Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1870-12-14
VN, JUNlAyA COUNTY, P1NNA. DECEMBER II, 1870.

death a man who has been confined for
three days there
40 whom does the vault belong ?"
l inquired.
"My husband" was the somewhat re-
luctant reply. r.5
Then why so much secrecy: or rath-
er, how came man confined in such a
place." ----.
81 secreted him there to escape the OBJ
servation of my husband. lie suspected
as much and closed the door upon him.
Presuming he had left the vault, and
quilted the house by the back door, l 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 hearing,
and will be starved to death by my bar
berous husband, unless Immediately res
cued, For three days he has not left
the house. drugged him less than an
hour ago, and he is now SO stupefed that
the lock may be picked without his in
reference l have searched his pockets,
but could not fud the key hence my
application to you. Now you know all.
Will you accompany me ~
/
ITO the end of the world, on such an
errand !"
Then prepare yourself; there is a
cab in waiting
! l was a little surprised, for 1 had not
heared the sound of wheels. Hastily
drawing on a coat, and providing myself
with the required Implements, was at
the door. There, sure enough, was the
cab, with the driver in his seat, ready for
the mysterious journey.
l entered the vehicle, followed by the
lady. AS soon as was seated, she pro
duced a handkerchief, which, by the
faint light of an adjacent street lamp,
sbe carefully bound around my eyes
The lady seated herself beside me. and
the cab started In half an hour it stop
ped in-what part Of the city am en-
tirely ignorant, as it was evidently driv-
en- anything but the direct course from
the point of starting.
| Examining the bandage. to see that
my vision was completely obscured, the
lady handed me the bundle of tools, and
taking me by the arm, led me through a
gate into house which l knew was of
brick and after taking me through a
passage way which could not have been
less than fifty feet in length, and fight
of stairs into what was evidently an un-
derground basement, stopped beside a
vault, and removed the handkerchief
from my eyes.
"Here is the vault-open it, said she
sprinsing the door of dark lantern, and
and throwing beam of light upon the
massive lock.
seized bunch of skeleton keys and
after few trials-which the lady watch
ed with the most painful ansiety-sprung
the bolt. The door swung its hinges
and my companion, telling me not to close
it, as it was self-locking, sprang into the
vault. | did not follow. / heard the
murmer of voices within, and the next
moment the lady re-appeared; and lean
ing upon her arm. a man, with face so
pale and hagga-d that l started at the
sight. How he must have suffered du-
ring the long three days of his confne-
ment
"Remain here" she said handing me
tie lantern, II will be back in minute" :"
The two slowly ascended the stairs.
and | heard them enter room immedi-
ately above where l was standing. In
less than minute, the lady returned.
Shall l close it madam 1 asked,
placing my hand upon the door of the
vault
"No! Nor' she exclaimed hastily seiz-
ing my arm: ''it awaits another occu-
pant - . .....
MADAM, you certainly do not intend
to-
"Are you ready Z she interrupted,
impatiently 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 Sc
cret together. She seemed to read the
suspicion, aud continued. "Do not be
alarmed. You are not the man 2"
could not mistake the truth of the
fearful meaning OF the remark, and !
shuddered as bent my head to the hand
kerchief. My eyes were carefully band
aged as before, and was led to the cab,
and thence driven home by more cir
cuitous route, if possible, than the one
by which we came.
Arriving in front of the house, the
handkerchief was removed, and | step
ped from the vehicle. A purse Of five
hundred dollars was placed in my hand,
and in moment the cab and its mystic
rious occupant had turned the corner, and
were out of sight.
entered the shop. and the purse was