Connecticut western news., 1871-10-27

face I could not see; but knew it was Jack March, and l touched his arm ln wonder.
 "Jack, are you awake Are you asleep What is it ?" l asked with growing alarm. Was to find something strange in every room I entered in thls house " Jack ID I said again. He turned and l saw his wild haegard face, that looked at me with vague eyes that seemed not t" see; and then he put his head down with a moan, and covered hi ears once more, as as if to shut out sight and sound. The room felt darker and chillier for thIs; and the gaunt old armoire seemed bigger and more npnrasSive- ran -.''t -sf tho room in s sort of panic. Upstairs, the dlawing room door stood open. The glare of the sunset was over the room bright with flowers and pictures; and the open win dows showed the balconles lined with cloth and ready for the guests next dry. Silence here, and silent figures, two of them-one crouched upon the floor, with arms out stretched upon sofa; another lying half across upon an ottoman-thn brides mo- thcr and sister. As I came in and spoke, now fairly bcwildeled and frightened, Mrs. Lester rose up with a despairing vail.
 "Saleen, Salcen :" she stood shaking and crying out my name.
 Dear Mrs. Lester," said, taking the woman's cold hands, "come and sit down and tell me what has happened, Kate! called to the girl on the aoor, "come and give me that cushion" She came me- chanically, and helped her mother to the armchair. "Now tell me if you can-''
 But Mrs Lesters' head had fallen back upon the cushion. and she had fainted. The girl reused herself
 "No wonder" she said "she has eaten nothing all day; and then all this. It's too awful, Sa'een. I shall go mad if think; and papa has never come back.
 "Where is your father 2"
 II 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"
 "It! What, child? Can't you say what you are talking about! ] shall go mad next. What can't you find Aud what ails you all ?
 HSaicen, it's Mary. Mary is in there and the key is gone, and papa is away; aud she's dying there-suiIocating;" and the girl flung herself on the floor with wild sobs and tears. Mrs. Lester lay fog gotten in her sweon Kate lolled in una vailing misery on the carpet. fled down stairs. The servants were as busy as ever I knew it all now.
 "Good God" I said to the butler, who was carrying in tray of glass, "are you going on with all this useless folly, and that girl dying m the next room. Is no one going to try to save her.
 Davis stood still and looked at me pity ing; he shook his head sadly and went on
 I rushed into the street policeman was standing near the carts. "Come bere," 1 said. "You "-to another man "go and get blacksmith. Run for youl life Tell them to bring tools to open locks and unscrew everything. Run !-. And you get hatchet get anything come and break open the great cabinet. I gasped to the servants, who came out t, see what 1t all meant; "Don't lose mo ment Great Heaven the time has beer lost already!" They ob,yed me, dispcrs ing hither and thither. It seemed hour before the men came back with tools " Try the hinges first. Are there screws There was that chance; and they worked at them, removing several heavy, curious nails and screws. but se"ming no nearer the object; the door was last and firm "Oh, break it down!" I screamed at last "break it with the hatchet. What doc anything matter, but her hfe-her life :"
 "Her life !" said some strange voic, close to me, and there stood Jack Marcl swaying like drunken man, with scared eyes and wild hair. Was his reason gonc or going.
 "Don't!n he shouted to workman who was lifting the hatchet to break il the door. "Not up there. Her head.' And then he stopped his ear to the key hole, listened intently minute, raised his hand, as if to demand silence, and tho intelligence fading out of his face, he ros' with a discordant laugh, and walked away Bah" he said "her life against Lestcrs cabinet-her life against key" We diC not even look round to sec where he wen stumbling through the hall, where he fel m fit upon the floor.
 Fearing to injure that imprisoned figur, living or dead, who could tell-we lef the door, and proceeded to break into th' middle compartment from the wings. Int grand old workmanship resisted; there seemed no weak point, no crevice, no possi bility of breaking into the huge thing without fear of harm to that which it helc locked and fast, within few inches of oul light and air and living life, done to deatl by a bit of clever machinery, the work 0 dead hand. 1 would not think of beau tltul Mary Lester as she might be, mus be, it another hour went by. All thi time no questions were asked. nevc knew till afterwards how it had all happen ed: how her father, only an hour or S, earlier exhibiting hls wonderful cabinet t, connoisseur in such matters, had gone III stairs with hls friend to show the key h prlzed 80 much, leaving the cabinet doc open, intending to return-how Mary an, the children younger brother and sister
 had come in-and how the unusual sigh of the open door had attracted them-hoy she looked in, ard told the little ones sh
 had not stood inside it ''so" since she wa as little as they were and laughing trie,
 to stand in the old place. II am not to
 big even now, am l7" she said; and tn
 children ran to see, and pushing the door
 against her, tue spring caught, and shu
 her in with death and sutocation; whil
 they went shouting to the others that sis
 ter Mary was "in there shut up," and the
 could not let her out. No, they could not let her out. MI Lester and his friend had gone of with th
 key to show it to some one who had doubt
 cd it's date-so it appeared tIom one of tn boys who now came in: he had hear
 them talking on the stairs as they wer
 out.
 sIle said-s Jarvis kno nothing abot
 it.; he. has never seen it." said the bo
 sobbing. "I heard him. know he sa
 Jarvis" ..l.tt -. ... -...
 "That will be Colonel Jarvis, in Charl
 street. ma'am," said Davis. Maybe,
 we sent there" ... .H g...
 There were voices outside, and Bark
 looked in with white face of horror. G It,s m os4 er coyp;1,o in D eb,, So;d in