New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-11-12
,ext. What can't you and And what al.

next. What can't you andf And what all
"saleen. tie Mary. Mary is in there, and
the key is gone, and papa Is away. and sh
is dying there-su6ocating.' And the CIR
flung herself on the floor with Wild sob
sw0On. Kate rolled in unavailing miser,
ON the carpet. fed down stairs. tn
servants were - busy as ever. / knew
al now. 1.-B
Good God!" said to the butler, VII
was carrying in . tray of glass. '.are 70,
going on with all this useless folly, an,
that girl dying in the next rooms' Il n
one going to try to save her 7" rf,f..,i.
Davis stood still, and looked at me pity
ingly; he shook his head sadly, and went on
rushed into the street; policeman va
standing near the carts. Come here"
said; You (to another mani 60 and get
bring tools to open locks and unscrev
everything; run. And you get Ratchet
get anything; come and break open tn,
great cabinet" gasped to the servants
who came out to see what it all meant
Don't lose . moment. Great heaven! tn,
time has been lost already" They obeyei
me, dispensing hither and thither. 1t seemed
hours before the men came back with tools
TRY the hinges first. Are there screws 2
There was that chance. and they worked q
them, removing several heavy. curious nail
and screws, but seeming no nearer to tn
object; the door was fast and firm. ''Oh
break it down r. I screamed at last; ''breal
it with the hatchet. What does anything
matter, but her life-her life!"
'Her life!" said some strange voice Gloss
to me, and there stood Jack March, swayina
like drunken man, with scared eyes and
wild hair. ''Was his reason gone or goingi'
"Don't!" he shouted to q workman, who
was lifting the Ratchet to break IN the door
'"Not up there. Her head" And then he
stopped his ear to the keyhole, listened in
tently minute, raised his hand as if to de
mand silence, and the intelligence fading
out Of his face, he rose with discordant
laugh. and walked away. ''Bah ~ he said,
her life against Testers cabinet-her life
against q key" We did not even look
round to zee where he went stumbling
through the hall, where he fell in q tit upon
Fearing to injure that imprisoned figure
living or dead, who could tell y We left
the door and proceeded to break into the
middle compartment from the wings. The
seemed no weak point, no crevice, no posi-
bility Of breaking into the huge thing
without fear of harm to that which it held
locked aud fast, within few inches of our
light and air and living life. done to death
by bit Of clever machinery, the work of .
dead hand. would not think Of the beau
tiful Mary Lester - she might be-must
be-if another hour went by. All this time
no questions were asked. never knew till
afterward how it had happened; how her
father. only an hour or so earlier, exhibit
ing his wonderful cabinet to a connoisseur
in such matters. had gone upstairs with his
friend to show the key he priced 90 much.
leaving the cabinet door open, intending to
return; how Mary and the children, .
younger brother and sister, had come in:
and how the unusual sight of the open door
had attracted them; how she looked in. and
told the little ones she had not stood inside
it $50 since she was as little as they were:
and. laughing, tried to stand IN the old
place.
II am not too big even nov, am Il" she
,aid. and the children ran to zee, end; push
ng the doors against her, the spring caught
and shut her in with death and sutfocation,
while they went shouting to the others that
they couldn't let her out"
No, they could not let her out. Mr.. Les
er and his friend had gone off with the
Zey, to show it to some one who had
doubted its date-sO it appeared from one
# the boys who now came in; he had heard
hem talking on the stairs as they went
nut
'He said: Jarvis knows nothing about it;
le has never seen it, said the boy, sobbing.
/ heard him. l know he said Jarvis"
THAT will be Colonel Jarvis. in Charles
treet, ma'am," said Davis. "Maybe if we
ent there" '7r
There were voices outside, and Barker
ooked in with q white face of horror.
Its master coming ill.," she said, in a
OFT of whisper.
We all stood back. Who would tell him? |
Who was to say: :. Your girl is behind that |
door 2"
But the boy, frightened enough at his
ather at other times, went up to him, try |
,g to speak quietly: "The key, sir. Quick, |
,r Gods sake!"
key! What-what's all this' Good
Tod sir,'' Selling q servant by the collar,
on know what you're doing, meddling with
lat cabinet! Why, it's worth thousands
cd bless me what does all this mean"
e was purple with anger. Don't stand
airing. Sarah Heriot," he Numbered,
you are not fool; be good enough to ex-
lain this-this-'
went up to him, sick with horror. 1.-THE
~ is wanted" managed to say. There
some one inside-dying." $780,
"Some one-dying-in there! Who?
hat! Who is it, girly' He shook me
the shoulder till ! WINGED with pain.
''Oh, the key, the key! Never mind any
&c no more time"
He looked sharply around-Mrs. Lester
I'd Kate were standing at the door, with
cir terrified, miserable faces. He took in
e rest of US with glance.
Where's Mary p he said, suddenly. No
9 spoke. why the devil don't you
swer me? Who is shut in there! How
uld any one be therel Trash But his
ce was growing ashy gray, and his lips
litened as lie spoke. 'Ah, my God I
yer shut the door! 1t is not Mary, not
.king hand, to the heavy door. .sAnd-I
vent the-key!'
lie made one rush into the street; the SER
n:s standing about were swept right and
{, as he tore past them, down Orchard
e't into Oxford street. They could zee
} hatless, fleeing figure disappearing in q
!, distance. {
drs. Lester came into the hall. The Doc
and others were busy about poor Jack i
rch. who lay on the diningroom sofa with t
sed eyes, happily unconscious. The timid e
: face. her voice, her whole appearance u
anged and aged in the last hour. c
He has gone for the key; he can't be d
TX she said, speaking like woman in
ann, mot for half an hour" She looked b
ind stupidity, and smiled. He will kill
;. you know; but the cabinet shall be
ken open-broken to pieces! Never mind.
acy waiting for the key" she laughed.
reak it down, tell you! I give the or \
'wO wOrkmen came from the side door, Q
ere fresh and useless attempt had been 2
De to remove the panel without injury I
, he front or to the imprisoned girl. =
we might loosen the wood work and