San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-09-18

garden walk and out OF sight TOOK
my place as nearly as possible where
had first seen her, and waited, An hour
had passed before again heard the faint
brushing of her gown against the shrub
berry. She followed the wall, from its
south corner, close under the shadow Of
the dark gray stone The point where
jutting angle made almost blackness was
reached, and, by swift movement, which
came the nearest possible to being too
late, contrived to insert twig between
the edges Of spring door as the womans
figure dissolved into darkness. lappied
my ear to the narrow opening, and could
hear quick footsteps along stone floor.
Atlength all was silent, and entered.
The door swung noiselessly on its hinges
and closed behind me- found utter
darkness and a damp odor for com
pany. l felt my way slowly and cautiously.
Occasionally the gallery widened some
what, but usually it was barely wide
enough for me to walk comfortably.
There were frequent turns, and twice
assembled narrow stairways, and at length
reached the terminus Of the gallery on
what seemed the second floor Of the build
ing l struck q match-1 had but two
and must be careful of them-but there
was nothing to see. Only the narrow
walls of secret passagel No door to be
seenl / retraced my steps, but the en-
trance had vanished. There was but
smooth stone surface. l pressed every
spot in search Of a secret spring, but in
vain, and after an hour of useless search
cursed my own folly and idle curiosity
for having thus entrapped me. / struck
nv other match and noticed that the lit
tie gallery here, at its beginning, was
widened into O sort of vestibule large
enough to hold table and chair. and
bent of in one direction into sort Of al,
cove. could not suppress an exclama-
ton of delight as l discovered
short candle on the table Besides
this candle the, table held pens.
ink, paper and an odd copper salver
with a heavy wrought rim in antique
design, the center smooth, polished sur
face An odd ornament for this strange
place, | thought. / looked at the pens
One had been recently used. As sat I'M
decided whether to call for help, Or await
the return of the habitues of the place
for my release, a light flashed upon me
from dark corner. picked up the gilt
tering thing-a locket with jeweled
monogram. pressed the spring, and dis
closed a dark. wicked, magnifcently
handsome face. ! knew it In an instant
that of Alvarez Dacafro! man whose
name few years ago had been on every
lip, who was now remembered for his
wickedness and his perfidy. who was
under sentence of death, and who had
despoiled Reynolds Herholfs father-in-
law of half his fortune through the
strange. magnetic influence he had &C.
quircd over his daughter. She at one
timc had wished to marry him, but had
been made, j. was said, to see his perhdy
before It waNoo late.
The locket, SUI POSED, had been n rs
Uerholfs, and8the maid who nsed this
passage for her midnight meeting proba
bly, had stolen it.
Putting the Jewel in my pocket, began
again, with the aid of the candle, fresh
search for hidden springs. l returned to
the further end of the gallery, as that
surface was q smaller one to look over. |
had passed many times from end to end
of the smooth stone, pressing each spot
separately, Before l noticed mere pin
point, where the stone seemed slightly
roughened. pressed it. a door swung
quickly open on noiseless hinges, and. q
draught blew some silken fabric across
my cheek. freed myself from the ma
terial and looked around me. The bright
moonlight, through a large window,
showed me my own rooml
Invent to the door. 1t was bolted, as
had left it. My room, then, was in the
secret passage route. | examined the
paneled wall, but could discover no sign
of O doorway, and as there was nothing
to be developed by conjectures, soon fell
asleep.
Twice during the following day sought
an interview with Mrs. Herholf, but was
unable to see her. had determined to
tell her all knew of the use which was
being made of the secret passage, and to
restore her locket, as well as seek an eS
PLANTATION of my "silver ghost" as | had
called my nightly visitor. Herholf was
confined to his room, and his wife re-
manned with him.
Worn out with my watch Of the night
before, retired early, and soon fell into
heavy sheep, from which the oppressive
sultrfness of the night reused me. Invent
to the window. The thick darkness was
| only the more manifest by the occasional
brilliant flashes in the south, which fore.
told an approaching storm. was seated
by an open window close to the tapestried
wall.
Suddenly, seemed to hear or feel hu
man breath caught my own, and lis
tened with an intensity of purpose which
defeated it's own object. The blood
whirred in heavily pulsing stream past
my ears, in it's round to and from the
brain. Like flash the white, floating
illuminate figure came and melted away
at the other end of the wall as fell
through the tapestry curtain the contact
of passing human figure close by me
Now l:nar that what had seen haG