The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-04-16

posed. "Yes your car, thank you.
your car tonight"
insisted that 1 must, and thanked
him for his thoughtfulness and gen.
erous kindness; but my friend would
expect me and would doubtless
arouse the police if did not return.
"Oh, don't CO." she begged, Il am
afraid that cruel man will kill you.
you must not. We can call you at
any hour. If you will stay we will
make you very comfortable L assure
you" And besides,' added the
uncle, Il 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; 1 fear
for your life if you leave this house
tonight"
This last remark had great weight
with me. | was not armed, and even
if | was, could not bear the thought
that the blood of a fellow being
should stain my hands. Nor did
fancy the idea that he might Stay me
the moment L stepped into the dark
ness of that wretched night. L there
fore, with undisguised reluctance,
yielded to their persistent entreaty,
She ran away up the stairs. Her
soft voice was heard in a minute or
two calling us to come and we walked
side by side half the way up and
stopped.
"Where are you, dear?" he asked.
Come on; l am in the room but there
is no light. Have you a match?"
l had a little silver match box
which L 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 a
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 a poor
light somehow, the plumbers never
come when you want them. But you
will rest. Good night, good night"
they said and shut the door with q
bang.
The light was so dim l could hard
ly see anything in the room. There
was not a chair nor table; not a
piece of furniture except the bed.
My feeling was anything but pleas
ant. The conviction deepened that ]
was in a trap, and in the hands of
murderers and thieves. This opinion
was confirmed when l 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- l was prisoner.
1 lifted the covering of the bed
which hung down tS the floor and to
my inexpressibl9 horror saw the feet
of a man. Cola chills ran up and
down my back; the sweat broke out
over me and my hair seemed to be
rising upon my head. There was
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
q am
holden me a little. Come out,
say; l see you! Come out! or l will
pull you out!"
Still not a sound. 1 caught him by
the ankles and dragged him from I'M
der the bed. He was lying face
downward I threw him over upon
his back, and saw by the dim light
the most CHASTITY and horrible spec
tacle my eyes ever beheld. The eyes
and mouth were wide open, and the
whole face and bosom a fearful mass
of blood.
Good God! What should l do?'
I saw in that bloody, hideous corpse
my own sure doom. 1 realized that
my time was short, but determined
to sell my life as dearly as l could.
Rolling the wretched looking thing
back under the bed l commenced to
try the little posts and found they
could be taken apart. One of these
l secured and took it to the light to
examine. 1t was about three feet
long, two and a 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
could barely outline any object
which might be in the room.
l knew full well that when the
mailman 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 COM
mand of the situation, held my club
conveniently, and waited for the first
click or movement of the lock.
Two hours must have passed when
heard, OF felt rather, soft step in the
hall near the door.
Then the slow insertion of a key into
the spring lock, and the latch went
back. Softly the door opened. Slow
ly lifted my club above my head. Sud-
denly a head was thrust in: the back