The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1866-05-17

1t is labor common tn Your calling, ;" re
, turned the lady. '.9he prize is not 50 much
for the labor, as the condition under which
1t must he performed" 4s ,,s .a ..vs.
"And what is the condition ?v inqu;r-
ed. 4. ser ..... IN. ~. -. :, =.
THAT yon!will submit to being, convey
folded.
i Ideas of murder. burglary. and almost
f every other crime to villainy, m,rriedly
presented themselves in succession, as
politely bowed and said:
~ must understand something more of
the character ofthe employment, as well
as the conditions. oaccept your offer"
"WiIi not five hundred dollars answer
IN lieu of nm explanation ?. she innuir-
"No-nor for five tbousand.'' \. ----.
She rated her foot nervously on the
floor. l could see she had placed entirely
To-" low an estimate IN my honesty. and
| felt some qualification in being able to con-
ince her nf the TACT. r .....
"Well, then, if it is absolutely necessary
for me to explain" she replied II must tell
you that YOU are required 10 pick the lock
of y vault. and, a-.s.. .5..- z r....-
lyon have gone quite far enough, mad
am. with the explanation" interrupted;
II rm not mt your service" -.,r-.-...
70 "As said" she continued, "you are re-
quired to pick the lock of vault and res-
cue from death man who has been cons
fined there for three days." u, .r ... ......
''TO whom does the vault belong 2" I in
quired. .,...., .., .....-. ...-. 81. .....,......
my husband" was tho somewhat reluc
ant reply. ....,..
"Then why so much secrecy? or rather.
how came n nan confined in such a
placer"
II secreted him there to escape the OBJ
servation of my husband. He suspected
IA much. and closed the door upon him.
Presuming he had left the vault, and quit
ted the house by the back door, did not
dream until to-day. that he WIS confined
there. Certain suspicious acts d my hus-
! band this afternoon convince me that the
man is there, beyond human hearing, and
will be starved to death by my husband,
unless immediately rescued. For three
days he has not left the house. drugged
him less than an hour ago, and he is now
So completely stupeiied that the look may
be picked without his interference. I
have searched his pockets, hut could not
find the key; hence my application to you.
Now you know all; will you accompany
me?' ,E'-"
ITO the end Of the world, madam, on
such an errand."
.'Then prepare yourself, there is cab
waiting at the door,
heard the sound of wheels. Hastily draw
| ing on coat. and providing myself with
the required implements, was soon ut
the door. There, sure enough, was the
cab with the driver i'm his seat, ready for
the mysterious journey.
I entered the vehicle, followed by the
mysterious lady. As soon rs I was seated
she produced heavy handkerchief, which
| by the faint light of and adjoining street
lamp, she carefully bound around my
eyes.
The lady then seated herself beside me,
and the cab started. In half an hour the
vehicle stoppe.l-in what part Of the city
am entirely ignorant. as it was evidently
driven in anything but a direct course
| from the point oi starting.
Examining the bandage. to see that my
vision was completely obscurtd. the lady
handed me the bundle of tools with which
I was provided, then taking me by thearm
led me througha n gate into house which
knew was brick, and after taking me
along passage way which could not have
heen less than fifty feet i'm length. and
| n a: IA =. -.
dently an underground basement and
/ removed the handkerchief from my eyes.
l. ''Here is the yault-open It,. said she
sprnging the door Of n dark lantern. and
throwing a beam oflight upon the lock.
| seized n bunch Of skeleton keys, and
after few trials. which the lady seemed
to watch withthe utmost painful anxiety
sprang the bolt. s..l. rs....
| The door swung upon its hinges. and my
companion telling me not tn close II, rs il
was self-locking. sprang into the vault.
did not follow. heard the murmur Of
low voices within. and the next moment
the lady feappeared. and leaning upon her
arm man. with face so pale and haggard
that I started at the sight. How he must
have suffered during the three long days
OF his confinement! s ... g..f ....- ...,
Remain here" she said, handing me
the lantern; will be hack in moment" /"
4 Inc two s,Owiy assembled the stairs, and
I heard them enter n room Immediately
above where was standing. In less than
a minute the lady returned. .f.....a
''Shall close it. madam ?" asked pla-
cling my hand upon the door Of the vault.
'NO! nor she exclaimed, hastily seiz-
ing my arm; lit awaits another oecu-
pant!'
MADAM, you certainly de not intend
Ito" t -'.s +''... ....-.. . t2
"Are YOU ready?" she interrupted. i'm
patiently. holding the handkerchief to my
eyes. The thought flashed across my
mind that she intended to push me into the
vault, and bury me and my secret togeth-
er. She seemed to read the suspicion. and
continued; "Do not bs alarmed. You are
not the manr ~ ~, l... q ua.
Iconld not mistake the truth or the fear
ful meaning of the remark, and i shudder-
ed AS u bent my head to the handker-
cliief. My eyes were as carefully band
aged as before, and / was led to he cab,
and driven home by IA more circuitous
route. If possible, than the one by which
we came. .ua.t@ Ess
Arriving in front of the housc, the hand
kerchief was removed, and stepped from
the vehicle. A purse Of Eve hundred dol
lars was placed in my hand, and in a mo-
ment the cab and its mysterious occupant
had turned tho corner, and were out OF