The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-01-16
A QUEER INTERVIEW.

The story l was reading had a
CHASTITY attempt at murder. Lady
Forester heard the figure creeping
toward her in the dark. She saw it
pass i'll front of one window, and
then in agony waited for it to reach
the other. She tried to cry out, but
was powerless, as in a nightmare.
Then the cloth, saturated in chloro-
form, was pressed over her face,
and-well, | could stand it no longer,
and went to bed.
When the bedclothes were tucked
tight about my chin, I felt better.
In my hand l held a 80 caliber Smith
q Wesson, and l tried not to think
of the choloform saturated cloth
and the sinking feeling of Lady For
roster. A revolver is a comfort
against ghosts, imaginary robbers
and mice in the walls.
For awhile l only had the last to
guard against. Then the imaginary
robber came %pattering up the tin
roof of the old shed under my win
dow. rose up in bed, ready to be
a hero. Looking out, l saw, by the
moonlight, that it was only the
icicles melting and dropping down.
After that l grew sleepy. turned
over on my side, resting my temple
against the barrel of my revolver.
Through the window I looked up to-
ward the barn where slept Virginia
of Virginia, a three-quarter bred
FLY, of which l had hopes.
The trees were all thickly incrust-
ed with ice, shining in the moon
light with a summary effect Of silver
leaves. The thaw kept on tinkling
down the icicles in the most engag-
ing way, and altogether I complete
ly forgot about Lady Forester and
the chloroform saturated cloth.
Just as l was doing off my win
dow was ~darkened, the sash rose
and a man put one foot into the
room. My heart gave one big jump,
and then l became quite calm. The
man looked 60 years old and cold
and wet, and my pistol, as it lay OF
my pillow, pointed directly at him
| quite pitied him; l was so warn
under two down comforters, and
knew he would presently be so dis
appointed.
When he had got his second les
inside and was sitting on the win
dow sill, peering into the shadow o.
the room, l spoke:
ITO what, may Task, do 1 owe thu
honor of this visit9" I have Otter
wished l could be as polite to my
friends and relations as I am to tn,
blacklegs l meet.
The robber gasped and then il
the approved way Missed to me t.
hold my peace an I valued my ex
istence.
For your sake" replied witt
undated %politeness, II regret t.
say that I've got the drop on you.
THAT air a fish story" he return
ed snappishly. In his %experienc
men did not get the drop on an,
one without swift action.
moved my hand about fou
inches into the bar of moonshin
that fell across the edge of the pill
low.
DO you believe now?" l asked
The pistol was in plain sight.
The burglar looked crestfaller
Il see that my incognito can n
longer be preserved, he said, speak
ing in an entirely different voice
that of a cultivated gentleman. H
crossed his legs comfortably. K"
must confess to you that l am n
burglar at all, but a ghost"
You may tell that" said l, 1T
the marines"
II did not expect you to believ
me-" he said patiently. "But if 20
will kindly take that tennis racke
at the head of your bed, you wi
find that you can wave it throug
me, or you may throw a pillow 6
me and l shall be no hindrance t
it's passing out of the window"
The fellow was very plausible.
have cut my eyeteeth, however, an
a moments reflection showed m
hat the burglar hoped by his stra
agem either to wrench the tenn
racket from my hand and brai
ME, or to escape under owe Of tt
pillow, as Hector once escaped fro
an awkward predicament, in a clou'
The burglar seemed to read IN
thoughts. With quiet courtesy
continued, "Or I will simply fac
away, if that will convince you be
ter"
"If you can fade away before
get a shot at you, it certainly, WI
convince me-" / said with some a
perity.
would you rather have me di
appear suddenly, or, with a lingeril
smile. gradually, like the Cheshi