a
white elephant ITO us, because we sus-
!, pected that its presence in the house
was known to the government Of the
country ITO which we were accredited.
While it was in the house the chief
asked us all to remain at home in the
evening, for we all lived under one
roof.
we dined with him every might. He
was a bachelor-a dried up little nan
with a mind like a magnet. He was
the very calmest little man 1 ever
DEALT with, Just THE man for the place.
For there was no very stable govern
ment in the country at that time, and
he had to keep four or five parties
in a good humor.
"After a long dinner on the third
evening we played pool, and went on
playing very late, long after THE SER
wants had gone to bed.
''It was the chief who heard the
sound of stealthy keys being thrust
into the lock of THE front, which was
Immediately below his dressing room,
whittier he had gone to get change for
a five-for a large coin.
HE came back to the billiard room
looking a little calmer than usual.
You chaps he said, putting on his
coat, there is someone trying to force
the front door. There is a light in
the hall. Shall we go down and watch
the o~perations?'
I'VE, knowing him TOO we'll to take
this as a joke, laid aside our cues, fol-
lowed him without waiting to put on
our coats.
1--WE all crept down stairs and stood
on THE mat in the dim light of the low
cred gas. Five of us, listening to the
operations of the skilled workman on
the other side Of the door.
This, after the manner of the doors
of that country, had no bolts, but
only a large lock and chain in one
piece with a handle.
AFTER trying several keys, the idea
Of opening the door by unlocking 1T was
apparently abandoned. Presently tn
evil-looking point Of a center bit energ
ed from the woodwork of the massive
panel, with a sound Like a dog eating
biscuits. The chief motioned us tc
stand aside, for it was only natural
to suppose that an y would be ap-
piled to the hole when completed. Ow-
ing to the thickness of the woodwork,
the limit of vision could only be small,
and by c%roudhing down we easily made
ourselves invisible.
I'm a marvellously short space of
time there was a hole as large as thai
saucer in the door.
"We FIVE crouched around 1T, watch.
ing 1T like terriers ait a rat hole.
Then an idea struck me-a rare oc-
currence-and / crept back to the hat
stand, where a heather dog leash hume
beside the chiefs top hat.
HE gave a little nod as I drew thf
thong toward me; for he read thoughts
as other men read print.
81 passed the moose end through the
steel swivel, and cralling on my knees
to the door, held the loop thus mad
around the hole. 1 was just On time
The man outside had apparently bee.
delayed in order to turn up his sleeve
He was in no hurry; and we wondered
afterward what had become of the pc
lice guard specially told off to watcl
the British embassy.
"A dirty Enthusiastically the han
IF toil-came through, inside my ST.!
knot. This was followed by a bar
white arm 1 felt inclined to laugh
and my two hands, outstretched I
hold the dog lash in place, shook Wis
IDLY.
'4The elbow came through and cur
ed, while the dirty fingers crept owe
the mechanism of the lock and chat
with the intelligence of perfect knowl
edge.
"a little further until THE muscles c
the upper arm were vlsble-then
drew the oose tight, cutting deep int
the sinews. Like cats, four pairs c
hands bounced upon the hand and arr
holding 1t against the woodwork, Will
the gray fingers worked convulsively
We drew the arm Through, right u
to the shoulder; and they held it /
place while 1 made fast the stout do
lash to the two bolts of the outer
knocker, which jutted out at the to-
of tho door.
GA neat job said the chief, as w
contemplated the %twitchang white arm
"A very neat job, There is no hurry
he added, beginning leisurely to I'm I
chain the door.
ut happened that 1 was of an ath
letic turn of mind in those days, and
when 1 proposed opening the door, my
colleagues stepped back and coded to
me the place of honor.
II opened it with a jerk, and thrust
my hand-that hand-to where / knew
his throat must be.
my fingers seemed to go rghf
through it. I grasped something that
felt lige a dH1ain in a tangle Of warm
wet setweed. 1 had clutched his spdnel
His companions had for their own
protection cut the throat Of this poor,
hired expert. They had done 1t so
effectively that the head was only re-
tanned by the vertebral column In
his agony ne had grasped the bell
with his right hand. and his rigid fin
gers still held to the handle. He was
crucifed face foremost against the
door"
There was a pause, and the grave