The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-08-27
CHATTER VI.
WHAT GRACE SAW At TIE BOTTOM OF
TIE SHAFT.

WHAT GRACE SAW At TIE BOTTOM OF
TIE SHAFT.
The tables had been cleared away,
the guests had returned to the grand
old hall, and dancing had been going
on for nearly a couple of hours, when
the band ceased playing. and a compa-
ny of cOnjurOrs and jugglerS. specially
engaged for the occasion, made their
appearance
AL the lights were lowered and the
large party of guests seated themselves
in a half circle round the performers.
The host this evening was more than
restless, he was nervous and excited,
and as the minutes and the hours went
on he seemed to find it difficult TO turn
his eyes from the door.
Are you expecting anybody. papa?'
Grace had asked him more than once
rs she observed his singular manner.
'Nes-I don't know, ne had replied
impatiently: don't mind ne, go and
amu~e yourself.
And he turned away as though an
noyed at being questioned.
Grace was too much troubled with
her own prrpleXities to pay much heed
to her father, and when the JUTglerS
commenced their tricks. and she be
Heved all eyes were fixed upon them,
she rose from her seat and quietly left
the room.
She had made all her preparations.
The previous year she had soiled her
delicate dress, and she remembered how
Roland Ayre had looked at her as he
pointed out the stain.
Now she was more prudent.
She hastily buttOned on q dark ulster
that completely covered her plle-biue
gown. and otherwise protected herself
against the cold, for she recOllected
even now. with a shudder, how the
wind. rushing up from the dark aper-
ture. had seemed to strike her with its
icy breath and chill her to the very
bone.
There was no snow ON the ground
this year, it was green \ ule-tide, and
old people talked of there being full
Churchvard. while others more hopeful
and less prone to take a gloomy view OF
matters. said there was frost IN the air,
and before New Year Day there would
be skating on the river and the lakes.
With her nerves strung by q nameleSS
fear to the horrible task before her,
Grace Lilbune went swiftly to the
chamber which. a year ago tins very
night, had been the scene of such d
cruel tragedy.
Ii was not until she had lighted the
lantern and fastened the door behind
her. and she felt herself quite alone,
with the consciousness that her vic tim
was lying only SO many feet below the
SPOT on which she stood. that her cOur-
ace wavered. and for a few seconds she
felt that she could not look upon the
face of the dead.
Her courage soon. returned and she
kneIt down on the floor and pressed the
hidden spring with all her strength.
Slowly the boards moved back, disclOS-
ing the large square aperture. from
whence the wind came rushing up with
a damp mOuldy smell that made her
feel sick as it swept over her.
She waited few seconds, and then
she took the lantern and carefully eX-
amined the sides OF the dark mySteri-
ous-lOOkiRg well.
Her heart stood still as she discovered
that not only were the sides of the shaft
formed Of solid masonry which had been
scarcely affected by the hand of time,
but that on one of the four perpendiCu-
lar walls iron clamps were fixed, form
ing a kind of ladder let into the stone,
and clearly intended to be a means of
ascending and descending the shaft.
Taking the lantern in her hand she
examined the cord attached TO it, to see
that it was securely tied, then she slow
Iy lowered the light into the darkness
below.
She kept her eyes fixed upon the iron
ladder, nut every bar of it was intact
and 50 intent was she on noticing this
that though the lantern had been sway
ed good deal by the wind i'll its de-
scent she was suddenly startled by
finding that it was resting upon some
thing and seemed to be able to 90 no
further. And she saw that what she
had believed to be a damp and almost
bOttOmleSs well. was not in reality more
than some twenty OF thirty feet below
the false floor that covered il.