The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-05-24

ing the door discovered the stranger
already upon the steps.
"What do you want?" abruptly
inquired.
II will tell you" answered the same
soft voice, "if you open the door wide
enough Tor me to enter"
"Come in" said I, rosolutoly throw
ing the door ajar, and proceeding to
light a candle. Having succeeded, /
turned to examine the visitor. He was
small and neatly dressed gentle.
man, with heavy Raglan around his
shoulders, and blue navy cap drawn
suspiciously over the eyes. AS I ad-
vanced toward him he seemed to hcsi.
tate moment, then raised the cap from
his forehead, and looked ME curiously
in the face. [ did not drop the candle
but | acknowledged to little nervous
ness as l hurriedly placed the light on
a little table, and silently proceeded to
invest myself with two or three very
necessary articles of clothing. As the
Lord liveth, my visitor was lady, and
the aame for whom 1 had opened the
little box about a month before Hav-
ing completed my hasty toilet, 1 at
tempted to stammer an apology for my
rudeness, but utterly failed. The fact
is [ was confounded.
Smiling at my discontinue, she said
Disguise is useless; presume you
recognize me 2"
az believe I told you, madam,
should not soon forget your face In
what way can serve you"
"By doing half an hours work be-
fore daylight tomorrow, and receiving
five hundred dollars for your labor"
was the reply.
"It is not ordinary work." said I, in.
quiringly, " that commands so munif.
cent a compensation"
" It is labor cornmon to your call,
ing" replied the lady. "The price is
not so much for the labor, as the condi.
ton under which it is to be performed" :"
"And what is the condition." I in.
quired.
"That you will submit to being con.
veyed from and returned to your own
door blin2folded."
Ideas of murder, burglary, and al.
most every other crime to villainy, hur.
riedly presented themselves to my Wis.
ion, and politely bowed, and said "
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 an.
swcr in lieu of an explanation p she in.
quired.
'No-nor five thousand
She patted her foot nervously on the
floor. | could see she had placed an
entirely too low an estimate on my hon.
esty, and [ felt some qualification in be.
ing able to convince her of the fact.
'Well, then, if it is absolutely neces,
sary for me to explain she replied, Il
must tell you that you are required to
pick the lock Of a vault, and )
You have gone quite far enough
madam, with the explanation I inter
rupted Il am not at your service
'As ] said,' she continued, you are
required 10 pick the lock of vault, anC
rescue from death man who has beer
confined there for three days
ITO whom does the vault belong?'
inquired.
MY husband, was the somewhat re
luciant reply.
Then why so much secrecy? or ra
ther, how came a man confined in sucl
place p
i seere Cd him there to escape tn
observation of my husband. He sus
pected as much and closed the door o.
him. Presuming he had left the vault
and quilted the house by the back door
| did not dream, until to-day that h
was confined there. Certain suspicion
acts of my husband this afternoon cor
vince me that the man is there, beyon
human hearing, and will be starved t
death by my barbarous husband, unles
Immediately rescued. For three day
he has not left the house. 1 drugged
him less than an hour ago, and he
now so stupefed that the lock may
picked without his interference.
have searched his pockets, but coul
not find the key; hence my applicatio
to you. Now you know all /; will yo
accompany me ?"
'To the end of the world, madam, O
such an errand.'
Then prepare yourself; there is
cab waiting at the door,
2 l was little surprised, for had NJ
heard the sound of wheels. Hastil
drawing on a coat, and providing m,
self with the required Implements,
was soon at the door. There, sure Of
ough was the cab, with the driver in h
seat, ready for the mysterious iourne,
| entered the vehicle, followed by I'll
lady. As soon as I was seated she DR.
duced heavy handkerchief, which
! the faint light of an adjacent sire,
lamp, she carefully bound round N
eyes. The lady seated herself besid
: me, and the cab started. In half q