Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1906-08-11
ReOenSe From
Beyond the Craze


coat on his arm to the Place de rOpera.
He bought seat in the parQuct and
before the curtain rose glanced at the
boxes 10 see if any of his friends were
present All were occupied by stran-
gers to him except one. and that was
empty.
During the last act. while the audi
encc was intent on what was taking
place on the stage, something he knew
not what impclled him to glance aside
ut the empty box. Though he had no.
ticcd 1t a moment before and saw that
no one was In 1t, now n woman's face
protrudcd from behind II side curtain,
tn" eyes bent eagerly upon him with
every evidence of distress.
Waterman was not the man to de-
cline what he regarded an invitation
and without waiting for the perform
ancc to finish left his seat and In n
few minutes stood before the door of
the box in question. lie did not need
to knock, for 1t opened noisclesSly, and,
entering. he took n seat beside the
lady.
'Do not think evil of me-" she said.
Il am suffering and wish to leave this
place. | must have an escort and, see
ing YOU In tie audience, feeling that |
could trust You, and catching your eye,
l virtually invited you to come to me-
'Do YOU wish to go nowE' he asked.
AT once"
They rose Waterman helped her on
with Il light wrap, she took his arm and
they left the house. Waterman called
Il carriage.
q need fresh air." she said. May
we not walk?'
"Ccrtanly, if You desire 1t. l sup
posed You were ill.,"
Not SO Ill but that can walk
home" She said.
Indeed, 1t seemed to the American
that she was as light as Il feather.
Her hand pressed 50 softly on his arm
that at times he thought She had with
drawn 1t. Once while passing under a
street lamp he failed to see her shadow
beside his own lie turned to see If
she had not slipped away from HIN,
but she was still there He looked
again for the missing shadow. BIT
they had passed out of range of the
lamplight
There was an odor about his com
ranion that he could not account for
an odor of dampncss. of water such as
one often gets from Il river. especially
II river flowing through a city.
y third Singullr feature WAS that now
ana again he thought he heard some
thing rolling ON the pavement behind
him. Twice he looked back to see but
there was nothing there.
Presently the lady guided her at
tendant from the boulevard into a side
street that was taken up with dwell
ingS, and, after pursuing it for a few
blocks, she turned and mounted the
steps of Il stone front mansion.
Quick" she said, I'm fainting"
and fell into his arms. The door open
ed at Il touch, and he carried her in.
"Tpstairs to my BEDROOM she
gaspcd.
Taking her up to the second story,
he entered a room the door of which
stood open and laid her ON the bed;
then he went to call for assistance,
but no one replied; the house was
empty. He went back to the bed and
laid his hand on the woman, who by
this time was stiff and stark. Indeed
1t seemed to him that she had been
dead some hours
At that moment key was put into
the lock of the front door, and some
one came In. Waterman looked over
the baniStrr and saw Il man in evening
dress. Waterman went down, and
when the man saw him he staggered
back.
The lady," said Waterman "She is
up in her ROOM"
what lady" gaSped the man.
Il don't know. She asked me to see
her home She is lying on her bed. l
fear it is all over with her Come"
The man Shrank back. Waterman
took him 10y the arm. Supported him
upstairs, and they entered the bed
room.
The man gave shrek and fell on
the floor
Elsie" h" cried. "Oh, why did l
do it: You have come from your bed
at 'li' I'bNlbIll bl lIt ENt'lut 10 llOtk
me. smell the water. | see the stone
tied about your waist"
From this he went off into incoherent
cries and muttcringS
Waterman, as soon as he could col
lcCt his faculties. hunted up tele-
phone and called for the police. In
few minutes Il party of gendarmes
drove up in wagon, stopping before
the house. Waterman. who was now
trembling in every fiber, went down
and let them in.
"A very singular thing has occurred"
he said. Il don't understand it. There
is dead woman upstairs. | met her
ut the opera AZ she asked me to bring
her home. | did so. put her on her
bed. and she died before | could sum
mon assistance"
the man on the floor glaring and NUT
tcring. They turned to the bed.
1t was empty.
From the evidence adduced at the
trial it was plain that the husband had
drowned his wife in the Seine about
10 o'clock in the evening. He had
gone home Mt II 80. He was never
convicted of the crime because he was
hopclcSSly insane from the moment he
reached his house.
Waterman returned to America with
his nervous system shattered. He says