The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-03-01

without word led me up stairs 70
the second story front room. He
raped loudly.
sThe locksmith, madame"
The door opened, / entered, the
black man went down stairs, and l
was left with a sudden nervousness
to find out my business in this silent
place.
A tall, dark woman, richly dress
ed. with wild, dark eyes, was walk
| ing up and down the room, as If
angry, or as i looked closer at her,
as ifexcited by terrible fear of anx-
ietv. She turned on me sharply:
aHave you ever seen me before"
she demanded, rather abruptly,
passing by table.
Then my slow mind placed her
at once.
"Yes. ma'am, at hotel, some two
wears ago. l answered in astonish-
ment.
"You were sent for then to open
box ?"
ayes. ma'am, and couldn't
you are sent for now to do the
same thing" she cried out, fercely,
and you must do it. | can trust no
other smith with the mystery-you
look trustworthy"
A second time | was receiving a
compliment for my good plain face,
and give credit where its due to
my mothers honest, straightforward
training.
picked up the box, remember
ing it then very well, also the long
hour / worked at fitting keys to its
singular lock without success. while
the dark woman walked the floor
then as now, with savage haste.
| mechanically drew out my keys,
and they fell with a crash to the
floor. for the first one | looked at
was the strange key / had gotten
from the young girl, and in a mo-
ment | knew thatit belonged to this
SQUARE metal box. And L knew
further, by instinct, that great wrong
had been done through this strange
kew and its mystery, and that it
had fallen to my lot to detect it.
| heard the tide coming in, now,
full and fast: i bent down to pick
the KEYS, and ike fash the young
girls word came into my mind.
"Ah, if we only had the locks
those KEYS once fitted how quickly
would our cares fade awayl"
| secreted the steel key in my
palm, as l held up the bunch to
say:
Il need a piece of steel-you see
these will not answer-with Sits in
the square end, to open this box"
She interrupted me with quick
gesture.
"Yes, yes" she cried brokenly
that is the lost key? Oh, if it had
but been mine long agow
She began her walk again.
A thought came into my mind.
| was determined not to lose sight
of the box, and to struggle for it if
necessary.
"Will you let the coiored man go
to the shop for what need?" | ask
ed half fearing she would order me
to go instead.
"Yes, yesl" she cried, quickly.
Il will 60 down and tell him." /
said not wishing her to know what |
meant to do.
Hastily writing a few lines in the
hall below, and wrapping the key
securely liz the paper, l gave the
man his mistress order to carry it
to its address.
And then | went back to the dark
woman, and sat down by the box
and waited.
She never ceased to pace the floor.
and now and again raised her hand
with terrible gesture.
| thought she was weeping. AT
last she came to the table.
"What do you think is in that
box?n she said, and a wistful tone
came in her voice, as if she felt con-
fidence in me and wished to hear
me speak.
felt sudden courage. The young
girls voice was in my ears and
made me brave.
Something that does not belong
to YOU" l said, listening for the
black mans step.
How do you know?' she cried
hastily.
The front door surely opened.
"Your anxiety tells me, and-be-
cause | have the key which you
never owned. That box has been
stolen ma'am y
There were steps on the stairs, but
more than one persons. / did not
expect my answer to come thus,
but in that and all that followed /
no more had a part. The end came
speedily.
II did not steal it." came with a
shrek from the dark woman as the
door opened, and the black man
ushered in the young girl and her
mother.
Then another cry rang out at
sharply,
Sister,"
zoe? At last p
The young girl drew near me as
her mother went up to the dark
woman and caught her hands, and
handed me the key. / drew the
box toward me. The dark woman
rushed toward the table, and raised
her hand.
Il cali heaven to witness that un-
til two years ago, when my husband
died, | did not know that he had
stolen the box said TO contain my
fathers last will, and truly thought
myself the heiress."
She paused a moment in pain,
clutching her breast.
Il married a gambler, as you
know, but you do not know that
caught his terrible fever, and llat
my only happiness since his death
has been found at the card table.
II found the box two years ago
but not the key. feared to know
its contents, lest it should rob me oi
L - l. e = I