With a yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He shrieked once--once only--and I was upon him. In an instant I dragged him to the floor and pulled a heavy comforter from the bed down over him. I then sat upon his chest and held the thick cover over his face and smiled gaily as he struggled weakly beneath my efforts to smother him. But, for many minutes, his heart beat on with a muffled, frantic sound. Yet this did not vex me, for I knew it would not be heard through the walls. I pressed down with more strength, my teeth fairly clenched, a fixed grin upon my face as his struggles became weaker, then stilled. The heart, though, beat on for some short a time, but eventually slowed and finally ceased. The old man be dead, at last. I removed the cover from him and examined the corpse. Yea, he were stone, stone dead. I placed me hand upon his breast and held it there many minutes. There were no pulsation. The old man be stone dead. His eye would trouble 'me' no more.

If ye still chance to think me mad, ye will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of his body. The night waned and I worked hastily, but in silence. First of all, I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and arms and legs.

I then took up three wide planks from the flooring of his chamber and deposited all those pieces beneath the floor. I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye--not even 'his'--could have detected anything displaced or wrong. There were nothing to wash up--no stain of any kind--no blood-spot whatever! I had been too wary for that. A large tub had caught all--ha, ha!

When I had made an end to these labors, it were four o'clock--still dark as midnight and quiet without. As the clock were sounding the hour, there came a knocking at the street door. Me heart fairly leaped in surprise, but I calmed quickly, as what did I have to fear? I went down to open it with a light heart, for I had nothing to hide--now. At the door were three men, who introduced themselves as officers of the police. A shriek had been heard by a neighbor some time during the night; suspicion of foul play had been aroused and they had been sent out to search all of the local premises.

I smiled--such an innocent smile it were. I bade the gentlemen well come. The shriek, I said, were naught but me own, caused by a dream. The old man, I mentioned in passing, were absent from the house, being in the country. I took me visitors all over the house and bade them search--search 'well.' I led them, at length, to 'his' chamber. I showed them his treasures, undisturbed--safe and secure. In the enthusiasm of me confidence, I brought chairs into the room and desired them to rest 'here' from their search, while I meself, in the wild audacity of me perfect triumph, sat upon that very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of me recent victim.

The officers were satisfied. Me manner convinced them. I were singularly at ease. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of mundane things. But, ere long, I felt meself becoming pale and wished them to be gone. Me head began to ache and I fancied a ringing in me ears; but still they sat and chatted. The ringing became more distinct. I talked freely to get rid of the feeling, but it continued and even gained distinctness--until at length, I found that the noise was 'naught' within me ears.

Nor, to me secret horror, were the sound any longer that of a faint bell, but were becoming louder and deeper--like a damned thumping! yet softly muffled. No doubt I now grew 'very' pale--but I talked more fluently and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased. What could I do? It were a low, dull sound and I gasped for breath, yet the officers seemed to hear it naught. I talked more quickly, but the sound steadily increased--became a stronger 'thumping.' I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gestures, but the sound still increased in volume. Why would they naught be 'gone!'