Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-11-02

wonder.
"Jack, are you awake ? Areyou asleep
What is til" ! asked with growing
alarm. Was | to find something strange
in every room | entered in tins house
"Jack !" | said again. lie turned and
saw his wild haggard face, that looked al
me with vague eyes that seemed not t.
see; and then he put his head down witt
a moan, and covered hi ears once more, a'
as il to shut out sight and sound. TIL,
room felt darker and chilliel for this /; anC
the gamt cd armoire seemed bigger ant
more oppressive ran out Of the room il
a sort Of panic. Upstairs, the drawing
room door stood open. The glare of tho
sunset was over the room bright witt
flowers and pictures; and the open win
dows showed the balconies lined with clotI
and ready for the guests next dry. Silence
here, and silent figures, two Of them--onC
crouched upon the floor, with arms out
stretched upon sofa another lying hal
across upon an ottoman--tho brides mo-
thcr and sister. As | came in and spoke
now lairly bewildered and frightened
Mrs. Lester rose up with despairna
wall.
"Saleen, Salcen "She stood shaking ant
crying out my name.
Dear Mrs. Lester" | said, taking the
woman's cold hands, "comc and sit down
and tell me what has happcned,-Kate!
called to the girl on the floor, "come ant
give me that cushion" She came me-
chancally, and helped her mother to the
armchair, "Now tell me if you can----'
But Mrs Lcsters' head had fallen back
upon the cushion, and she had tainted
The girl reused herself.
"No wonder" she said "she has eater
nothing all day; and then all this. IT,
too awful, Saleen. / shall go mad if
think; and papa has never come back.
"Where is your father2"
81 don't know. We sent down to the
club and to the house; they can't find him
And we've searched his room, and it's not
there. It's nowhere and Jack is nearly
wild; and we daren't break it open"
at! What, child ! Can't you say
what you are talking about
shall so mad next. What can't you find
And what ails you all
"SaIecn, it's Mary. Mary is in there
and the key is gone, and papa is away;
and she's dying thcre-suilocating;" ant
the girl flung herself on the floor with
wild sobs and tears. Mrs. Lester lay for.
gotten in her swoon Kate rolled in una
vailng misery on the carpet. | fled down
stairs. The servants were as busy as ever
| knew it all now.
"Good God" said to the butler, whc
was carrying in tray Of glass, "are yor
going on with all this useless folly, and
that girl dying in the next room. Is NJ
one going TO try TO save her.
Davis stood still and looked at me pity,
ing; he shock his head sadly and went OH
rushed into the street policeman
was standing near the carts. " Come
! here" said. "Iou ito another NAH
ego and get blacksmith. Run for YOU
life Tell them to bring tools to open
locks and unscrew everything. Run -
And You get Ratchet; get anything
come and break open the great cabinet. ;
/ gaspcd to the servants, who came out t,
see what it all meant; " Don't lose mo
ment Great Heaven the time has beer
lost already" They obeyed me, dispers
inc hithcr and thither. 1t seemed hour;
before the men came back with tools
"Try the hinges first. Are there screws 2
There was that chance; and they WORKED
at them, removing several heavy, curious
nails and screws. but seeming no nearer
the object; the door was fast and firm
sob, break it down." | screamed at last
"brcak it with the hatchet. What doe.
anything matter, but her lfe--her life "
"llcr life! !" said some strange voc,
close to me, and there stood Jack Marcel
swaying like drunken man, with scarce
eyes aud wild hair. Was his reason gone
or going.
Don't!" he shouted to a workman
who was lifting the Ratchet TO break il
the door, "Not up there. Her head
And then he stopped his ear to the key
hole, listened intently minute, raiSec
his hand, a, if to demand silence, and thC
intelligence fading out Of his face, lie roS'
with discordant laugh, and walked away
"Bah" he said her life against Testers
cabinet-her lie against key" We die
not even look round to sec where he wen
stumbling through the hall, where he icl
in fit upon the floor.
Fearing to inJure that imprisoned ligur,
living or dead, who could tell-we lef
the door, and proceeded to break into thu
middle compartment from the wings. Tit
grand old workmanship resisted; Their,
seemed no weak point, no crevicc, no posi-
bility of breaking into the huge thing
without fear of harm to that which it helc
locked and fast, within few inches OF on
light and air and living life, done to dealt
by bit Of clever machinery, the work o
a dead hand. would not think of beau
tiiul Mary Lester as she might be, mus
be, if another hour went by All thi
time no questions were asked. | nevc
knew till afterwards how ithad all happen
ed: how her father, only an hour or 81
earlier exhibiting his wonderful cabinet t.
4 connoisseur in such matters, had gone u
stairs with his friend to show the key h.
| pllLSu 81 hluIA, iCaNllB tHc '"oIhCl uoo
open, intending to returR-how Mary ant
the children, a younger brother and sister
had come in-and how the unusual sigh
of the open door had attracted them-hoy
she looked in, and told the little ones sh
had not stood inside it $50" since she wa
as little as they were; and laughing trie
to stand in the old place. 81 am not to
big even now, am II" she said; and tn
children ran to see, and pushing the door
against her, the spring caught, and shu
her in with death and sutiocaton; Will
they went shouting to the Others that 81.
ter Mary was Sin there shut up" and the
could not let her out.
No, they could not let her out. Nj
Lester and his friend had gone Of with tn
key to show it to some one who had doubt
ed its date--so it appeared from one of tn
{ boys who now came in: he had hear
| thn,n tollinO IN thn stoi,e ne +hn,, ,..,