Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-11-13
The Trappers Trapped
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7T was 6 o'clock on an autumn even
ing. The streets of Birmingham
were swept with rain. l had had a
tolerably successful day, and there re-
posed in my pockets the sum of EGO,
which l had collected from my firms
customers. Having nothing particular
to do, and the torrents Of rain abso-
lutely prohibiting all open-air enjoy
ments, went to the hotel was staying
at and called for some brandy, and
while slipping it was Joined by a stran-
ger, who seemed eager to enter into
conversation with me.
Nothing backward, and with tongue
fairly set a-wagging, talked too, and
believe that before many moments he
had ascertained that had money be
longing to my employer in my posses
sion.
The brandy finished, nothing would
satisfy my new-found friend but that
he should take me to a music hall,
where there were more brandies, espe-
cially one with flavor that was un-
usual to me, and then-forgetfulne
The next thing l knew was this: The
rain clouds had strolled away, and fitful
CLEANS of moonlight revealed to me the
fact that l was in strange room,
lying on strange bed. Two o'clock
chimed out from neighboring steeple.
Sobered with fright, l raised myself,
and then, quick as lightning flash,
came the thought-my money! My
clothes were thrown across the bottom
of the bed. 1 searched the trousers
pocket; the gold was there.
Then heard voices in soft conyersa-
tfon coming up from below. Noiselessly
I opened the bedroom door and list
ened.
'Sure he's all serene?" queried one
voice, to which another responded: "He
won't wake till 6, at the earliest
VERY good" said the first voice.
mind, If he wakes while you're doing
1t" The sentence was punctuated
by the click Of pistol, and 1 shiyered-
not from cold.
''And at or Z, or whenever he does
wake" continued the voice, "telI him
you picked him up drunk in the street
and carried him in here out of compass
sion for safety, and you will easily con-
vince him that he was robbed out of
DOORS"
Here step on the stairs warned me
to close the door, and / got back to
bed. Hearing the knob of the door
turn, began to breathe heavily after
the fashion of drunken man, and the
next instant, shading the candle with
his hand, there appeared the form of
strange man, who was soon peering fix
edly into my face.
Satisfied, apparently, with his exam
ination, my visitor searched my pock-
cts, and took out the gold He went to
q bird cage, which now for the first
time 1 observed hanging up, drew out
Its slide, and-undressed and Law down
beside me-
He was soon asleep, and hope sprang
up within me; but, alas! of all the light
sleepers, he was the lightest 1 ever
knew.
Whenever 1 moved he appeared to be
on the alert; it was impossible to crawl
out of bed without his being conscious
of the fact. Besides, under his pillow
I knew was the pistol, and in despair
1 had reluctantly to rest on as calm and
unconcerned as possibly could
All wakeful, passed that horrible
night, and the slow hours dragged on
interminably. But at length a project
presented itself to my own sharpened
senses, which project put into execu-
tion when 6 o'clock struck.
Failure" said l to myself, means
simply death; success means a saved
reputation with my employers and a
VOW of strictest sobriety."
Everything being perfectly quiet,
simulated gradual waking up, and
my first yawn opened the eyes of my
bedfellow. The second had the effect
of raising him from his recumbent po-
sition in the bed, and when 1 slowly
and painfully awoke he was bending
over me, all solicitude.