The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-10-28
favorably answered, may restore you i'm
mediately to liberty"
Speak on then ~


mcdiately to liberty"
Speak on then -
! "Wil you solcmnly swear, that if all
} your effects are restored to you, even to
your weapons, you will suffer yourself to
enter carriage biipdfold, and thus re-
mai till drive bey oud sight Of this dwell
l;ngl aud then leave and depart without
asking any questions, or seeking in any
manner. or By auy means, to pry into the
mysterious occurrences which have sur
rounded you within the last twelve hours!"
YES" said l. ''for complete restora-
tion of al my effects, aud my person to
liberty, | will soiemnly swear, by all {
hold sacred and holy, to conduct MYSELF
according to the conditions named"
"Fhen, Senor, within an hour you shall
have your freedom y was the reply, as
the masked lady stepped back, aud closed
and locked the iron door, leaving ue a.
gain alone, prisoner still.
/ A few minutes later, as remained
standing by the door, bordering this sim
gular mystery, lfancied heard the rum
BILE of carriage wheels; and shortly after
the door was again unlocked. and a mask
ed figure entered, who said he had orders
TO blindiold and conduct ne hence, and
restore me to liberty.
+ All this might mea treachery, thought;
but | knew, if my life were really sought.
| was iu the power of my enemies, and
could not escape; and by asserting quiet
ly to every proposition made me, my con-
dition would certainly not be rendered
worse than by rejecting them. l there
fore suffered him to baDdage my eyes and
Leaf me to the carriage, which he enter
ed with me, my arms still remaining PIN
ioned.
A few moments later We we're whirIing
through the streets of the city. which We
continued to do for some half an hour,
when the carriage stopped suddenly, the
bandage was removed from my eyes, and
| was solemnly charged by my masked
companion, to,,reme ember my oath, or else
no power on earth could save me. L
looked from the window. and to my as
tonisb Dent saw we were in a fashionable
part of the city; and to my greater aston
ishment, my strange conductor now pro-
ceeded to cut loose ms bonds, and restore
me ny weapons and pocket book. which
latter he opened and showed me the bill
of exchange which had been taken from
me.
"Now, ,Senor," be said, as be flung back
the door of the carriage, please ningle
With those people yonder and take no
notice which way we drive. Adios y
The door closed as I descended the
steps, aud the carriage whirled away,
never knew whittier.
This whole matter, a mystery froT be-
ginning to end, has remained so to tbs
day. | could not believe I was not rob-
bed until bad searched everything, and
received my money on my draft; after
which pondered the matter deeply, but
Of course venturing to question no person,
because forbidden by my oath.
At first thought if case ofconscience
merely; then a practical joke perhaps;
but subsequently,, on looking through my
pocket-book, and finding in it small sill
yer sybol of the Masonic order, was led
to conjecture that that had saved me from
robbery if not from death, and that one
or more of those who had me in charge
we're members Of this fraterual band.
This of course was. and is, mere cou-
lecture; bat it is the only reasonable solu-
ton of the mystery | have ever been able
to obtaio; Pablo, who might have thrown
some light upon the matter, | never set
eyes upon again.