Year: 1874

pay you any price you ask"


Miss Gabrielle looked at Hannah.


We have only one room," she said,
and that


l ended the question of my stay by
begging to be taken to it.


" You will have SUPPER" asked the
girl.


But declared that I had eaten, and
only desired rest. Her reply was:


" Hannah, show the gentleman to the
blue room and make fire."


| was in the blue room, tho scene of
three sudden deaths or murders. 1t was
Il small apartment, painted blue. 1t had
also blue window curtains, and blue
silk coverlet on the bed neatly striped
carpet, set of old mahogany furniture,
and a very handsome ever and basin Of
costly China.


1t was an almost universal custom a:
the time TO burn wood. In this room,
however, was small coal fire. alluded
to this as Hannah came in with the coal
s.uttle.


" Yes, sir" she said. "Missis does
burn Goals. Her son is a clerk, or tho
like, at the new mines at Mauch Chunk,
and he sends it cheap to her but it's
nasty, dirty, smelling thing, and l don't
like it. Now it's built and lit, twill
warm up in fifteen minutes. 1t takes
longer than wood"


She went out of the door and came back
with little tray, on which stood n pot
and a cup and saucer also bowl and
tiny pitcher, and something in n napkin.


" Miss sent n bit and sip," said she.
" Tea rests us old folks nightly. Good
night"


GOOD night" l said, "I expect l
shall sleep soon l must be up very ear
ly, though, for | have bills to pay. l
have some hundreds Of dollars with me
to pay out tomorrow, and it's in this
bag"


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


Look yo, sir l think that folk Of
your age do wrong to lock doors on them
selves. You might be i'll at night, and
who'd get in 10 your Leave your door
unlocked"


Was il this woman's practice to beg
travellers who stopped with her mistress
not to lock the door Was there somo
baneful potion in the cup she had given
mo


1t was an innocont-loolSing cup enough,
an old fashioned affair, covered with littlo
gilt sprigs. The tea was fragrant hyson
but the suspicion that had crept into my
mind tainted IL. fanciod strange col
or, curious smell. | put it from me,
and would not have tasted it for king
dom.


had not intended to sleep and did not
undress myself. i merely removed my
disguise, and sat down beside the table,
with my pistols beside me. That some
attempt would be shortly made to muir
der me | felt to be possible. / thought
of all tho old tales / had heard Of secret
trap doors and sliding panels, and secret
entrances TO Travellers rooms. l was not
Il coward, but felt strangely nervous ;
and singularly enough for man in per-
feet health, my hands were growing cold.
and my feet were Jumps of ice, while my
head was burning hot.


Fifteen minutes had passed and tho
fire was kindled, but the room was not
warm. The blue flames struggled among
the black Goals, and flung forked tongues
tipped with yellow tnts into the ROOM
There was nothing cheerful about the
stove, though it was of that open style
now called Franklin. Yet drew a chair
toward it from habit, and sat with my
feet upon the hearth. l do not know how
long sat there. Suddenly / became
aware that was not myself. | was los
ing my senses. If an unseen hand had
been clasped about my neck, and an un-
seen knee been pressed against my chest,
my sensations could not have been diff
ferent.


A thought Of the evil spirit which my
friend had suggested, family struggled
into my mind. AS / staggered TO my
feet noise like the roaring Of the sea
was in my ear. The flames of the candle
turned 10 great yellow blue. | 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 relieved me. In
moment more was able TO Chamber out
of it upon the shed below.


There ] remained until the day dawn
ed. With my returning senses the truth
came to me. That which had murdered
the three men who slept before me in tho
blue chamber was nothing more nor less
than the coal stove.


1t was provided with what is called n
damper, and that, being caught in
manner which closed it, sent the poison
GUS gas into the room. 1t had been kin
uleQ as u WOOu lllc NOuIN ''t'S DNSAA ~
the hour Of retiring by one ignorant Of
the danger possible from coal gas, and
they had slept never to awaken. Had |
thrown myself upon the bed, | 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 scientific
men-that coal stoves were scarcely used
in the place, and that it had not been
mentioned that the blue chamber was
thus heated.


or course l rejoiced the household by
my discovery next morning, and equally.
OF course Madame Matteau, who was not
only freed from suspicion, but became
an object of universal sympathy. She
was always grateful to me, and she prov
cd her gratitude by giving what l soon
asked for, the hand Of her daughter Ga
brielle in marriage.