Year: 1861

village inn. Nevertheless, resolved IN mn.
no falth in appearances, and Immediately
commenced systematic cexaminatiou-searcb h.
ing geveryWhere-urder the bed, in the closet
search revealed nothing. [ was certsin that
no one was concealed in the room, and there.
as certainly seemed no place of iprress save
the door. was beginning to become anxious
reflected that the danger might come upon
me unexpectedly, aud from an unexpected
source. sat down, and for al hour waited
waited In restless expectancy for The appaar.
ance of the assassin-but still I waitai in
vain. Looking at my watch, / perceived that
II was nearly midnight. Ny unaccustomed
vigil had wearied me, and placing my pistols
beneath the pillow, lay down upon the bed
without removing my clothes. was not long
IN discovering that this bed was of somewhat
singular eonstruction-the formation of the
top being rather concave than otherwise. and
SO adjusted that the occupant could not mes.
sioiy rest in it in any other way than upon his
back in the middle


Oeca mas tack! That seemed rather a sin.
guiar discovery to make just at that moment.
Had not every one Of the murdered men been
stabbed through the back? Yes-and each
one OF them must have received his death
wound while laying in this very bed, just as


Click-click-clck


Three sharp, distinct sounds. apparentlv
close at hand. interrupted nv reflections I
knew their meaning in an instant-tbey need
90 no interpreter. I rose quickly and silent
~, and grasping my pistols, awaited the next
movement OF the unseen assassin Click
click. That noise again, and now like the
creaking of hinge Next there was a shnf.
ning sound, which made me aware that there
was man beneath the bed-and the next in
slant saw the blade Of a dagger driven up
through the thin mattress, in the yery place
wnere had been lying I gave a low groan,
"nich was answered by chuckle from be-


IAN easy death, Now for the spoils.n
heard the same voice say. And at that in.
stant the head and shoulders of the inn-keep.
er were thrust out from the bed hangings.
covering him with the muzzle Of one Of my
pistols, said:


"Come forth, sir and deliver yourself up
Your innocent guest is no other than detec-
tive oifcer Don't attempt to escape-I shall
certainly fire if you do ="


But he did try, and speedily sent pistol
pal after him. The report was succeeded by
deep groan, and instantly NJ Berret and his
assistants rushed in. A hasty search was suf-
fcient TO discover the landlord under the bed.
Teltering in his blood, and the hostler was
seized before he had al opportunity to close
the secret panel in the wall, through which
he attempted to escape.





opened directly into hollow partition, which
communicated with lower room By means
OF this strange contrivance, the assassins had
always been able to enter this particular cham
Der at any time-and once through the panel
without having disturbed the unsuspecting
sleeper, their work was easily done. The bed
was as L have said, constructed in such a man
ner that sleeper could maintain only one
position in it-a hole had been work ed for the
passage OF the dagger, and a powerful thrust
mad been In every instance enough to transfix
tRe heart Of the victim. After rifing the BODY
OF everything vaIuaDIe, tne nIuI - -
customed to carry it out in the darkness of tho
night and leave it in one Of the public streets
OF the town. And so adroitIy had this game
been played that no shadow of suspicion had
attached to the real criminals


The inn-keeper recovered from the wound
which l gave him, but it was only, together
with his partner i'll guilt-the hostler-to re-
ceive one of much more serious character
from the hands of the executioner