The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-05-10

reply.
quiringly, "that commands so munihcent
compensation" -. ),
NIt is a labor common to your calling"
returned the lady. "Tho price is not so
much for the labor as the condition under
which it must be performed"
"And what is the condition Z" l in
CURED.
ed from and returned to your own door
blindfolded."
Ideas of murder, burglary, and almost
every other crime to villainy, hurriedly
presented themselves in succession, as |
politely bowed, and said II must under
stand something moro of the character OF
the employment, as well as the condl-
tons, to accept your offer"
.aWill not FIVE hundred dollars answer
in lieu of an explanation p she inquired.
sNo-nor five thousand"
She patteds her foot nervously on the
floor. I could see she had placed entirely
too low an estimate on my honesty, and
I felt some qualification in being able to
convince her Of the fact.
"Well, then, if it is absolutely necessary
for me to explain" she replied, "I 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; II am not at your service"
aAs I said," she continued, "you are re-
quired to pick open the lock of q vault,
and rescue from death a man who has
been confined there for three days"
aTo whom does the vault belong" l
inquired.
luctant reply.
aThen Why SO much secrcsy OF rather,
how came a man confined in such
place?"
aI 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
quittcd the house by the back door, | did
not dream, until to-day, that he was con-
fined there. Certain suspicious acts OF
my husband this afternoon convince me
that the man is there, beyond human
hearing, and will be starved to death by
my barbarous husband, unless immedi-
ately rescued. For three days he has not
left the house. 'drugged' him less than
an hour ago, and he is now so completely
stupifed that the. lock may be picked
without his interference. | have search
ed his pockets, but could not find the
key; hence my application to you. Now
you know all will you accompany me p
"To the end of the world, Madam, on
such an GRAND"
aThen prepare yourself; there is q cab
waiting at the door"
was little surprised, for I had not
heard the sound Of wheels. Hastily
drawing ona 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. / entered
the vehicle, followed by the lady. AS
soon as Twas seated she produced heavy
handkerchief, which, by the faint light OF
an adjacent street lamp, she carefully
% bound ronnd my eyes The lady seated
herself beside me, and the car started. In
half an hourth vehicle stopped-in what
part of the city / am entirely Ignorant,
as it was evidently driven in anything
but direct course from the point OF
starting. =.
Examining the bandagc, to see if my
vision was completely obscured, the lady
handed me the bundle of tools with which
I was provided, then taking me by the
arm, led me through a gate into house
which knew was of brick, and after
taking me along passage-way which
could not have been less than fifty feet in
length, and down a fight of stairs into
what was evidently an underground base
lnent, stopped beside o vault, and re-
moved the handkerchief from my eyes.
aHere is the vault-open it" said she,
springing the door Of a dark lantern, and
throwing beam of light upon the lock.
[ seized bunch of skeleton keys, and
after few trials, which the lady seemed
to watch with the most painful anxiety,
sprang the bolt. The door swung upon
it's hinges, and my companion telling me
not to close it, as it was self-locklng,
sprang into the vault. did not follow.
I heard the murmur of low voices within,
and the next moment the lady reappcar-
ed, and leaning upon her arm man, with
face a, SO pale and haggard that l started
at the sight. How he must have suffered
during the three long days of his con-
finement 's
aRemain horo," she said, handing me
the lantern;" Twill be back in moment"
The two slowly assembled the stairs,
and l. heard them enter q room imme-
diately above where l was standing: In
less than minute the lady returned.
"Shall close it, madam? 2" said |, plac-
ing my hand upon the door of the vault
mo ! mop she exclaimed, hastily seiz-
ing my arm; "it awaits another oceu-
pantw