The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-04-11
The Drowned Bedroom.
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BY RENE BACHE.


be it was certain peculiar sensation
OF chill In the air that disturbed my
slumber. pulled the heavy blan-
kets closer around met was late
In November and tried to go to
sleep again. But 1t was of no use;
my eyelids would not stay closed, and
l began to think and think in an an
noyingly persistent way, while gaz-
ing absently at spot OF flickering
, light on the ceiling.
The spot had a curious sort of
tremulousness, and presently 1t oc-
Cured to me to wonder where it
came from and what was the cause of
made by moonbeam, but did not
see where the latter entered. For
some time 1t amused me to speculate
on the nature of the phenomenon,
but my surmises did not lead me to
any satisfactory conclusion. l gave
1t up at length and turned over, with
the intention of wooing reluctant re-
pose. when, being nearer to the edge
of the bed than had supposed, my
right arm fell outside. 1t plunged
up to the elbow into ice cold water.
l was extremely startled and even
alarmed. Hastily leaning over to-
ward the other side of my couch, l
stretched out my arm again. 1t was
no illusion. The bed was surround
ed by water up to the height of the
mattress, or nearly so.
lay back and tried to think. On
what conceivable theory could such a
condition of affairs be accounted for?
Who ever heard of bedroom in the
second story of a dwelling house
flooded in such manner? And the
water was unquestionably rising; al
ready l felt the mattress beneath me
growing wet.
Just, then remembered what Wor-
thington had said about touching the
button at the head of the bed In case
wanted light. l CROPPED anxiously
for the knob, pressed 1t and pressed
1t again, but no illumination fol-
lowed. Then l remembered having
noticed, when l retired, two Knobs,
one above the other. l groped again,
| touched the upper one this time-the
lower one was for shutting off the
electricity-and instantly the room
was flooded with light from eight or
ten Edison bulbs which were attached
to pair of chandeliers overhead.
The sight which met my gaze was
by no means reassuring. AS 1 had
supposed, the entire room was flood
ed with water, which was already
nearly high enough to overflow the
bed. 1t was up to the third drawer
of the dressing table, and three or
four chairs were floating about.
cannot imagine more extraordinary
scene.
Encouraged to action now that my
surroundings were made visible, i
jumped out of bed into the icy water,
and nearly frozen by its chill waded
to the door, ascending the six steps
to reach 1t. l found it locked, evil
IDENTIFY from the outside. Surely, II
was very strange. l shook the door
with all my might, but 1t did not
bulge. Standing on the threshold,
at the top of the fight, l was some
distance above the level of the water,
but it was not point of vantage
from which to force the lock.
BY this time l had begun to be
really frightened. / called out re-
peatedly at the top of my lungs, but
my voice died away without eliciting
any response. Something cold
seemed to take grip on my heart,
and looking down saw that the
water was over the bed. 1t was evil
IDENTIFY rising fast.
Summoning my courage 1 descend
ed the six steps and waded across the
room to the windows, which, then
noticed for the first time, were at an
extraordinary height from the floor
There were two of them, and | tried
them In succession, but could hard
ly reach them. having nothing tC
stand upon, and It was obvious tha
the shutters were securely barred
though the sashes were lowered from
the top as II for ventilation. Som,
! minutes of frantic effort convinced
me that there was nothing to be ac
complished.
1t was now, for the first time, tha
a suggestion OF foul play came int,
my mind. The idea struck me like
thunderbolt; 1t was indeed the onl.
conceivable explanation OF the situa
ton. Worthington, who had sworl
} eternal enmity toward me. had no
forgotten his vow. was at the mer
cy of madman. Pretending to re
pent his hostility he had invited M
} to his house for the purpose OF de
stroying me by method frightful Il
its originality. He might easily hav
murdered rie In some other way. but
: having resolved upon the deed.