Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1879-04-09

ployment, as well as the condition,
to accept your offer
"Will not five hundred dollars
answer in lieu of an explanationT
she inquired.
"No-nOr five Thousand dollars
She patted her foot nervously OH
the floor. conld see she had placed
entirely too low an estimate Oh my
honesty, and felt some gratitica-
ton in being able to convince her
Of the fact.
"Well, if it is absolutely neccssa.
~ for me to explain she replied,
~ must tell you that you are re.
quired to pick the lock of vault,
and"
"lou have gone quite far enough,
madam, with the explanation |
interrupted; ~ am not at your ser.
vice.
GAS | said," she continued you
are required to pick the lock of a
vault, and rescue from death an
unfortunate man who has been con.
Z ultu lHtIt nbN Ss
"To whom does the vault belongr
| inquired.
"My husband was the somewhat
reluctant reply.
"Then why so much secrecy or,
rather, how came q man confined
in such placer
81 secreted him there to, escape
the observation of my husband. lie
suspected as much, and closed the
door upon him. Presuming he had
lett the vault, and quilted the house
by the back door, | did not dream
until o.day, that he was confined
there. Certain suspicious acts of
my husband, this afternoon, con.
WINGED me that the man is there,
beyond human hearing, and will be
starved to death by my barbarOus
husband unless Immediately res
cued. For three days he has not left
the house. | drugged him less than
an hour ago, and he is now 30 com
pletely stupefied that the lock may
be picked without his interference.
have searched his pockets but
could not find the key; hence my
application to you. Now, you know
, all; will you accompany me therei'
"To the end of the world madam,
on such an errand.H
"Then prepare yourself; there is
D a cab waiting at the door,
y was a little surprised, for | hat
not heard the sound of wheels
Hastily drawing on a coat, anC
y providing myself with the required
. implements, | was soon at the door
. There, sure enough, was the cab
with the driver in his seat, read,
for the mysterious journey. | en-
A tered the vehicle, followed by thu
D lady. AS soon as | was seated sh'
e produced q heavy handkerchief
4 which, by the faint light of an al
4 iacent street lamp, she CAREFUL.
!. bound round my eyes. The lad,
Y seated herself beside me, and tn
cab started. In half All hour tn
e vehicle stopped--in what part q
II the city | am entirely ignorant, a
O it was evidently driven in auythln
but a direct course from tie pom
:. of starting. Examining the bant
| age, TO see that vision was con
e. pletely obscurej, the lady handle
e me the bundle Of tools with whic
IS | was provided; then, taking me b
= the arm, let me through a gate int
d a house which knew was of brlcl
IS and, after taking me through
0 passage way which could not hay
a been less than fifty feet in length
m and down a flight OF stairs INF
s. what was evidently an under. groun
basement, stepped beside a vau
! and removed the handkerchief fro
SO my eyes.
IN "Here is the vault-open it!' sa
to she, springing the door OF a dal
pe lantern, and throwing a beam
g. light upon the lock.
as | seized bunch Of skelett
| keys, and after few trials, Whit
a the lady seemed to watch with Il
ID most painful anxiety, sprang Il
er bolt. The door swung upon
ut hinges, and my companion, tellil
as me not to close it, as it was sc
locking, sprapg into the vault.
he did not follow. heard the INT
muir of low voices within, and Z
ne next moment the lady resppeare
and leaning upon her arm was
, ! man, with u face 80 pale and la
&c. gard that | started at the sigl
How he must have suffered duri
rk the three long days of his confit