Year: 1874

despair of proving your entire inno-
cenc9. Meanwhile, be as calm as DOS
slble, and endeavor to remember everv-
thing connected with the sudden deaths
that have occurred in your house. The
incident that seems the least important
may really be of the most immense
value"


So left and went home. Strange
enough, on the way I met the doctor
who had been called In. He was dull,
heaYy sort of a person, considerably
given to beer drinking, and my opinion
OF his ability vas not very great. How
ever, l questioned him on the subject.
and he replied:


Well, you see, I don't say the old
woman murdered him. If she did,
should say it was by sitting on him, or
smOthering him with the holsters.
suppose the cause of his death was as
phyxia. Well, then, what is asphvxia
Why, too little breath to keep one Iiv-
ing. He died because he was short of
breath. I wash my hands on that mat
ter. Only there's the watch that looks
dark"


I had learned nothing from the doc
tor. The coroner lived near me. His
jury had been twelve of the most ignor-
ant men in town.


This is all he told me.


He was smothered, that man was,
so were the other two. Men don't
smother themselves. We made it in
scrutable Providence t'other time. We
make it murder this time. That there
watch, you know"


Thus, without any new light, I went
home and formed my plans. There
was but one way in which to penetrate
the mystery. I must enter the house;
must see the people there; must
penetrate to the room in which these
men had died so suddenly, and I must
not be know in my real character. That
Nine. Matteau was innocent fully be-
heved, but that some one was guilty
made no doubt It might be the libra
rian, Mr.. Bassford, whose key fitted
the dead mans door. It was possible;
but no, I would not harbor a mad su-
perstition. There could be no super
natural power beneath which human
being dropped and died. Death as i6
came to us all was mysterious enough.
What had been said to me by woman,
who would have been a spiritualist had
she lived to-day, was a mere absudity.


"I believe that there is some horrible
unseen thing in the rOOm," she said,
"some awful shapeless spirit, that when
it is locked in with the victim murders
him. Let others believe what they will,
1 believe that.


The words haunted me, but laughed
at them, of course. Whatever 1t was l
would try TO know. 1 had plan.


At dusk I went into my bedroom my
self. came out a strange man. 1
wore a white wig, a pair of green gOg-
giles and an overcoat, the tails of which
reached to my heels. l had a muller
about my throat, and little hunch on
one of my shoulders. carried thick
cane, and stopped a great deal as 1
walked. In my hands I carried car
pet-b bag, and in my bosom pair Of pis-
tolls, we'll loaded.


As passed out into the street the
early moon was just rising she lit me
on my way to the door of Nine. Mat
teams house.


It was opened for me when I knocked,
by old Hannah. Her eyes were red and
swollen. Then told her that l was
stranger, and mad received Nine. Mat
teau's address from a gentleman in New
York, and desired to stay all night under
her roof. She shook her head,


''I don't think you can" she said.
''The lady is away from home. Besides
we are in trouble here. l don't think
Miss Gabrielle would"


But here Miss Gabrielle herself ap


II am an old man, miss" I said,
"and as you see, quite inhrm. dread
another step. 1 should take it as a
kindness if You would accommodate
me, and will pay you any price you
ask"


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


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


"You will have supper, sir ?" asked
the girl.
only wanted rest.


Her reply was


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


was in the blue room, the scene OF
the three sudden deaths or murders. IG
was a small apartment, painted blue,
1t had also blue window curtains, and
bIue silk coverlet on the bed neat
striped carpet, a set of old mahogany
furniture, and a very handsome ever
and basin of costly china. 1t was at
that time almost universal custom to
burn wood. In this room, however,
was small coal fire. 1 alluded to tins
as Hannah came in with the scuttIe.





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 it's
nasty. dirty-smelling thing, and hate
it. Now it's built and lit, twill warm
ND in fifteen minutes. 1t takes longer
than wood.


She went ont of the door and came
hack in a minute with a little tray on
which stood a pot and cup and saucer,
also bowl and a tiny pitcher, and some
thing in a napkin.


s Miss sent a bit and q sip, said she,
"Tea rests us old folks nightly. GOOD


g Good night" said, 81 expect I
shall sleep soon I 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 Ia this


She looked at me in a queer sort of q
wav and fingered beside me. AT last


"Iook We. sir ; I think that old folks
of vour ace do wrong to lock doors on
themselves. You might be i'll 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
banefuI portion in the cup she had
n was an innocent-lOoking cup
! anougb.-an old-fashioned affair COW
/ cred with little gilt springs. The tea
vras fragrant HysOn but the suspicion
that had crept into my mind had tainted