Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-09-18

Written ~ All % Ahah . nh WI AZ
season. Don't let's speak Of IL. Tell
me where | ought TO live"
in CollingwOcd." said BENTON, pae'
ing the floor. his lips puckered and his
brow in a snarl. But" he added aft
er a pause. IF you must live in this
COMPOUNDED town here's the address OF
a decent boarding house"
He scrubbed IL upon slip OF paper |
and gave Il TO his friend, who returned
thanks for the obligation and inquired
how he should get to the place.
Take Broadway car" said Benton.
"and tell the conductor TO put you on |
at Forty fifth street"
In the boarding house to which he
had been recommended II appeared
that there was but one vacant room
suitable to Haskelrs means. and II was
not quite ready for occupancy.
1--WE had a party here" said the
landlady. 'and they're just going away.
You can have the room below for to-
night at the same price, though i usu-
ally get S25 a week for IT,"
Haskell agreed to be guest Of the
house. lie went down town and ar
ranged to have his trunk sent up,
lunched with Benton and was back
again to the boarding house about
o'clock of the afternoon. His trunk
had arrived and had been put into the
top floor front and not into his tenn
porary quarters on the floor below.
The sad faced landlady, who by the
irony Of fate was named Mrs. Jolly in
formed him that he couldn't unpack his
trunk at that moment.
THE party who has had the room Is
in there now" said she, but you can
have the trunk brought downstairs by
and by. They'll be out Of there this
afternoon. but want time to fix 1t all
up nice for you"
Haskell replied that the tray alone
would answer his purpose, and he gave
his key to the colored man who served
Mrs. jolly. This individual, made glad
by the gift Of dime, agreed to bring
the tray down presently; but Haskell
waited, and 1t did not arrive. He was
too dif11dent to insist in such matters
aud so he eventually went out to keep
an appointment with Benton. They
dined together, went to theater after
ward. and 1t was midnight when Has
kell returned to his quarters. The
trunk tray was not in sight. He had
nothing to sleep in, no change Of gar
ments for the morning, no soap, no
comb and brush. 1t was very annoy
ing.
''There's nobody in that ROOM" said
Haskell to himself. Il don't see why |
can't go up and get the tray. It's lucky
that I've got another key"
1t was very simple matter, yet he
felt like an amateur burglar engaged
in his first offense as he climbed the
stairs. There was no light In the upper
hall and very little anywhere. His
only match went out when he tried to
light 1t, and by faith rather than by
sight he found his way to the door of
the room. 1t opened with a raucous
cracking that seemed loud enough to
alarm the police, yet no result followed
The room was as dark as the inside
of a coffin, but Haskell kept the points
Of the compass In mind and held his
course toward the trunk with no more
serious mishap than collision between
his ankle bone and the rocker of 9
chair.
The trunks lid, to his surprise, wa.
raised. Obviously the servant haC
started to perform his task. had beer
interrupted and had then forgotten 1t
Haskell lifted the tray, carried 1t softly
out and closed the door behind him
He felt like thief, and indeed he wa
one, for when he laid that tray upol
the bed in his room he discovered tina
the thing belonged to somebody else
1t exhaled a delicate perfume. On
Mortified glance within showed him
mass Of ribbons and laces and delicat
fabrics never designed for his use o
inspection. He snapped down the flex
ible lid and fastened it with the clasps
while the Precipitation started from hi
forehead.
Jerusalem cricketsw he gasped
"What shall do with this thingT"
Even In this moment of anguish b
had the eye to note that the tray wa
precisely like his own. 1t seemed to b
Of the same size and 1t had the sam
handles and fastenings.
How could l tell the difference i
the darkr' he demanded, as If facin
an accuser.
There was no reply. He stood az
quilted. And yet, to use phrase nov
quite familiar. "he had the goods o
him." OF course there was nothing t
70 except take the tray back. Eas
Aolgh. But suppose he should b
caught with 1t? Suppose some lat
prowling tenant or the landlady hel
self should meet him in the hall?
n To think upon such things was mer
n ly to undermine his own courage. II
It seized the tray and made out into til
e hall with 1t. There was dimly flicl
Il ering gas Jet making darkness visibl
l. and the moving shadows seemed fu
II Of people. The creaking boards Of tt
IL floors echoed footsteps of imaginar
u pursuers, yet Haskell reached the dar
1t room in safety and found the one