The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-03-30

large. The view was magnificent. After
duly admiring this threw an approving
glance over walls and furniture. l have
already alluded to the fnct that / AM an
observer of things as well us of persons.
possess the true detectives eye.
"This being the case, | very speedily re-
marked q weak spot in one Of the walls.
1t was q tiny slit or hole, such as would
have been discovcrable by most persons
only after whole days confinement in
the room. A small nail just above it ap-
priscd me that the late occupant, Frau
lein Won P, must have been accustomed
to hang some garment there.
81 approached this hole and peeped
| through it into the sick mans chamber.
| The room contained three human beings.
"On the bed lay an old man in deep
sleep. Beside the bed knelt his blind
daughter, with clasred hands and bowed
head, her whole attitude expressive OF in
tenscly earnest prayer. Behind the daugh-
, ter / saw the wife; she alone was NOV
ing. The hired nurse was not present and
had doubtless retired to enjoy u well
earned rest.
SIN perfect silence without producing
the slightest sound, she was drawing
along over the smooth surface of the wax
polished floor small table, whose mar
BILE top was laden with quite a dozen
medicine bottles and a number Of glass
vessels of various shapes and sizes.
81 did not Mt first comprehend her de-
sign. l knew very well that she had re-
ceivcd the strictest injunctions to make
! no sound. But when caught sight of her
| face! 1t was the face Of fiend! Never
/ should have believed it possible that hui
-
such horrible expression of murderous
hate. In an instant l understood.
"She was in the act Of sliding the table
into such a position that the least move
ment of the kneeling blind girl, absorbed
in prayer for her beloved father, would
be sufficient to overturn it with its frag-
| lie burden.
81 am, as you know, n somewhat cold
blooded fellow, but l can assure YOU that
! for the moment | was rigid with horror.
l would have given the whole world to
have been able to warn that poor child.
But what could l do? y call from me
might be as disastrous in its conse-
| qucnces as the catastrophe itself.
II stood in dumb terror as if turned to
stone. There was no time for thought.
Before my whirling brain could suggest
any expedient the deed was done.
The unhappy girl rose from her knees.
With hands still claspcd she stood up. l
saw the table reel and totter, and as, half
swooning, / averted my eyes heard the
thud of the table and the awful crash Of
the breaking glass, followed Immediately
by an ear piercing, blood curdling
scream"
Here Kotelmann made pause. After
a few moments of silence he said:
"Give me n light. my friend"
Wien he had lighted his cigar, ! asked
him:
Ibid the old man die?"
ale was as dead as though he had
been shot through the head" he replied.
Presently he continued:
81 had left the room before the COM
motion in the house began. 1t was never
known that | was there. 1t was now to
me a terrible thought that l must spend
the night in that chamber. / am not su-
perstitious. but | must confess that it
was long ere closed my eyes that night.
"And when did so! Ten times at
least l started up from evil dreams, with
the crash and the fearful cry ringing in
my ears. 1t was full week before /
could get any rest"
We walked on in silence until I spoke
again.
Have you ever heard what has be-
come of the womanT
ooh, yes She has married again, but
her daughter, poor thing. died about a
year after her father."-Cleveland Plain
| Dealer