Year: 1874

e"vicu. AhcH toiu nCT tnhJ was Y
stranger, and had received Madame Mat
teaus address from a gentleman in New
York, and desired to stay under her rool
all night She shook her head.


al don't think you can" she said
/" Tho lady is away from home. Besides
We are in trouble here. | don't think
Miss Gabrielle would"


But here Miss Gabrielle herself appear
ed.


! am an old man, miss" soid, sand
as you see, quite infrm. dread another
step. | should take it as kindness il
you would accommodate me, and l viii pay
any price you ask"


Miss Gabrielle looked at Hannah.


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


l ended the question of my stay by beg
ging to be taken to it,


. You will have supper, sir p asked the
girl.


But l declared that had eaten, and
only wanted rest.


Her reply was -


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


| was in the blue room, the scene of the
three sudden deaths or murders. 1t was
small apartment, painted blue 1t had
blue window curtains, and blue silk coy.
erlet on the bed neat striped carpet, a
set Of old mahogany furniture, and very
handsome ever and a basin of costly china,
II was at the time almost a universal Gus.
tom to burn wood. In this room, however
was small coal fire. | alluded to this as
Hannah came in with the scuttle.


Yes, SIR" she said. Misses does
burn Goals. Her son is a clerk, or the
like, at the new mines at Mauch Chunk,
and he sends it cheap to her but its mas
ty, dirty smelling thing, and l hate it
Now it's built aud lit; twill warm up in
fifteen minutes. 1t takes longer than
wood"


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


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


"Good night" l said. al expect |
shall sleep soon Il must be up very early,
though, for l have bills to pay. | have
some hundreds of dollars with me to pay
out tomorrow, and it's in this bag"


She looked at me in a queer sort of a
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 i'll at night, and
who'd get into you9 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 me


1t was an innocent looking cup enough
-au 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, curious smell. ] put it
from me, and would not have tasted il for
a kingdom.


had not intended to sleep, and l did
not undress myself. | merely removed
my disguise, and sat down beside the table,
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 en-
frances to travellers rooms. | was not a
coward, but l felt strangely nervous; and
singularly enough for man in 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 / drew a chair
toward it from habit, and sat with my feet
upon the hearth. l do not know how
long sat there. Suddenly l became
aware that | was not myself l was
losing my senses. If unseen hands had
been clasped about my neck, an unseen
knee had 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 to a
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. II gave me intense
pain, but it relieved me. In moment
more | was able to Chamber out of it upon
the shed below.


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


1t was provided with what is called
damper, aud this being caught in man
ner which closed it sent the poisonous gas
into the room. 1t had been kindlcd as a
wood fire would have been at the hour Of
retiring, by one quite ignorant of the