Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1875-1878, 1877-04-14

ing the door ajar, and proceeding to light
a candle. Having succeeded, turned to
examine the visitor. He was small and
neatly dressed gentleman, with a heavy
Raglan around his shoulders, and al
blue navy cap drawn suspiciously over
the eyes. AS advanced toward him, he
seemed to hesitate a moment, then rails.
ed the cap from his forehead. and looked
me curiously in the face. did not drop.
the candle, but i acknowledge to little
nervousness as I hurriedly placed the
light uponfthe table, and silently proceed
ed to invest myself with two or three.
very necessary articles Of clothing. A.
the Lord liveth, my visitor was a lady,,
and the same for whom had opened the
little box about a month before! Having
completed my hasty toilet, attempted
to stammer an apology for my rudeness,
but utterly failed. Thefactis, was con-
founded. .-----------,---------. --.,-- -
Smiling at my discontinue, she said s.
fsDiseuise is useless presume you rec;
ognize meY j l. - 5r5 : 3
.s believe told you, madam, I should
not soon forget your face. In what way
can serve vous :. i u e Z
b 'tBy doing half an hours work before
daylight tomorrow, and receiving $500.
for J our labor was the reply.
tsIt is not ordinary work" said I, inqui-
ringlv. tsthat commands so muni6cent
compensation"
eIt is labor common. to your calling"
returned the lady. r's'The price is not SO;
mnch for the labor, as, for the condition
nnder which it must be performed"
s'And what is the condition.? iEqui-
red. So 80 Elgf {
s:That you will submit to be conveyed
from and return to your own door blind;
folded.' -. - ...-r- .-- - ~-.
Ideas ofmurder, burglary, and almost
every other yillainy hurriedly presented
themselves in succession, as l politely
bowed, and said:
II must understand something more OF
the character of the employment, as well
as the conditions, to accept your offer."
ssWill not $500 answer in lieu of an ex-
planation?" she inquired.
"No-nor 5000"
She patted her foot nervously on the
floor. / could see she had placed entire
ly too low an estimate on my honesty,
and felt some qualification in being able
to convince her fthe fact.
"Well, if it is absolutely necessary for
me to explain she replied, II must tell
YOU that you are required to pick the
lock of vault, and
sYou have gone quite far enough,
madam, with the explanation" 1 iuter,
rupted: 81 am not at your service"
7sAs said,'' she continued, 'you are
required to pick the lock of a vault, and
rescue from death an unfortunate man
who has been confined there for three
days" ,. , >, ,
inquired. -
my husband" was the somewhat re-
luctant reply.
s'Then why so much secrecy? or, rath
er, how came man confined in such
| placer"
81 secreted him there to escape the OBJ
servation of my husband. He suspected
as much, and closed the door upon him.
Prcsuning he had left the vault, and
quilted the house by the back door, ]
did not dream, until to-day, that he was
confined there Certain suspicious acts
of my husband this afternoon, convinced
me that the man is there, beyond human
! J
nv barbarous husband unless immediate
ly rescued. For three days he has not
left the house, : I drugged him less than
an hour ago, and he is now so complete
iy stupified that the lock may be picked
without his interference. have search
| ed his pockets, but could not find the
key; hence -.1y application to you Now
you know al; will you accompany me
there"
ssTo the end of the world, madam, on
such All errand
"Then prepare yourself; there is cab
waiting at the door,"
was little surprised, for had nor
| heard the sound of wheels. Hastily draw
ing on a coat, and providing myself with
| the required Implements, l was soon at
| the door. There, sure enough, was the
! cab. with the driver in his seat, ready tor
the mysterious Journey. l entered the
vehicle, followed by the lady. AS soon
as was seated she produced a heavy
handkerchief, which, by the faint lii ght
of an adjacent street lamp, she carefully
| bound round my eyes. The lady seated
herself beside me. and the cab started
| In half an hour the vehicle stopped-ln
what part OF tH'1 CITY dill SAA.iA>J AS'io
rant, as it was evidently driven IN any
| thing but a direct course from the point
of starting.
Examining the ba,dage, to see that
vision was completely obscured, the lady
handed me the bundle of tools with which
was provided; then, taking me by the
arm, let me through gate into house
which knew was brick, and, after tax
ing me through passage way which
could not have been less than fifty feet
in length, and down fight of stairs into
what vas evidently an underground base.
ment, stopped beside "a vault, and removed
the handkerchief from my eyes.
s'Here is the vault-open it!' said she,
springing the doc. of dark lantern; and
throwing beam Of light upon the lock.
seized bunch of skeleton keys, and,
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