Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-31

you must not think of returning to your home." "Car, uncle," she inter. posed. "Yes your car, thank you, your car tonight"
 insisted that I must, and thanked him for his thonghtfplness and gen, erous kindness; but my friend would arouse the police if I did not return
 s'Oh, don't go," she begged, II am afraid that cruel man will kill you you must not. We can call you al any hour. If you will stay we will make you very comfortable assure you" And besides,' added the uncle. T must say you will run great risk. The man who followed my niece and you is evidently insane He has conceived the idea, no doubt that he is in love with her, and now looks upon you as his rival; feat for your life if you leave this house tonight
 This last remark had great weight with me. I was not armed, and even if was, could not bear the thought that the blood of fellow being should stain my hands. Nor did l fancy the idea that he might slay me the moment I stepped into the dark ness of that wretched night. there fore, with undisguised reluctance. yielded to their persistent entreaty
 She ran away up the stairs. Hel soft voice was heard in a minute or two calling us to come and we walked side by side half the way up anG stopped.
 Where are you, dear?" he asked "Come on; I am in the room but there is no light. Have you a match?" I had a little silver match boa which placed in his hand. He light. ed the gas in the hall, and we passed on quietly to the door of small room, which was feebly lighted by a very small jet in the corner near g miserable apology for mantelpiece.
 "The room is rather small, he said in low voice, "but the house is full of company and every one but this is occupied. The gas gives 8 poor light somehow, the plumbers never come when you want them. But you will rest. Good night, good night" they said and shut tho door with . bang.
 The light was so dim I could hard ly see anything insthe room. There was not chair nor table; not a piece of furniture except the bed.
 My feeling was anything but pleas. ant. The conviction deepened that ] was in 8 trap, and in the hands o1 murderers and thieves. This opinion was confirmed when examined the door and found it was fastened by a spring lock on the outside. There was no knob nor key-hole. The plain strong door perfectly fast was there before me- was 8 prisoner.
 lifted the covering of the bed which hung down to the floor and te my inexpressible horror saw the feet of man. Cold chills ran up and down my back; the sweat broke, out over me and my hair seemed to be rising upon my head. There waa nothing whatever with which to de- fend myself and no possible way of escape.
 Summoning all the courage within me, said in hoarse unnatural voice which seemed to me as if it was some one else speaking, the very sound of which frightened me more and more "Come out of there!" There was not a sound or motion. This em- bolden me little. Come out, say; I see you! Come outl or will pull you out!"
 Still not sound. I caught him by the ankles and dragged him from un- der the bed. He was lying face downward. threw him over upon his back, and saw by the dim light the most ghastly and horrible spec tacle my eyes ever beheld. The eyes and mouth were wide open, and the throat cut from ear to ear, the whole face and bosom fearful mass of blood.
 "Good God! What should I do?" I saw in that bloody, hideous corpse. my own sure doom. realized that my time was short, but determined to sell my life as dearly as I could. Rolling the wretchedl looking thing back under the bed I commenced to try the little posts and found they could be taken apart. One of these I secured and took 1t to the light to examine. It was about three feet long, two and half inches in diam eter and of oak wood, which made it an effective club.
 I turned off the light entirely and found that by the street lamps I could barely outline any object which might be in the room.
 I knew full we'll that when the madman had given me time to fall asleep he would return to do his deadly work.
 Taking my stand beside the door, in a position which gave me conn mand of the situation, I held my club conveniently, and waited for the first click OF movement of the lock.
 Two hours must have passed whenI heard, or felt rather, a soft step in the hall near the door.
 Then the slow insertion of a key'i into