The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-04-11


method wholly novei and hitherto
unthought of. / was to die by
drowning, and as slowly as possible.
How we'll / understood now the sig
nificance OF that chuckle of his as he
had left me few hours earlier.
Built after whim OF my own" he
had said, speaking of the bedroom
assigned TO my occupancy. Why, 1t
was into trap, constructed express
ly to capture myself, that I had fall
en-. Half mad with fear and rage, I
water up to my waist, and, trembling
with cold, climbed out upon the top
step. Then beating the panels with
my fisss, yelled and screamed in my
despair, alternately cursing my
treacherous host and calling upon
him to have mercy and spare my life.
| suppose this must have continued
for five minutes or SO, though 1t
seemed hours to me, when / thought
1 heard noise outside the door and
listened. II was mans footstep,
and as It approached recognized It
as Worthington's
whats the matter, old mani" he
said "Got a nlghtmare?"
Have mercy, Worthington," I
cried. "For Gods sake, have mercyi"
'Tt's a nightmare, sure enough"
heard him mutter. Hes walking
in his Sleep"
"Open the door!" walled.
"How can l open it," he replied.
"The catch Is on the inside, just
above the knob. Press 1t back with
your thumb"
| With trembling fingers obeyed
him; the door. released by the spring
catch-one of Worthington's freaks
of ingenuity-few open, and 1 fell
outward, half fainting. He caught
me In his arms.
"Why, what's the matt" he
began, when. as he gazed down into
the brilliantly lighted room, an ex-
preston of the utmost astonishment
came over his face. Then he began
to swear with much elaborateness
and emphasis.
The situation began In some measS
ure to dawn upon me, as he ran back
to his own room and, returning with
pocket flask, poured half Of its con-
tents down my throat. The fiery
stuff nearly choked me.
"You didn't mean to murder me,
them" l said, as soon as l could re-
gain my breath.
Murder you!" he echoed. "Ha,
ha! Ha, ha, hal" I thought he
| .uA,,l1 hovo NTH 1o.tnhit1u Than
he began to apologize with the ut
most humbleness, saying that he
could never make adequate amends
for the unfortunate accident that had
occurred. He still feared that
might have pneumonia in consequence
of the exposure to which I had been
subjected. After wrapping me In
warm blankets, putting my feet in a
tub of hot water, and making me
swallow the rest of the flask, he
explained in a few words what had
happened.
I'm putting up this house." he
said, my notion was to build 1t
around a bathroom. That was my
bathroom which you occupied to-
night. / have two or three other
tubs for winter use, but for summer
wanted tank that my guests and
I could swim In In winter, according
to my idea, it was to be converted
into a bedroom, thus providing an
extra chamber for guests. To shut
off the water, carpet the floor and
put IN the necessary furniture was
simple enough. confess that
thought 1t rather clever notion.
You will have noticed the walls are
tiled, and you will now understand
the peculiar construction of the
apartment, the steps leading down
into 1t, and the height of the win
dows. The arrangements are such
that the water cannot rise higher
than five feet, so that you could not
have been drowned, though you
would certainly have been frozen to
death had your cries for help not
awakened me. / can never forgive
myself for the misfortune that has
occurred. In some way, which l will
find out about in the morning, the
valve shutting off the water must
have opened, flooding the room.
There is only one thing l cannot un-
derstand, and that is why you should
have jumped to the conclusion that
had designs upon your life"
"You swore everlasting enmity
you know. Dick" said, weakly.
He laughed long and loud like his
old self. 'T meant it, too," he re-
piled. "But changed circumstances
have caused me to forgive the out
rage you committed in cutting me
out with a certain young lady. 1 am
now engaged to be married to Miss
Evelyn Goldthwaite, whom l believe
you know"
II do, indeed, Dick" said. "She
is a charming girl, and l wish you
all the happiness you deserve"
That is all of the story. I suffered
nothing from my extraordinary ad-
venture beyond bad cold in the
head. 1t is hardly worth mentioning,
but / may as we'll explain that the
curious fiickering light which saw
on the ceiling 'on that memorable
night was merely a moonbeam that
entered through the upper part OF
one of the window shutters and was
reflected by the water.--Good Liter
atpre.