EVERY MAN HIS OWN STORY-TELLER. 571 



to his residence, being overtaken by a storm, he sought shelter in a 

 decent but humble public-house. The landlord and his wife did all 

 they could to make him comfortable prepared him a light supper, 

 and made him up a clean and soft bed. The landlord had given up 

 his own room mark that ! He slept well till after midnight, when 

 he was awakened by the noise of one entering his chamber. Starting 

 up, he beheld approaching his bed a tall and ghastly figure, half 

 naked, conveying in one hand a lamp, in the other an immense knife, 

 with which he beckoned him to follow him, and then drew it across 

 his throat, as if he meant to intimate that he was about to commit a 

 murder, and needed his assistance. The nerves of the gentleman were 

 excessively weak ; but he saw it all the landlord was a murderer, 

 and this his diabolical accomplice. Vainly did he attempt to call 

 for assistance, his tongue refused its aid he sunk on his pillow. 

 There he lay for a considerable time in a sort of swoon, from which 

 he was roused to the full sense of horror by the rude grasp of a hand, 

 and the glare of a lamp, which some one held close to his eyes. He 

 looked up. The same terrific figure stood before him, but more 

 dreadful than at his first appearance. His shirt-sleeve was stripped 

 up to his elbow, and his right hand and arm deluged in blood ! The 

 assassin, as soon as he saw the stranger open his eyes, struck the 

 ground three times with his foot, and by three movements of the arm, 

 intimated that he had exterminated three lives. ' Oh ! save me, save 

 me ! ' cried the stranger ; ' do not take my life ! ' At this moment 

 the guilty landlord rushed into the room, e Kill thee, Sir ! ' he ex- 

 claimed, ' what be thinking of this is poor Tom, my pig-killer, who 

 be come to wake me to kill pigs ! I suppose he's done it without 

 me The poor fellow be deaf anid dumb, and harmless as a babby !' " 



SH- . 



