The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-10-25

Ihiip cnanceu 10 nave IN MS pocket u DON
OF wax tapers which smokers USE After
several Intellectual attempts, he succeeded in
igniting one against the damp wall, and by ts
momentary glare perceived that the candle
had been left In the tomb. This would serve
him in examining the fastenings of the vn1ilt.
If he could force the inner door by any means
aud reach the grating, of which he had an
ndistinct recollection, he might hope to make
himself heard. But the oaken door was i'm
moyab bile as solid rs the wall itself, into
which II fitted air tight. Even If he had had
the requisite tools there were no fastenings TO
h" removed; the hinges were set on the out.
side.
Having ascertained this he replaced the can
die on the floor, and leaned against thewall
thoughtfully, watching the blue fan Of flame
that wavered to and fro. threatening to de
tach itself from the wick. At all events, he
thought, the place Is ven tilatcd. Suddenly
Philip sprang forward and extneuished the
light. His existence depended upon that can
dlnt
He had read somewhere, in some account of
shipwrcck, how the survivors had lived for
days upon a few candles which one Of the
male passengers had insanely thrown into the
longboat. And here he had been burning
away his very life.
BY transient illumination of one of the ia
pcrs, he looked 1T his watch. 1t had stopped
1T eleven-but At eleven that day or the pre-
ceding night? The funeral, he knew, had left
the church at ten. How MANY hours had
been his swoon?
He picked NJ the candle and seated himself
| on the stone steps. He was Il sanEune man,
This Wcntworlh: but rs he weighed the
chances of escape, the prospect did not seem
| encouraging. OF course he would be missed.
His DISAPPEARANCE under the circums tances
would surely alarm his friends; They would
instigatc n search for him but who would
| think of searching for live man in the Gene
| terry of Montmarte7 The Frefect of Police
would set hundred intelligences 1t work to
| find him the Seine might be dragged, and les
miserubies turned over II the dead-ho 4
| minute description of him would be in every
| detectives pocket, and HEN M. Dorine' S
| family tomb
Yet, on the other hand, it was here he was
last seen from this point 4 keen detective
| would naturally work up the case. Then
might not the undertaken return for the can
dlesLc probably not left by design? How
| long could he keep life in himself?
| With unaccelerated pulse he quietly cnt the
| half burned candle into four equal parts.
| "To.night,' he meditated, " | will eat the
first of these pieces, tomorrow the second,
| o-morrcw evening the third, the next day the
fourth, and then-then I'll wait.
| He had taken no breakfast that morning,
| unless a of coffee can be called 4 breakfast.
| lie had never been very hungry before. He
was r;lvenously hungry now. But he post
| roued The meal rs long rs practicable. 1t
must have been near midnight, according to
| his calculation, when he determined TO try the
|
white wax was useless, but 1t served its
| purpose.
| His annette for the time appeased, he found
4 new discomfort. The humidity of the
walls and the wind that crept through the
| unseen ypntilator chilled him TO the bone. 10
! keep walking was his only resource. a drow-
| sinrss 100, occasionally came over him. II
took all his will To tight it off. TO sleep he
felt, wa. to die; anu he then made up his
mind TO live. -,
head AS he CROPPED up and down the stone
floor Of the dungeon. His whole lie IN detiliI
was unrOllcd before him like Il panorama
| the changes Of Il year, with Its burden OF io'e
and deaths, its sweets and bitterness, were
cpitomiZcd in Il second. The desire 10 sleep
! had left him. But hunger cam" again
| Philip became conscious that the gloom, the
! silence, and the cold were gradually conquer
| iur him The fevcrsh activity OF his braun
| brought on a reaction. He grew lethargic, he
sunk down on the steps and thought of moth
ing. His hand fell by chance on one OF the
| pieces OF candle; he grasped II and deVolired
| il mechanically. This revived him. 80 HOW
| strange" he thought, :" that amnot thirsty.
IL IL nos.ibIe that the dampness of the walls
| which mast inhalc with every breath, mas
supplied the need Of water? Not drop mas
passed my lips for two days, and sun l. eH-
| perience no thirst whatever.
| The minutes were like hours. Now he
walked rs briskly as he dared up and down
the tomb now he rested against the door
| More than once he was tempted TO throw nm.
| self upon the stone collin that held } ulle, and
| make no struggle for his liie'
| Only one piece OF candle remained. lie ntu
| eaten he third portion, not 10 satisfy hunger
| but for :; precautionary motive. He had taken
| il as 4 man takes some dlSaSreeahle drug,
| upon the result Of which hangs safety. Inc
| lime was rapidly approaching when even TINS
| moor substitute for nourshmcnt would be eX-
| hausted. He delayed that moment. lie gave
| himself long fast this time. The hlll men
% caudle which he held i'll his hand was n ST
cred thing to him. II was his last defence
| against death.
| AT length, with snch 4 sinking heart as III
| had no, known before, he raised it to his lips
Then he paused, then he hurled the fra@inen
| across the tomb, then the oaken door was hum
| open, and Philip, with daZZled eyes, sa" NJ
Dorine's form sharply defined against the blue
| sky. .,,,,
When they led him out, half blinded, lntt
the broad daylight, NJ. Dorine notlcea ina
| philip's hair which Il short time since WAS u
| black as a crows wing, had actually TURNED
| gray in places The mans eyes, too, haC
| faded the darkness had spoiled their iusie
| And how long was he really confined IL
| the tomb? - ] asked, as Mr.. IL cohclhoeC
| the story. ,,,;,,,,os -, pa
| piled Mr.. H, smiling blandly. -
Mr.. lis narrative made deep lmpreS
After this il was but natural l should re-
gard Mr. Wentworth with deepened interest
Mr. Wentworth l began; q
He interrupted me.
My name, SIR he said, in IN ol-haho
manner, sis JONES'
40, 10. Jones'" he returned coolly, =" bu
| Frederick -,
Mr., Jones, or whatever his name IS, vii
never know, unless he reads these pages, why
a man accosted him one morning as = ME
| Wentworth" and then abruptly rushe'
down the nearest path and disappeared Ill th
crowd.
| The fact is, had been duped by Mr.. H
| Mr.. - occasionally contributes story u
magazines He had actually tried the eiec
of one of his romances on me.
| Mr.. hero, rs | subsequently learned, Is NJ
hero at all, but Il common place young MAJ
who has some connection with the building o
that pretty granite bridge which VIII snorlil
span the crooked little lake III the fuDil'
| Garden,