The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-11-03

In the winter of %, while travel
Ting on business connected with the pa
per represented, l put up at the
- hotel in Chicago, which had
been recommended to me by the jour-
nalistic fraternity for its comfortable
beds, substantial meals, and best of
all, its moderate prices.
l was assigned to Room IA, neatly
furnished apartment that had two
doors, one of which opened into the
hall, while the other (which l found
on examination to be tightly locked,
communicated with the adjoining
chamber.
The connecting room bore the omi-
nous and much dreaded number Is,
and l was Informed by the loquacious
porter that 1t had been unoccupied for
q long time in consequence.
On the second night of my arrival,
when, after hard but profitable days
work, l reached the hotel, found a
new guest had registered during my
absence who seemed to possess so little
of superstitious fear that he had taken
the much Stunned Room 13.
The newcomer was a singular look
ing man. dressed i'm a funeral like suit
of deepest black, and with clean
shaven face, the almost deathly white
pallor of which formed a marked con-
trast to his eyes, that were dark as
stormy, summer midnight skies and
as full of their thrilling electrical
CLEANS.
When little later I went up to my
room met the porter on the way
bringing up the new guests luggage.
1t consisted Of a small vallse and
long. deep, coffln-shaped box, made of
highly polished ebonlike wood.
AS l watched this strange looking
box carried into the room, bearing the
fatal number so much feared by the
superstitious, strange sense Of i'm
pending evil which 1 could not well
define took possession Of me, and al
though 1 was not much given to curl
osity, could not help wondering what
the coffinlike looking receptacle con-
tanned and why the stranger seemed
so anxious 1t should be handled with
the utmost care.
But wearied with my days exertions
/ managed at last to dismiss both man
end hov fro,,, r,,y MIND md a flor Nv
tinguishing the gas and retiring was
soon In a sound sleep.
had slept scarcely an hour q found
by consulting my watch when l was
aroused by the sound of voices in the
adjoining room.
One of them was mans voice,
harsh and angry, while the other SEEM
ed to be that of woman, shrill and
pleading.
My first thought on awakening was
that I was still dreaming, knowing as
I did that 1t was strict rule of the
house to let rooms to men only.
But, as I became more thoroughly
awake and listened intently, I was
convinced that 1t was Enthusiastically a
woman's voice 1 heard.
How had she obtained entrance to
the new comer's room? How had. he
managed to smuggle her in there" 1
asked myself, while again 1 wondered
what the strange, coffinlike box con-
tanned had noticed among his lug
gage.
To further satisfy myself that l
was really awake. arose from my
bed and steadily creeping to the door
Of the adjoining room applied my
eye to the keyhole that the new conner
had not taken the precaution to plug
up on bis side.
AS 1 did so / started back in as
constituent too great for any words to
describe.
For, looking through II, I distinctly
beheld woman seated on the one chair
near the foot of the bed, a woman who
was so wondrously fair to look upon
that she seemed more like some artists
or poets vision of the unearthly beau
hful than flesh and blood creation.
She wore robe of deepest blue,
matching In hue her eyes that swept
In billowy sealike waves about her,
while amid the foamlike laces ut her
bosom sparkled a cluster Of star
shaped diamonds.
At her feet rested the strange coffin
hox txc
back, and i had Just time to notice
this, and take In the details Of her
face, form and dress, when 1 heard
the new conner, who stood close beside
her, his hand roughly resting on her
shoulder, exclalm in the same harsh,
angry tones that had awakened me:
ut ID useless Marie for you to beg
tor mercy. Your guilty life must pay
the forfeit for your sin. Like your
sweetheart you"
"Oh, Jules. listen to me for the love
n heaven" the woman interrupted,
b tire sams shrill, pleading tones l
had heard before.
"Oh, Julesr' she went on, II am in
accent swear'd r."
Enough" the man broke In fiercely,
while his eyes cleaned upon her like
hose Of some wild beast about to
pring upon its prey.
II wonder at It," he sneeringly con-
lnued," after all have seen and
heard that you dare talk Of innocence
lnd bsg fos forgiveness.