Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-05-31
usually kept at that time within convenient
reach of my bedside.

0SoohJ oSPs es
reach of my bedside.
"Who's there" I inquired, raising the
hammer, and peering out into the darkness
for it was as dark as Egypt when under
the curse of Israeps God.
"Hist!" exclaimed figure, stepping in
front of the window; "open the door,
have business for you"
"Rather past business hours, should
say; but who are your"
"No one that would harm you,' returned
the voice, which l imagined. was rather
feminine for burglars.
"Nor no one that can" 1 Ireplied, rath-
er emphatically, by way of warning, as l
frightened my grip upon the hammer, and
proceeded to the door. Ipushed back the
bolt, and slowly opening the door, discover
ed the stranger already upon the steps.
"What do you want?" 1 abruptly in
quired.
81 will tell you," answered the same soft
voice, "if you dare open the door wide
enough for me to enter"
"Come in," said L resolutely throwing
the door ajar, and proceeding to light a
candle Having succeeded, I turned to ex'
anime the visitor. He was small and
neatly dressed gentleman, with heavy
raglan around his shoulders, and blue navy
cap drawn suspiciously over the eyes. As
l advanced toward him, be seemed to hest
tate moment, then raised the cap from
his forehead and looked me ouriously in the
face. I did not drop the candle, but &C.
knowledge to little nervousness as l hur.
riedly placed the light upon the table, and
silently proceeded to invest myself with
two or three very necessary articles of cloth
ing. As the Lord liveth, my visitor was a
lady, and the same for whom had opened
the little box about a month before -
Having completed my hasty toilet, at
tempted to stammer an apology for my rude
ness but utterly failed. The fact is, | was
confounded.
Smiling at my discontinue, she said:
"Disguise is useless; l presume you re.
coguized me 2"
81 believe I told you, madam. l should
not soon forget your face. In what way
can 1 serve your"
"By doing half an hours work before
daylight tomorrow, and receiving FIVE
hundred dollars for your labor" was the
reply.
"It is not ordinary work" said l, inqui-
ringly, "that commands so muni6cent
compensation"
"It is labor common to your calling
returned the lady. The price is not so
much for the labor as the condition under
which it must be performed"
"And what is the condition Z" inquired.
"That you will submit to being conveyed
from and returned to your own door blind
tolded."'
Ideas of murder, burglary, and almost
every other crime to villiany, hurriedly pre-.
sented themselves in succession, as l polite
ly bowed, and said: II 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
lieu of an explanation 2" she inquired.
"No-nor FIVE thousand"
She patted her foot nervously on the
floor. I could see she had placed entirely
too low an estimate on my honesty, and |
felt some qualification in being able to con-
vince her of the fact.
"Well, then, if it is absolutely necessary
for me to explain" she replied, 81 must
tell you that you are required to pick the
lock of a vault, and"
"You have gone quite far enough, mad
am, with the explanation" interrupted;
81 am not at your service"
GAS 1 said," she continued, "you are re-
9uired 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"
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.
Presuming he had left the vault, and quit.
ted the house by the back door, l 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 not left the house. l
"drugged" him less than an hour ago, and
he is now so completely stupefed that the
lock may be picked without his interfer,
ence. L have searched his pockets, but
could not find the key; hence my applica-
tion to you. Now you know all ; will you
accompany meT
"To the end of the world, Madam, on
such an errand."
"Then prepare yourself; there is cab
waiting at the door,"
1 was little surprised, for l had not
heard the sound of wheels Hastily draw
ing on b coat, and providing myself with
the required Implements was soon at the
door Tboro spro enonoh was the cah