The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1866-06-14

the door sjar, and proceeding to light
candle. Having succeeded, / turned to
examine the visitor He was a small and
neatly dressed gentleman, with a heavy
raglan around his shoulders, and blue
navy cap drawn suspiciously over the eyes.
AS advanced toward him, he seemed TO
hesitate m ment, then raised the cap from
his forehead and looked me curiously in
The face. did not drop the candle, but
acknowledge to little nervousness as |
hurriedly placed the light upon the table,
and silently proceeded is invest myself with
two or three very necessary articles of
clothing. AS the Lord liveth, my visitor
was lady, and the same for whom had
opened the little box about month before.
Having completed my hasty toilet, l 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 re.
cognized me p
81 believe told you, madam, should
not soon forget your face. In what way
can serve your
"By doing half an hours work before
daylight Tomorrow, und receiving FIVE
hun ired dollars for your labor" was the
reply.
"lt is not ordinary work." said I. inqui.
ringly, "that commands so munifcent a
compensation.
1t is lafov common to your calling"
returned tie lady. THE price is no. so
much for the labor as the condition under
which 1t must be performed"
"And what is the condition :" l in
quired.
THAT you will submit to being convey
ed from aLd returned to your own door
blindfolded."
Ideas cf murder, burglary, and almost
every other crime to vilainy, hurriedly
presented themselves in succession, as
politely bowed, and said: al must under.
stand something more of the character OF
the employment, us well as the conditions,
to accept your Offer."
"Will not FIVE hundred dollars answer
in lieu of an expr na:3onY" she inquired
"No-nor FIVE thousand"
She patted her foot nervously on the
floor. l could see she had placed entirely
too low an estimate on my honesty, and
felt some qualification in being able to
convince her Of the fact
"Well, then, il it is absolutely necessary
for me to explain she replied, 81 must
tell you that you are required to pick the
lock Of u vault, and"
| You have gone quite far enough, mad
am, with the explanation" Interrupted,
81 am not at your service"
GAS said,' she continued, "you are re
CURED to pick open the lock of vault,
and rescue from death man who has been
confined there for three days"
"To whom does the vault belong?" l
inquired.
"My husband" was the somewhat re
luctant reply.
"Then why so much secresy? or rather,
how came man confined in such place Z"
81 secreted him there to escape the OBJ
scrvation of my husband. He suspected
as much, ard closed the door upon him
Prcsuming 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 barbarous
husband, unless Immediately rescued. For
three days he has no. left the house.
drugged him less than an hour ago, and
he i. now so completely stupifed that the
lock may be picked without his intcrfcr-
ence. have searched hs pockets, but
could not find the key; hence my applica-
tion to you. Now you know all; will you
accompany me 7"
"To the end Of the world, Madam, on
such an Grand"
"Thcn prepare yourself; there is cab
waiting at the door"
was little surprised, for had not
heard the sound of wheels. Hastily draw.
ing on coat. and providing myself with
the required implements, was soon at the
door. There, sure enough, was the cab,
with the driver in his seat, ready for the
mysterious journey. Ientered the vehicle,
followed by the lady. s soon as l was
seated she produced heavy handk erchief,
which, by the faint light of an adjacent
street lamp, she carefully bound round my
eyes. The lady seated herself beside me,
and the Car started. In half an hour the
yehic.e stopped--in what part of the city
am entirely ignorant, as it was evidently
Idriven in anything but direct course