The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-29

4 even TOOK step toward III. nOlQlns
up my lamp 50 that stray ray strucs
the faded surface of an old engraving
banging over the fireplace 1t WAS the
well known one, in Washington al
least, of Benjamin Franklin at the
court of France, interesting, no doubt
n a general way, but scarcely calcu
lated 10 hold the eye at SO critical an
instant. Neither did the shelf below
all for more than momentary atten-
ion, for it was absolutely bare. So
was the time worn, IL not blood stained.
hearth, save for the impenetrable
shadow cast over it by the huge bulk
pf the great settle standing at its edge
/ have already described the impress
sion made on me at my first entrance
by this ancient and characteristic arti-
lie of furniture.
1t was intensified now a s. my eye ran
byer the clumsy carving which added
TO the discomfort of its high, straight
back and as 1 smelled the smell Of its
noldy and possibly mouse haunted
cushions. A crawling sense Of dread
took the place of my first instructive
.epugnance, not because superstition
bad as yet laid its grip upon me, al
though the place, the hour and the near
and veritable presence Of death were
enough to rouse the Imagination past
he bounds of the actual. but because
BIZ discovery had made-a discovery
which emphasized the tradition that all
who had been found dead under the
nantel had fallen as II from the end of
his monstrous and patriarchal bench.
DO you ask what this discovery was?
II can be told In a word This one
md and only this end had been made
comfortable for the sitter. For a space
vcarcely vide enough for one the seat
md back at this special point had
been upholstered with leather. fastened
o the wood with heavy wrought nails.
The remaining portion stretched out
bare. hard and inexpressibly forbidding
o one who sought ease there or even
moment Of casual rest
The natural inference was that the
owner of this quaint piece Of furniture
pad been a very selfish man who
thought only OF his own comfort. But
hight he not have had some other rea-
ION for his apparent niggardliness?
As asked myself this question and
poted how the long and embracing
rm which guarded this cushioned re-
reat was nattened on top for the con-
fenient holding OF decanter and glass,
feelings to which I can give no name
Ind which had fondly believed my.
|elf proof against began to take the
lace OF. Judgment and reason. Before
realized the nature of my own i'm
|ulse or to what 1t was driving me /
|ound myself moving slowly and stead
" toward this formidable seat under
IN Irresistible desire to fling myself
[own upon these old cushions and
cut here the creaking of some faroff
butter. possibly the one 1 had seen
|waying from the opposite side Of the
ftreet, recalled me to the duties Of the
Jour, and. remembering that my in
designations were but half completed
nd that I might be interrupted any
floment by detectives from headquar-
(ers, broke from the accused charm.
which Mortified me the moment / es-
|aped it, and, quitting the room by q |
DOR at the farther end. sought to find |
b some Of the adjacent rooms the def
bite traces I had failed to discover on |
his the actual scene of the crime.
1t was a dismal search. revealing q
very turn the almost maddened haste
nth which the house had been aban |
|oned. 1 passed out into the kitchen |
nd SO on by a close and narrow pas |
Eage to the negro quarters clustered IL
he rear. Here I made discovery |
Pne of the windows in this long dis |
Ised portion Of the house was not only |
MI 06 hut y.f1xy prrf
anne upon no marks showing that TIL
|utlet had been used by the escapina |
burderer. made my way back to the
The candle in the tumb bier