Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-09-16

ne uQuy OF q girl. young surpas
singly beautiful, robed in white linen. Lax
before him. There was death upon the
brow, aud eternal slumber on her lips
Her long chestnut hair swept bright anG
g~listenlng down her wax white neck, and
the lids over her half closed blue eyes
seemed but dropping before the fixed gaze
of him who bent over her. Entranced
enraptured, Horace gazed upon the corpse,
Speech, motion, everything seemed gone
out from him-all his faculties were con.
centrated into n sense-that of seeing
The striking of a distant clock the
hour of one aroused him to a sense of his
condition. His tn lights came back, and
rushed through his brain with the rapid.
ity Of lightning.
Wall up this beautiful creature in a eel
lar, and amid the dampness and everIast.
ing gloom! who knew what fearful secret
might be buried with her? Who could
tell the story of her death? What might
not those Observation-Disclosures s cold
silence reveal Of foul crime and base vii
lainy?
Could he bury her from sight forever
with that dreadful mystery hanging
around her? would he do the deed? Never
God helping him, never!
Immediately he sat about an examina.
ton of the walls of the cellar, and by care.
full sounding he was enabled to detect the
outer wall. He brought some of his tools
to the side Of the masonry, and in fifteen
minutes had made an Aperture the size
OF a mans body through the brick work.
Fresh air, from Heavens courts, famed
his brow, and the heavy plunge of gush-
ing water could be distinctly heard. Ey.
identity the building into which he had
been SO strangely conveyed, was situated
IN the vicinity of some river, if not upon
its very banks.
A wild, romance-possibly, from its
very impossibility-swept through his
mind. Why not remaSasahaly 10 the
shores Of the river, fronIs3ne~s ne could,
he telt convinced, Subsequently discover
and take it away, to at least Christian
burial. He could brick up the recess, as
his employer required, and who would be
the wiser.
This plan, once conceived, was carried
into effect without hesitation. By dill.
gent labor he soon enlarged the cavity in
the wall sufficiently for his purpose, and
letting himself carefully out he reconnoi
tered the premises.
The night was black as Erebus, and he
could ascertain but little beyond the fact
that he stood in a deep drain which sur
rounded the mansion. The ascent from
the drain was steep and p~recipitous but
Horace felt, within himself the power to
do great things, and he returned at once
to the cellar.
Replacing the cover upon4the box, and
lightly fastening the screws, he sprang
through the aperture. 4anAGraWit after
him. With the greatest difficulty he sue
ceeded in raising the heavy oaken box to
the surface of the ground, for the sides of
the drain were wet and slippery. The
gush OF water could be very plainly dis.
tlnguished at but little distance off, and
close upon the mansion evidently between
HIM and the river, rose a black ~copsewood
OF low alders. Into these he at once dash
ed, bearing his load, and in fifteen minutes
be stood upon the borders of a 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 In a dense
thicket, close to the waters edge, and
marking the spot by ~suspending his white
pocket handkerchief from an %overhanging
branch, he hastily retfaced his way and
arrived.in safety in the vault. Drawing
out his watch-the little silver watch
which had been his dead sisters, and
which no earthly need could induce him
to part with The saw tbs was near
two o'clock. But a brief'per& remained
for the performance of his tas&, End never
did mortal man. labor with greater assidn'
ity than did Horace Flintwood. At the
end of eighteen minutes, the torn wal
was mended in so skilful a manner thai
it would have dehed the scrutiny of the
closest observer. This done, he com
menced upon the recess. Tier after tiel
of bricks rose up. and at length the aper
ture was closed. 1t only remained to ado
another thickness of brick, and over al
the thick coat Of plaster, as the unknown
A"N AAOiSutVus WdS Juob Put
ting theh finishing tuuch on the plastering
when the great door (Which he had prevl
ously unfastened) swung slowly open ant
his mysterious employer entered TN
room.
A sardonic smile CLEANED from hi
black, fiery eyes, for no other feature 0
his face was visible.
$50 you are puuctual to the time. m.
friend.n He approached aad laid hi
hand on Flintwood's shoulder. Well,
admire punctuality. And now, as we ar
about to go forth from thence, | requir
you to swear eternal silence on the event
Of this night-silence as unbroken as tn
darkness of the tomb /"
The wild eyes flashed savagely dow
into Horace's face, and though his vote
did not trembIe, his cheek became pale
as he spoke.
Il swear |"
Enough a man like you, will kee
an oath Your work is done well"