The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-04-03

this afternoon, convinced me that tn
man is there beyond human hearing
and will be starved to death by my
barbarous husband unless Immediate
! ly rescued. For three days he has not
left the house. / dragged" him less
than an hour ago, and he is now SC
completely stupefed that the lock may
be picked without his interference.
have searched his pockets but cannot
find the key hence my application to
you. Now you know all will you
accompany US ?"
"To the end of the world, madame,
on such an Grand"
" Then prepare yourself, there is a
cab waiting at the door,
was little surprised, for | had
not heard the sound of the wheels.
Hastily drawing on coat, and pro-
viding myself with the requisite in
struments, | was soon at the door,
There, snre enough, was cab, with
the driver in his seat, ready for the
mysterious journey | entered the
vehicle, followed by the lady. AS soon
as | was seated, she produced heavy
handkerchief, which by the faint light
of street lamp, she carefully bound
round my eyes. The lady seated her
self beside me, and the cab started. =
In half an hour the vehicle stopped
in what part of the city I am entirely
ignorant, as it was evidently driven
in anything but direct course from
the point of starting
Examining the banding, to see that
my vision was completely obscured,
the lady handed me the bundle of tools
with which I was provided, then ia
king me by the arm, led me through q
gate into house, which | knew was
brick, and after taking me along a
passage way that could not have been
less than fifty feet in length, and Cow n
a flight of stairs into what was evil
IDENTIFY an underground basement, stop
ped beside vault removed the
handkerchief from my eyes.
Here is the vault; open it," said
she, springing the door of dark Ian
tern, and throwing beam upon the
lock.
/ seized bunch of skeleton keys,
and after few trials which the lady
seemed to watch with the utmost in
terest, sprung the bolt. The door
swung upon its hinges, and my com
panion, telling me not o close it, as it
was self-locking, sprang into the vault.
I did not follow I heard the MUIR
muir of low voices within, and the next
moment the lady reappeared, and
leaning upon her arm, was man so
pale and haggard that | started at the
sight. How he must have suffered
during the three long days of his con-
finement in that vault
Remain here" she said, handing
me the lantern, " l will be back in a
moment"
The two slowly assembled the stairs,
and | heard them enter Immediately
above where I was standing. In less
than minute the lady returned.
Shall / close it madame p said /,
placing my hand on the door of the
vault.
3" No ! no |" she exclaimed hastily,
Selling my arm 1t awaits another
occupant !"
Madame, you certainly do not in
tend to"
Are you ready ?" she interrupted,
holding the handkerchief before my
eyes. The thought flashed across my
mind that she intended to push me in
to the vault, and bury me and my Sc
cret together. She seemed to read
the suspicion, and continued
"Do not be alarmed you are not
the man !"
could not mistake the truth, or
the fearful meaning Of the remark, and
/ shuddered as | bent my head to the
handkerchief. My eyes were as care
fully bandaged as before, and 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 door, the handkerchief was
removed and l stepped from the vehi-
Gle. A purse of five hundred dollars
was placed in my hand, and in mo-
ment the cab and its mysterious occu-
pant had turned a corner and were out
of sight.
I entered the shop, and the purse o.
gold was The only evidence could
summon, in my bewilderment, that al
l had just done and witnessed was moi
a dream.
A month after that, / saw the lady
and the gentleman taken from the vault
leisurely walking along Montgomery
street. I do not know, but believe
the sleeping husband awoke within
that vault, and his bones are there to.
day | The wife is still q resident o
San Francisco.