The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-10-28
From Peterson's Magazine,
The Mysterious Box.
BY CLARA AUGUSTA.
Concluded,


Replacing the cover upon the box, and
lightly fastening the screws, he spraug
through the apera'ure and drew it after
him With the greatest difficulty be sue
ceeded in raising the heavy, osken box
TO the surface Of the ground for the
sides of the drain we're wet and slippery
The gush of water could be very plainly
distinguished at but little distance off,
and close upon the m mansion, evidently be-
tween him and the river, rose a black
coTsewood Of low alders Into these be
at once dashed, bearing his load, and in
fifteen minutes he stood upon the Dor !.
ders of great rivera river which, he
felt assured, was none other than the
| Des P,
He deposited his burden. for he had
not a moments time to waste, 10 dense
thicket close to the rivers edge, and
marking the spot by suspending his white
pocket-hardkerchief from an overhangipg
branch, he hastily retraced his way and
arrived in safety in the vault Drawing
fourth his watch-tbe little silver watch
which had been his dead listers and
which no earthly need could induce him
to part with-he saw that it was near
two o'clock. But brief porod remain.
ed for the performance Of his task, and
never did mortal man labor with greater
assiduty than did Horace Flintwood. At
the end Of eighteen minutes, the torn
wall wa. mended in 80 skllful manner
that i. would have defied the scrutiny
of the closest observer This done he com
mcnced upon tho recess. Tier after tier
of brick roso up, and at length the aper
turo was closed 1t only remained to
add another thickness Of brick, and over
all the thick coat of plaster as the un
known bad indicated Flintwood was
just putting the finishing touch to the
plas,ering, when the great door (which
had been previously unfasteued) swung
slowly open ,and his mysterious employ.
er entered the room.
A sArdonin smile cleaned from his
black, fiery eyes, for no other feature of
his face was visible.
$50 you are punctual to the time, my
friend" He approached and laid his
hand upon Flintwood's shoulder. "Well,
l admire punctnality. And now, as We
are about to go forth from hence, re-
quire you to swear eternal Sill nee on the
events of this nighs-silence as unbroken
as the darkness of the tombl'
The wild eyes flashed savagely down
into Horace's face, and though his voice
did not tremble, his cheek b, came paler
as he spoke.
| II swear |"
Enough A man like you will keep
an oath. Your work is done we'll"
Il am happy to have pleased you 1t
was thoughtful in you to select such
place for your gold-th most cunning
burglar would never guess it r.
"You will lose nothing BY your exceed.
ing cleverness, he said, as he Wa fixing
the bandage over Horace's eyes, "here,
my friend, is little present for you and
he placed parcel in the mechanics hand.
The same road was driven over, the
the same unear,hly silence preserved 10
the pheton. and near daybreak, Horace
was left blind folded Q. tho door Of his
lodgings. Ho tore off the handkerchief
and looked wildly around him, but he
saw only great, houses AM smoky man
ufactories. The carriage and its mystic
rious occupants had vanished.
He bethought himself Of the parcel
given him by the unknown, and breaking
it open, he fuuLd simply one hundred
dollar note eDveloped in brown paper.
Early on the morning subsequent to
the events chronicled above, boat, con.
tanning two persons, might have been
seen proceeding at good speed up the Des
P river. Arrived within half mile
Of Woodstock the way lay through, or be
tween, high banks, which were covered
with thick growth OF scrubby naples
aud tangled with hazel From tho over.
hanging bong ID Of q low tree white hand
kerchief huttered in the wind, and the
signal did not long escape the anxious eye
Of the taller of the two bostmen
"Tis the very place know il |" be
exclaimed, triumphanty.
In few moments the boat was rest
ing in little cove directly beneath the
signal.
F'lintwood, for the reader has probab
ly recognized our friend. sprang upon the
shore, followed closely by bis companion
aud after a brief search, the box contain
ing the mysterious corpse was discovered
Immediately it was placed in the boat
the handkerchief was removed from th,
tree bougb, and the light craft SHOT OF
like an arrow down the stream
They drew up the boat, after q goo(
two hours sail at an obscure wharf 10 th
little village of N, aud carriage
which was evidently waiting their arri
val, took them and their freight to larg
old house situated httlo out Of the vii
lsge
Flintwood had the box conveyed to al
upper chamber OF this building and whel
left alone with it, he unsorewed the co7
or and looked upon the luce slsspin
, within its shadow AS he gazed, be ga,
: that there was a warm perspiration upo
the forehead of the seeming corpse, an'
a tinge Of lifs-like rednsss on tbs sligh,
, ly parted lips
: The young man sprang from the roOr
. aud in fifteen minutes he returned accom-
panied by physician, The man Of SCI
a ence after a brief examination of The b,