Year: 1862




to all approaches, was respectable and quiet.
He recommended his horse to the care of the
landlord, dried bis clothes at the FIRE, and as
soon as supper was ready, sat down to the ta-
BILE with the host and his family, who appeared
to be decent people.


During supper the traveller was asked where
be came from, and on answering Vienna, they
were all anxious to hear from the capital
The horse dealer told them all be knew. The
landlord then asked him what business had
taken him to Vienna, to which be replied be
had been there to sell some of the very finest
horses that had ever appeared in that market.


At these words the landlord looked very
significantly at young man who sat opposite
to him, and who appeared TO be his son. His
expressive glance did not escape the observa-
ton Of the traveller, who however, took no
notice of it ; yet he very soon afterwards had
cause to regret his want of caution. Being in
want of repose, he begged the landlord as soon
as supper was finished, to show him to his
room. The landlord took a lamp and conduct.
ed the trayelor across the yard into detached
building, which contained two tolerably neat
rooms. A bed was prepared at the further
end of the second.


As soon as the landlord retired, the traveller
undressed himself, unbuckled money belt con-
tanning a considerable sum in gold, and took
out his pocket book, which was full of bank
notes. Having convinced himself that his
money was right, he placed both under bis
pillow, extinguished the light and soon fell
asleep, thanking God and all the saints for the
success of his journey. He had slept but an
hour or two when he was suddenly awakened
by the opening of a window and Immediately
felt the night air blow on him.


Startled at this unforeseen circumstance the
traveller raised himself up in bed and perceived
the head and shoulders Of a man who was
struggling to get into the room at the same
time he heard the voices of several persons
standing near the window A dreadful terror
seized our traveller, who gave himself up for
lost; and scarcely knowing what he did, crept
under the bed as quickly as possible A mo-
ment afterwards man sprang heavily into the
room and staggered to the bed, supporting
himself against the wall.


Confounded as the horse dealer was, he
nevertheless perceived that the intruder was
inebriated; this circumstance, however, gave
him little hope, for he had probably got intox,
icated in order to summon courage for the
contemplated crime besides this, the traveller
had heard the voices Of persons outside, so that
the murderer in case Of resistance, could be
assisted by his comrades.


But how great was his astonshment, when
he saw the unknown person throw his coat
upon the bed which he had j1st Quilted A
few minutes afterward he heard the intruder
snore, and his terror gradually gave way to
reflection, although the whole affair was quite
incomprehensble to him. He was just pre-
pairing to quit his hiding place iu order to
wake the inmates of the house, and ask anoth-
er bed in place of that from which he had been
unceremoniously expelled, when a new incident
occurred. He heard the outward door careful.
ly opened, and, on listening, the sound of eau
tious footsteps reached his ear. In few
moments the door of his room opened and two
figures, those of the landlord and his son stood
on the threshold.


keep the lamp back" muttered the father
in low voice.


What have we to fear ?" said the young
man. "We're two against one besides, he
has only small knife with him, and is Sleep
ing soundly-hear him snore."


"Do what tell you," said the father angrily
=" do you wish to awaken him would you
have him alarm the neighborhood ?"


The horse dealer was horriied at the specia-
Gle. He remained motionless under the bed,
scarcely daring to breathe. The son shut the
door after him, and the wretches approached
The bed on tiptoe.


An instant afterward the bed shook with a
oonvulsive motion, and a stiaed cry of pain
confirmed the foreboding that the unhappy
man had his throat cut After short pause
OF most awful silence, the landlord said:


' 1t is over look for the money


Il have found it under the pillow" ex-
claimed the son; it is in a leathern belt and
pocket-book.r


The murderers disappeared. Everything
being now quiet, the traveller crept from under
the bed, got out of the window, and FASTENED
to the adjoining town TO inform the authorities
of what had happened The mayor immedi-
-ately assembled the military, and in less than
three-quarters of an hour the inn was sur
rounded by soldiers, who had been summoned
to arrest the mnrderers. The whole house
seemed buried in profound silence but on ap-
preaching the stables they heard noise. The
door vas Immediately broken, and the landlord
and his son were seen digging pit. As soon
as the murderers saw the horse dealer they
uttered a cry of horror, covered their faces
with their hands and fell to the ground.


This was neither from repentance nor the
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