Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-03-03

Unconsciously, | turned my head, and
heheld five persons descending a flight Of
stairs, Immediately behind the bed. They
descended slowly and approached the bed.
One Of the party raised a torch on high,
while the others raised their hands.
g Now ? cried voice.
And five hands, each armed with a
Ipoignard, Immediately fell upon the
couch, No groan followed and discov,
ering the state of things, everything was
in moment in q state of wild confusion
Furies Furies " cried a voice :;
9 they have escaped. They must be
here-spread through the vault -
In a moment we heard steps behind,
beside and ahead of US. There was but
! one torch, however, to guide them, and
they made but slight progress.
Run" cried voice, which I immedi-
ately recognized as that of the inn-lleep-
er, . run for more lights
Meanwhile we crept toward the right
| side Of the vault and crept into a niche in
the wall. Leaning back, we felt a dead
weight upon our backs, and we stopped
! forward gently to shake ii of. The next
Imoment, a fall, like that OF two solid
| bodies, fell to the earth. The efusion
! that Immediately saluted our nostrlIs,
warned us Of the terrible fact that il was
/ two cOrpses that we had SO Unceremoni-
OuSlY disturbed. At this moment another
light appeared upon the staircase, togeth-
/ cr with a form, which, despite the long
robe enVeIopIng 1t from neck TO heel, we
4 were assured was thai OF a female. In
( q few moments the woman passed US 10
assist her companions. StIH creeping
/ through the gloom, we continued 10 crawl
! forward towards the staircase.
! Ho. come forth, or expect no mer-
- suddenly cried the voice Of the inn
keeper. EIo, Hans, run up and bring
the sulphur; we'll give them a foretaste
of -"
4 light danced in the gloom; it ap-
preached, and in few moments young
man bearing a torch came near US; a
moment more and he ascended the stairs.
Herman laid his hand significantly upon
my arm Meanwhile, the voice of the
inn-keeper broke through the gloom,
commanding us 10 come forth. We crawl
ed from our hiding place and got under
/ the staircase. Before us the vault stretch
ed far away till the light looked like a
star in the midst Of q vast room, and the
/ assassins had dwlndled into mere dwarfs.
Suddenly, we heard footsteps on the stair
! case. 1t was one Of the assassins bring
I ing down the sulphur.
/ :. For The last lime" said the inn-leeD-
/ Ier, :. viii you come forth p
+ A dead silence followed.
Bring hither the sulphur" continued
he, we'Il strangle them :"
J The young man approached with pail
in one hand and a torch In the other. AT
this moment we crept from under the
stairs and slowly ascended them.
:" They want it and they shall have it,
cried he with an oath.
/ And he began slowly to drop the sui
I phUr in d line, backing meanwhile to-
wards the stairs, followed by his compan-
lions, whose arms were lifted ready for al
/ blow, and whose eyes wandered uneasiIy|
IabOut them In search Of the victims who
/ were now beyond their reach. The par
ties reached the stairs, with the long sui
iphurous train marking the course they
had pursued.
{. For the last time cried the voice OF
/ the inn-keeper, g Will Sc come forth ere I
|set fire to the trainE
No voice responded to his appeal, and
/ the torch fell upon the yellow track. The
assassins sprang upon the staircase, but
ut that moment the door above was closed
and bolted upon them, with. very loud
noiSc. ,,,n
trapped SHARED; leIl IaIhLly upon
our ears, and then all was silent. we
/ listened a moment at the creVlces of the
door, but save a few low groans, like
those Of persons IN the last stage of ago
NY we heard nothihS :.
They are caught IN their own snare,
muitered nay companion, or the pres
ent we are safe. we nave now bat one