Year: 1874

She looked at me in queer sort of q
way, and fingered beside me. AT last she
spoke;


"Look ye, sir; think that old folks of
your age do wrong to lock doors on them
selves You might be Ill at night, and
who'd get in to your Leave your door
unlocked"


Was it this woman's practice to beg
travellers who stopped with her mistress
not to lock the doors? Was there some
baneful potion in the cup she had given
me1


lt was an innocent.looking cup enough
an old-fashioned affair covered with
little gilt sprigs. The tea was fragrant
Hyson; but the suspicion that had crept
into my mind had tainted it. | fancied a
strange color, a curious smell. / put it
from me and would not have tasted it
for kingdom.


had not intended to sleep, and did
not undress myself | merely removed
my disguise, and sat down beside the Ia
BILE, with my pistols beside me. That
some attempt might be shortly made to
murder me | felt to be possible. /
thought of all the old tales that | had
heard of trap-doors, and sliding panels,
and secret entrances to travellers rooms.
| was not coward, but | felt strangely
nervous; and singularly enough for
man of my perfect health my hands were
growing cold, and my feet were Jumps of
ice, while my head was burning hot.


Fifteen minutes had passed, and the
fire was kindled, but the room was not
warm. The blue flames struggled among
the black Goals, and flung fOrked tongues
tipped with yellow tints into the room.
There was nothing cheerful about the
stove, though it was of that open style
now called Franklin. Yet l drew a chair
toward it from habit, and sat with my
feet upon the hearth. | do not know
how long | sat there.


Suddenly became aware that | was
not myself. was losing my senses. If
unseen hands had been clasped about my
neck, and an unseen knee had been
pressed against my chest my sensations
could not have been different.


A thought of the evil spirit which my
friend had suggested family struggled
into my mind. AS l staggered to my
feet a noise like the roaring of the sea
was in my ears. The flames of the candle
turned to great yellow blue. L barely
retained strength enough TO stagger to
the window and fling it open. The fresh,
cold winter air rushed in at it. 1t gave
me intense pain, but it revived me. In
moment more | was able to Chamber out
of it upon the shed below.


There | remained until the day-dawn
With my returning senses the truth came
to me. That which had murdered the
three men who had slept before me in
the blue chamber was nothing more or
less than the coal stove.


1t was provided with what is called a
damper, and this being caught in man
ner which closed it sent the poisonous gas
into the room. 1t had been kindled as a
wood fire would have been at the hour of
retiring, by one quite ignorant of the
danger possible from coal gas, and they
had slept never to awaken. Had l
thrown myself upon the bed l also
should have been found dead at daylight,
in all human probability.


AS for the fact that neither doctor nor
Coroner discovered the truth, l have but
to say that they were not deeply scien-
tific men-that coal stoves were scarcely
used in the place, and that it had not
been mentioned that the blue chamber
was thus heated.


OF course l rejoiced the household by
my discovery next morning, and equally,
of course, Madame Matteau, who was not
only freed from all suspicion, but became
the object of universal sympathy. She
was always grateful to me, and she
proved her gratitude by giving me what
| soon asked for, the hand of her daugh-
ter Gabrielle in marriage.