The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-03-01
they come to that part OF the business

certainly, but l don't see why one
shouldn't acquiesce; 1t doesn't matter q
rap to me what's inside the chest,
should never want to meddle with or
disturb It, and I'd take very good care
no one else did; l would paddock the
trap door on to the roof, and that would
settle that. Ali" | continued, after
walking round the structure aud look.
ing about me bit-"ahi see precau
tiOns have been taken to prevent any
access to this roof from others on either
side, by this iron chevaux. -frise; yes,
no one can get over this. Well. it's an
odd freak, but am not sure that | am
going to be baked by it; I'll think
about II, Mr.. Crumble.
And the result of my thinking was,
that ] signed the agreement two days
afterward, having confUrmed to the
peculiar stipulation regarding the de-
pOsit. had no fear of losing the
thousand pounds; the interest on IL was
a mere addition of the rent, and the
house was so exactly what wanted
that it would even then be cheap to
me, with my large family of mother
less children.
Nevertheless, do not deny that af
ter all was signed, sealed aud settled,
was conscious of a lurking curiosity
and suspicion regarding that mysterious
ert tction. What could it be? What
could 1t contain? was constantly
saying to myself. What strange freak
could possess the man to take such
strong measures to guard against any
penetration into the secret meas ureS
by the by, which in themselves were
rather calculated to provoke inve stiga
ton, to draw attention to the very
thing he wished one to overlook? Was
Mr.. Gayling a miSer, boarding up some
unknown treasure in this strange fash-
ion? Probably that was it, Well, If il
was, it was no business of mine after
all. My parliamentary duties would be
too urgent, hoped to let me dwell upon
much else, so would dismiss it,and be.
yond putting the paddock on the trap
door of the roof rs was threatened,
took no measures to prevent any of my
household indulging in speculatiOn,.
at least would not direct attention to
the matter, as Mr.. Gayling did, aud
cOnte nted my family aud dOmestics by
saying that uidn't consider it safe for
people to go on the roof.
Now, in spite of my resolution,
found myself rerpetually recurring to
tile strange chest. For the sake OF
quiet and air, had appropriated the
two large back and front rooms at the
top of tho house for my bedroom and
study, and thus slept every night be-
meath the white chest.
Before / had been in the house a
month, it began to act as a nightmare
on me, an Incubus | could not shake
OF. l was oppressed and depressed by
IT., in way quite unaccountable.
was puzzled at myself; l could mol
have believed four weeks before that
I should ever have become 50 affected
by such contemplate restlessness. dis
quiet and distrust. These feelings at
last reached such a pitch that finally
changed my bedroom, would not sleep
any longer directly underneath this ac-
cursed fabric.
Another month passed. during which
more than once, | was tempted to 90
secretly on to the roof and look at ths
thing again; there was no harm 10 thai
that was not forbidden in the bond
and | need hardly say, saw nothing
to provoke any new comment,
About a week after my last visit tO
the roof, a lengthy debate kept me late
at the House of Commons aud walking
home for the sake of fresh air, iounC
the midsummer dawn breaking, as
; struck into park Lane. Reaching Ok.
ford street | was startled by observing
IL, -, al,
due to reflected sunrise. At the MON
ent saw it fire engine pass, me a
full speed, and presently the FIRST sigI
of the commOtiOn which conaagratiOl
causes In the streets became evident
No man undergoes this experience
when he has been away from hom
many hours, and sees the red glare ris
mo in the direction of his own home
: without n pang of anxiety, II not o
terror. How well-founded was til
sensation 10 the present case was mad
evident ere had walked another tw
hundred yards; yes, merciful powers
IL was my house that was on firel
/ can scarcely record what followed
| only know that somehow found my
J self in the midst of the police and fire
! men. That explained to thu superln
tendent who was, and that under hi
; escort soon asceTtained that all IN
inmates Of my house, my children
e their governess, and the servants, wer
i in safety, ana had been taken into
. neighbours at the rear that as soon a
5 | found this to be the case, L accompa
$ MED still by the superintendent, mount
g ed to the top of an adjacent residence
S whence the firemen were directing til
+ hose upon the flames.
. Once on this vantage point my min
v reverted to the white chest. Was
still there? Yes; the flames. thcugl
bursting out from all the windows o
! the upper stories, back and front, ha'
!, not yet done more than wrench ant
crack the glass case For a time
I seemed as il this would be the mos
that might happen. The wafer seeme'
n to be getting the upper hand, and as i
fell in torrents on the hot roof, sue
clouds of steam were thrown up witt
e the smoke as would have cOmpletel
hidden everything from view, but tina
70 our position nad been skillfully selectet
. aud was well to windward OF the burn
ing mass, But presently, amid tn
roar OF the flames, there came a dul
d heavy rumble for moment, aud sthei
5 with tremulOus crash the roof fell in
With II of Course went the fragment
and framewoIk OF the glass case, an'
e the now eharTed and blaakeded ches
: itself. had my eyes upon it at th
J moment, and down 1t went deep int
, the utter obScurity OF the dense smOk
I aud steam which always succeeds Il
T this climax of cOnhagratiOn. Fo
several minutes noting was to be dis
y cerned through the overwhelming
b wreathes of black k.gray fumes. Blu
4 presently, though the light from tn
n FIRE had been quenehed, there began Il
e be visible, by the aid Of the increasing
i light OF the morning, the depth OF thi
y pit of Acheron. Yet it was not so verl
deep after all, for the FIRE having orig
g mated on the second floor, the falling
d roof had only crashed down as yet a
IS far as the dra Wing-rOOm, and there
J, when my eyes had become accustomed
Il to the spectacle OF the indis ,ribable de
a Ors,I plainly beheld resting slantway