The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-11
THE DEV/L'S INN.

I was resolved to take that very step. My
chum was named Clark. a young man
from Chicago. and mad no sooner
hroached the subject TO him thar he was
ready for the adventure. For fear that
the authorities might stop us we let only
few people into our plan, and one Satur-
day afternoon. equipped with everything
deemed necessary. We were driven cut 70
the inn. After shaking hands and bidding
farewell with those who had accompanied
us. We entered by an uHguarded wiHdow.
and the carriage drove OF. IL was a ram
bling one-st0ry building containing four
teen rooms. There was an Office or bar
room. dining-room. n kitchen. add the
remainder we're sleeping-rooms. There
wss q cellar under the kitchen only. Al
the furniture had been left. and every
thing was mold and decay. our first step
was TO carefully Inspect every room and
the cellar, and we did not fin5 so much
as rat. We looked for secret panels in
the partitions and for hidden traps IN the
floors, but We made no discoveries.
The dining-Foom was about sixteen feet
square, with e long table IN the center ana
a dozen stools about There were three
windows in this room. but all strongly
boarded up. One door opened from the
cfiee and another from the kitchen. We
lighted candles. braced the doors secure
~, and started bit OF a fire in the open
fireplace to drive out the dampness. We
had brought our pipes. wine. and lunch
con, with a pack OF cards 10 divert our
selves, and neither one OF US had the
slightest idea OF anything occurring to
alarm us. As ne sat down 10 the cards
our rev6lvers were laid on the table, and
We laughed and i0ked without restraint.
We had braced the doors shut with stout
boards, and our first alarm came when
one OF these boards fell down and the
door swung wide open 80 that we could
look into the kitchen. The fish OF tho
board looked Ike an accident but there
vas something curious in the way the
door swung clear back Both Of Us were
bit mystified. but We arose and secured
the door again and went on with our
game. This incident happened about 10
O'Clock. Three-quarters Of an hour later
the door leading to the Office was tried
from the far side. We not only heard IL
creak and give, but We could see the brace
quiver under the strain. There was 10
sound Of footsteps or whispering. Risins
with the utmost caution. we srasped our
revolveTs and tiptOed 10 the door. When
we reached it, we suddenly jerked the
brace away and sprang back. The door
few back with great violence. but there
was nobody on the other side. We enter
cd the Office with our candles. but the
spiders in their webs were the only living
inmates Some one had tried that door.
Some one had flung II wide open. as tic
brace was removed Clark and ] laughed
at each other, but we both felt awed an
mystiied and a bit afraid.
When the door had been secured as be-
fore. we returned 10 cur game and spoke
In whispers and kept very quiet. After
half an hour we abandoned the cards and
sat listening. ] think It was half an hour
after midnight and we were both probab bly,
nodding In sleep when both doors were
suddenly burst open with crash. our
candles were blown out by what seemed
strong wind and next instant / was seiZsd'
lifted or mx feet and carried TO the
broken window Of the Office and dung out
While | yet lay on the ground Clark fol-
lowed me. and we heard queer sort o.
chuckllng from the window above. We
both scrambled up and ran for our lives,
and In. time reached the city. Neither OF
US was much hurt. but We had received
great fright What had attacked US We
could not say: but, whatever II was, !.
had the strength of three average men.
We went at once to the police, but even
as we told our story we saw red glare
on the sky and knew that "The DeviTs
Inn" was on fire. Next day. as We visited
the place with a strong detachment OF
police. we found nothing but the walls
standing. The unknown something that
had flung us out had fired the place by
accident or design, and the smoke Etainsd
adobe walls are yet there for you to see
and wonder over.