The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-06-10
HOYT 6. GO, Proprietors.

| CHE Is quite green, or very oeeP.
| Has he got the money" inquired the
superintendent.
81 left the matter of searching for that
till we should come here" replied Steel
Then turning to mo and looking at the
vaIisc in which l had the money, he
added, Il suppose you have it all Open
it,"
did as directed, and the bundle OF
bills was produced. l. observed a glance
of satisfaction pass between the chief and
his subordinate but thinking nothing OF
the circumstance, proceeded to state
how / had been detained, and that 1 was
crossing to the Fitchburg depot TO take
the train when Steel arrested me.
"Well, my ftiend,' said the chief, the
truth of your statement will soon be
known. 1t is suspicious, however, that
your mother should have told the presi-
dents messenger that you started last
evening, when you did not come by the
train specified. In the meantime | shall
telegraph to our people at Providence to
make inquiries, and you wilt have to be
confined until the reply arrives. "Steel, -
he added, turning to the detective, "will
you show him. down stairs to the floor
below? I do not wish his case a public
one until We ascertain whether there be
any truth in his statement. lie does not
look as if lie were guilty"
As therdetective requested NE to follow
him, l thanked the superintendent for his
courtesy, and requested him to let me go
on by the IL a. M train, rs had lost too
much time already He said hc would
do what, he could, and with courteous
bow to him l followed the detective. He
conducted me to the cellars of the build
ing, and, after turning several corners,
ushered me into room in which there
was no window. He left lamp with Inc,
saying that he would return or send some
breakfast to me, departed, locking the
door behind him.
What followed seems to me even now
like hideous dream AS the detectives
footsteps receded beyond hearing, cold
shver passed through mo MS if | were
being shut out from the world, and had
taken my last look of the sun. This
feeling l tried to cast off as being with
out foundation, since l would certainly
he released within few hours. But ever
and anon an: gonizing gloom would come
across my soul as listened to catch the
noises by which l knew the traffic of the
city had commenced for the day must be
causing, and failed 10 hear the slightest
murmur of u voice or the faintcst roll of
q wheel.
AS time wore on and nine o'clock ap-
preached, began to be impatient for the
detectives return; but nine o'clock came
and went, and yet he did not make his
appearance. AT first ] seated myself on
the bench which had found in the room,
but my impatience had soon caused me TO
pace from end to end OF the apartment,
chafng in spirit at the disgrace which my
employers suspicion had brought upon
me.
Eleven o'clock passed away, and yetno
release. The ticking Of my watch alone
broke the intense stiffness around me,
and the watch continued its sharp click,
till | knew that the afternoon has passed,
and that night was closing upon the city
Night had come, but it mad brought with
il no prospect of escape from the solitary
cellar in which was confined. For a
time my anxiety about the result pre-
vented me from feeling hunger or thirst,
but by degrees these two enemies attack
ed me with full vigor. had eaten moth
ing since my usual dinner hour of the
previous day, the illness which had at
tackled me having made me think MOTH
ing of supper, and the train with which
l left Providence in the morning having
precIuded the possibility of my eating
anything then. But hunger and thirst
were alike forgotten for the time as the
night rolled away and another morning
found mo still prisoner. The lamp still
burnt, but the fame was waning, and an
other hour would leave me in darkness.
took the lamp and with it examined
every corner of the room, that | might
ascertain whether there was any way Of
escape. But, though found no crevice
by which 1 might effect egress, made
discovery whichsent an appalling thrill
of terror through my heart. In sort Of
cupboard Ijfeund three or four loavos~of
bread and large pitcher Of water AS
soon as l found them, Il terrible suspicion
9 ruck me that l had been inveigled to
this den by some clever scoundrel who
had known Of my having the money, and
that he and his accomplce had locked
me up here TO prevent my being able to
give information Of the robbery. They
had left ME a little food to prevent my
dying for somc duys; but whether they
had made any arrangement for my final
release was Of course unknown TO me.
Probably not, for dead men tell no tales"
and possibly they had hoped for my
death, though they had made a compro-
mise with conscience by leaving me what
would keep me in life for time.
These thoughts passed through my
mind with the speed and overwhelming
force of a thunderbolt. What if | should
never escapei And if this should happen,