The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1898-04-02
MY MURDERER.

nj ELLIE had fancy for some fresh
IN eggs for supper that evening, and
us she seemed disinelined to venture
out, offered to go for them. We were
all alone in the house, for father and
mother had gone to the country for
few days, and Tom, of course, was
away at the Office.
When / opened the door to go out |
found All Sin, our Chinese washer
could speak no English, so | did not
waste any words ON him, but just mo-
toned him to go upstairs; he would
find Nellie there, | thought, and she
could give him the clothes. | did not
want the bother of going back. ! did
up; | did not think it necessary.
must have been gone about three
quarters of an hour, for the little dairy
where we got the fresh eggs was four
long blocks away, and | stayed awhile
talking to the young girl who waited
on me. 1t was getting dusk when /
reached our door, and | remember be-
ing surprised when | looked up at the
transom to see that the hall lamp was
nlighted-Nellie had such a horror of
darkness. | was even more surprised
when | opened the door to see All Sin
disappear down the passage and enter
the kitchen-the kitchen, dining-room
and Toms room are the only rooms
on the first floor. Did | only imagine
it, or was there something furtiye in
the Mongolian's movements?
"Bah, how faneiful am getting" /
thought Nellie has told him to go in
there to get the soiled kitchen towels"
| lighted the hall lamp. left the eggs
on the table and ran up the stairs.
When | reached the landing | saw
something which made me so faint that
l had to lean against the banister for
support.
So that you will quite understand the
position in which found myself, will
describe our upper hall and the situa-
ton of the rooms. Directly opposite
the landing was a window overlooking
the back yard; the bedroom Nellie and
/ occupied together was on the left
side, the door opening near the head
of the stairs; mothers room and the
parlor were in the front, passage
leading 20 them from the head of the
stairs. The hall was floored with white
marble-a curious fancy of my fathers
In front Of each door was thick
woolly red mat Now, all the rooms
were closed, and triekling from under
the doors of our room was a thin red
stream, which formed a great pool, and
which, though il had seemed so dark
downstairs, was here quite discernible
in the half light which came from the
hall window.
In fash saw il all. The Chinaman
had killed my sister; it was her life
blood which triekled from the door and
lay in that CHASTITY pool on the white
marble. | gathered my skirts to step
over il and enter our room and verify
my awful fears, when | heard a
stealthy, muflled football on the stairs.
In the horror of my discovery had
forgotten that the Chinaman was still
in the house. In moment he would
be upon me, and would share the
terrible fate of my sister, who must
be dead, for who could lose all that
blood and live? Being sure, then. that
she was beyond my aid, | felt that
must try, if possible, to save my own
life. But how? Outside of the hall
window was wide stone shelf on which
we kept pot plants; near il was a sta
tionary ladder which the workmen used
TO ascend when the roof needed re.
pairing.
sprang lightly over the horrible
pool, ran noiselessly across the han.
and was on the window sill getting
out when the Mongolian's head an
peared above the stairs. lie saw me.
uttered an inarticulatc, cultural sound.
and swiftly followed me- I made a
spring, reached the ladder and climbed
10 the roof would not descend TO
The yard-the chances OF escape were
less that way, for the wooden fence
round the yard was very high. and
- the houses on either side were un-