The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-02-10

gates. such as that which the citizens of a medieval town used 10 bring out when they had eaten up their last rat.
 '.Here is the key he said .solemniy ''f you merely open the door and look in, no harm ~iil be done, should think. As the sun is setting, you might even, if you please. go in- The injunction vas that no one was to go in except after dark, and alone. But Laura may be con- sidered an exception"
 lack said that if he vent in Laura should go with him, and that, as regards respect, he would look ops the room as the family vault Laura said he meant, she presumed, the ehurgh, not the vault. First, he oiled the ke,, which was rusty then, accompanied by Laura, he turned il in the lock, and with some diff ficulty, because, he said. nNwas like some fellow pushing on the other side, he suc- ceeded in opening Il.
 Could the "feilow,n Laura thought with shudder, be her revered ancestor! !! When the door was open, Jack forgo, his promise and stepped inside, looking about him curiousiy.
 II was long, low room. lighted by three narrow windows looking vest. and reaching from floor to ceiiing. 1, was mos, euriously furnished. For, beside one window. there was table furnished exactly like one of those used by work !ng watchmakers, with glasses Tn bone frames. such as they suck in their eye when they look at watch, and, observ- ing piece of dust, which they blow away and thereby release the machinery, de clare that the watch requires cleaning, which will be eight By such subtletics was the fortune of the Memb- lings commenced. Lamps, jets for gas, low stools, trays containing portions disSecied bones-of watches. small brushes and clusters, themselves covered with dust, now covered this table. Be- fore the next window stood lathe with tools, chunks and wheel Before the next was another table. larger than the hrst, and covered with books, papers. mAlhsAAi.sal aAslGAMsais and dIaSlngs, My grandfather, said Laura, thinking of the mythical and almost dis believed shop, 0. which even the younger members oi the famliy were somehow conscious, WAS m his day great me Chanieian.
 What did he hang the walls with pea cocks feathers iol a,i,ed lack.
 il Wa strange thins: one side of the room Mas .Esen over i0 a wailhAaker : table. q IA the and books on n.eehanIcs :; Inc other sue MAS decorated With every thing bizarre. as If the old man had re- solved oa gratifying his own taste with out consulting the taste of the age. < Persian carpet lay or the floor. there was broad sol. on which he had oksn slept. covered with costly skins, a chair covered with skins stood facing IL; common to- oacco pipes and common tobacco lar stood upon the plain mantelshelf, on which were such trifies as pots of glue and paste, glasses which suggested the runner of country public house. a spirit case open, a notebook and an um- brella. The fireplace itself was beauti- tul specimen of costly brass-work and tiles, there were carved cabinets, very precious, filled with china, though the old man died before the great china re- vival was born, and there were pictures worth oVing over, so delightful were they. The whole of that side of the room was covered with peacock's feathers at tached one over the other to the wall The ceiling of the room was of polished oak, dark and deep. relieved with little gold. The effect of the pale wintry ligh, falling upon their spiendors was very strange. Laura clasped her lover by the arm and gasped. Then she looked round and shrieked.
 Six years before this. when she stood within the room. she had seen the door closing slowly. and of iss eson aeeoyd, be- fore her. Now, as she turned. she saw that the same thing was happening agaln. but that II was too late; for. with heavy. grating noise, the door shut closely. while, also of it's own accord. there slowly fell behind Il heavy wooden bar.
 As the bar fell. there was sound as of deep sigh Then all was silent.
 The pair. thus strangely made prison- CTS. looked at each other with pale faces. Even the man. as brave fellow as may be. saw with terror which froke his blood. this great bar lifted without visi- bic hands, and falling slowly as if guided into its place. He rushed to the door and tried to lift it. Its free end was lying Tn strong clamp closed by some spring. He could not lift 1t out. nor could he by any strength tear l, away and open the door.
 Another shriek from Laura called him to her side.
 Fingers" she cried. fingers a, my throat. lack, save me, save me.''
 Jack took her Tn his arms and soothed her. Nothing" he said, 'can hur us. Whatever il is, nothing shaH hurt you till 1t first-oh, Lord .'
 He stopped, because breath of ice cold air blew violently into his face, and again the solemn sigh was heard Laura sank upon the floor, in a terror the like of which she had never imagined or sus- pected. Jack lifted her gently and laid her upon the chair beside e-place.
 What next: Laura held Jack by the hand, imploring him not to leave her not to leave her alone. He stood beside her, his heart beating, his brain afire with wonder and terror. What next.
 A third time they heard the sigh as of one in deep trouble and perhaps anger .