Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1862-02-20

litGle UU4 8DOuG mOuGE Uc1oto. 1IoFAuS
completed my hasty toilette, l attempted
to stammer an apology for my rudeuess,
but utterly failed. The fact is, I was con.
founded.
Smiling at my discontinue. she said:
"Disguise is useless; presume you re-
cognize me 2"
~ believe I told you, madam, I should
not soon forget your face In what way can
I serve you ?"
"By doing half an hours work before
daylight tomorrow, and receiving five hun
dred dollars for your labor" was the reply.
ssIt is not ordinary work." said I, in
quiringly, ssthat commands so munifcent
compensation"
alt is labor common to your calling"
returned the lady. "The price is not so
much for the labor as the condition .nder
which it must be performed"
"Aud what is the condition p Inquired.
"That you will submit to being convey
ed from and returned to your own door
blind-folded."
Ideas of murder, burglary, and almost
every other crime to villainy, hurriedlJ
presented themselves in succession, as l
politely bowed, and said:
81 must understand something more Of
the character of the employment as we'll as
the conditions, to accept your offer"
"Will not five hundred dollars answer in
in lieu of an explanation ?" she inquired.
"No-nor FIVE thousand"
She patted her foot nervously on the
floor. could see she had placed entirely
too low an estimate on my honesty, aud l
felt some qualification in being able to con.
vince her of the fact. ..z.
"Well, then, ifit is absolutely necessary
for me to explain" she replied, 81 must
tell you that you are required to pick the
lock of vault, and"
"You have gone quite far enough, mad
anne, with the explanation" l interrupted !;
81 am not at your service"
. .aAs I said," she continued "you are re-
quired to pick the lock Of vault and res
cue from death a man who has been con-
fined there for three days"
"To whom does the vault belong" [
inquired.
"My husband" was the somewhat reluc'
tant reply.
"Then why so much secrecy, or, rather,
how came man confined in such place !''
81 secreted him there to escape the OBJ
servation of my husband. He suspected
as much, and closed the door upon him
PresumiDg he had left the vault and quit
ted the house by the back door, did not
dream until to-day that he was confined
there. Certain suspicious acts of my hus
band this afternoon convince me that the
man is there, beyond human hearing, and
will be starved to death by my barbaroua
husband unless Immediately rescued. For
three days he has not left the house.
sdrugged" him less than an hour ago, and
he is now 50 completely stupe6ed that the
lock may be picked without his interfer'
euce. 1 have searched his pockets, but
can not find the key; hence my application
to you. Now you know all; will you ac'
company meW
"To the end of the world, madam, on
such an errand.
"Then prepare yourself; there Is cab
waiting at the door,"
I was little surprised, for | had not
heard the sound of wheels. Hastily draw
ing on coat, and providing myself with
the requisite implements, I was soon at the
door. There, sure enough, was the cab,
with the driver in his seat, ready for the
mysterious journey. Ieutered the vehicle,
followed by the lady. As soon as l 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
I 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 the bundle of tools with which
1 was provided, then taking me by the arm
led me through gate into house which
know was of brick, and after taking me
along passage-way which could not have
been less than fifty feet in length, and down
a flight of stairs into what was evidently
an underground basement, stopped beside
vault, and removed the handkerchief
from my eyes.
"Here is the vault-open it," said she
springing the door of dark lantern, and
throwing beam of light upon the lock.
! I seized bunch of skeleton keys, aud
after few trials, which the lady seemed tx
watch with the most painful anxiety, spraDe
the bolt. The door swung upon its hinges
and my companion, telling me not to CLOSE
it, as it was self-locking, spraug into the
vault. I did not follow. heard the mur
muir of low voices within, and the next mo
ment the lady re-appeared, and leaning up
on her arm man, with face 50 pale ant
haggard, that l started at the sight. How
be must have suffered during the three
long days Of his confinement in the vault
"Remain here" she said, handing me th'
II,antern 81 will be back in moment"