Year: 1874

nasty, dirty-smelling thing, and I hate


it. Now it's built and lit, twill warn
up in fifteen minutes. It takes longer


than wood.


She went out of the door and came


back in a minute with a little tray OF


which stood pot and cup and saucer
also bowl and tiny pitcher, and some
thing in a napkin.


'' Miss sent bit and a sip, said she


&c Tea rests us old folks nightly. Good
! night"


'' Good night" said, "I expect ]
| shall sleep soon; [ must be up very
early, though, for L have bills to pay.
| [ have some hundreds of dollars with
me to pay out tomorrow, and its in this
bag"


She looked at me in a queer sort of q
way and fingered beside me. At last
she spoke:


"Look ye, sir I think that old folks
of your age do wrong to lock doors on
| themselves. You might be Ill at night,
AMI who'd get into you? Leave your
| door unlocked"


Was it this woman's practice to beg
| travellers who stopped with her mistress
not to look the doors ? Was there some
baneful portion in the cup she had
given me?


It was an innocent-Iooking cup
enoUgh-an old-fashioned affair Gov
cred with little gilt springs. The tea
was fragrant Hyson but the suspicion
that had crept into nv mind had tainted
it. fancied a strange color, a curious
smell. 1 put it from me and would not
have tasted it for q kingdom.
I 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 might be shortly made to
murder me I felt to be possible. I
thought of all the old tales I had heard
of trap doors, and sliding panels, and
secret entrances to. travellers rooms. I
was not coward, but [ felt strangely
nervous, and singularly enough for a
man in my perfect health my hands
were growing cold, and my feet were
Jumps of ice, while my head was burn
ing 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 yellowish tints,
into the room. There was nothing
cheerful about the stove, though it was
of that open style now called Franklin.
Yet I drew a chair toward it from
habit, and sat with my feet upon the
hearth. 1 do not know how long I sat
there. Suddenly I became aware that
I was not myself. I was losing my
senses. If unseen hands had been
clasped about nv neck, and an IN
seen knee 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 I staggered to my
feet noise like the roaring of a sea
was in my ear. The flames of a candle
turned to q 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. It gave
me intense p in, but it relieved me. In
a moment more I was able to Chamber
out of it upon the shed below.


There I 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.


It was provided with what is called
damper, and this being caught In a man
ICL "11C11 I1OSCNl IL DCLlb b1iC tJOlSOlIOt4S
air into the room. It had been kindled
as 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 thrown myself upon the bed, I
also should have been found dead at
daylight, in all probability.


As for the fact that neither doctor nor
coroner discovered the truth, i have but
to say that they were not deeply scien-
tific men.


OF course [ reioieed the household
by my discovery next morning, and
equally, of course, Nine. Matteau, who
was not only freed from suspicion, but
became the object of universal sympa-
thy. She was always grateful to me,
and she proved her gratitude by giving
what I soon asked for, the hand Of her
daughter Gabrielle IN marriage.