Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-02-21
NO. 81.

lowed by the lady. As soon as was
seated, she produced heavy handkerchief,
which, by the faint light of an adjacent
street lamp, she carefully bound round my
eyes. The lady seated herself beside me,
and the cab started. In half an hour the
vehicle stopped-in what part of the city
| am entirely ignorant, as it was evidently
driven in anything but direct course from
| the point of starting.
Examining the bandage, to see that my
vision was completely obscured, the lady
handed me bundle of tools with which I
was provided, then taking me by the arm
led me through the gate into house which
l know was brick, and after taking me
along the passage-way which could not
have been less than fifty feet in length,and
down flight of stairs into what was evil
IDENTIFY an underground basement, stopped
beside vault, and removed the banker
chief from my eyes.
"Here is the rault-open it." said she,
springing the door of a dark lantern, and
throwing beam of light upon the lock.
1 seized bunch of skeleton keys, and
after few trials, which the lady seemed
to watch with the most painful anxiety,
sprang the bolt. The door swung upon its
hinges, aud my companion, telling me not
to close it, as it was selflocking, sprang
into the vault. l did not follow. heard
a murmer of low voices within, and the
next moment the lady re-appeaTed, and
leaning upon her arm man, with face so
pale and haggard, that l started at the
sight. How he mus; have suffered during
the three long days of his confinement in
the vault!
"Remain here" said she, handing me
the lantern; II will be back in moment"
The two slowly assembled the stairs, and
I heard them enter room Immediately
above where l was standing. In less than
minute the lady returned.
"Shall l close it, madam ?" said !, pla-
cling my hand upon the door of the vault.
"No! no." she exclaimed, hastily seiz-
ing my arm; "it awaits another occupant"
"Madam, you certainly. do not intend
to"
"Are you ready?" she interrupted, i'm
patiently, holding the handkerchief before
my eyes. The thought flashed across my
mind that she intended to push me into
the vault, and bury me and my secret to-
gether. She seemed 10 read the suspicion,
and continued: ado not be alarmed
You are not the man!'
II could not mistake the truth or the
fearful meaning of the remark, and l shud-
dered as l bent my head to the handker-
chief. My eyes were as carefully bandaged
as before, and l was led to the cab, and
thence driven home by more circuitous
route, than the one by which we came.
Arriving in front of the house, the hand
kerchief was removed, and 1 stepped from
the vehicle. A purse of five hundred dol
lars was placed in my hand, and in a mo-
ment the cab and its mysterious occupant
had turned the corner and were out of
sight.
1 entered the shop, and the purse of
gold was the only evidence could sum-
mon in my bewilderment, that ali had just
done and witnessed was not dream.
4 month after that 1 saw the lady
and the gentleman, taken from the vault,
leisurely walking along Montgomery street.
1 do uot know, but I belieUe the sleeping
husband awoke agithia the vault, and has
bones are there today! The wife is still
a resident of San Francisco.