Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-08-26

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He guided me perhaps fifty feet further
We seemed, thought, to go round hal
circle. We stepped down a step, he IN
locked door, we walked in, but only too
a step or 30 when he locked it again, an
unlocked another. We passed through tha
one, which he locked, and through what
believed was hall, finally he Opened
another door, and we passed into room.-
He evidently turned up the gas, for
could distinguish the difference through
my bandage, though / could not disc erl
objects. He led me up to q table, took m!
sack, and laid it on the floor, handed me {
chair, and said, "Sit down till my frienf
comes. have some pretty fair whisky
here, it you would like drink after our
long ride"
thought, wsll,i if they intend me harm, il
wont be before the work is done, and, as
was feeling little nervous, l took the
glass he handed me, and drank the con-
tents. Soon after we heard the door un
locked, aud his friend came in.
''Now," said my companion, 1--WE are
ready for business. Light that big lamp
Dave" said he.
Dave lit the lamp and we crossed the
room out into the hall. Another door was
opened, and they guided me down the csl-
lar stairs. "Now you 60 back" said my
employer to Dave, sand get everything
ready. I'll tend to this job"
Dave left, and my employer took the
bandage from my eyes. The cellar we
were in was about thirty feet in length and
half as wide, bricked up on all sides, and
with cement floor. There were two bar.
rels of mortar there, all ready mixed for
use, and number of bricks.
T. h. III -
side of the wall, (Dave had called him Jo, }
81 want you to take out a piece Of this
wall right here, say four feet square. Take
it out so you can put it back sagain exactly
as 1t was"
I went at it and he sat on barrel watch
ing me. When took my overalls out Of
pocket big piece of chalk, such as brick
masons use. 1 thought to myself that may
come in handy, so I slipped it in my
pocket. 1t didn't take me long to take out
the piece of wall, and knock the old mortar
off Of the bricks, after which dug out the
dirt come three feet back, and the square
of the piece of wall had taken out.
"There, that will do for the present, !"
said 10, and he blindfolded me, and led me
upstairs again, into the same ROOM
'Now," said he, ''sit down, and don't
move till come for you, to finish the job.
1 shall turn the gas out, and lock the door.
I won't be long. Here's cigar if you care
to smoke, and here's bottle of whisky" "
and he set the bottle on the table. I sat
there and smoked the cigar. l heard him
lock me in, and go up stairs, and after a
little l heard them both coming down
stepping slowly and heavily, as if they
we're bearing a burden. They passed
through the hall, and on down tho cellar
stairs. About a half hour after they came
up, and notified me that coHld complete
my job. 10 went back down cellar with
me. Something had been put in the hole
behind the wall, and the dirt thrown In, till
the hole WAS nearly filled up again.
could see nothing but dirt Iwent rapidly
to work, and in an hours time, the wall
was as perfect as ever, and only for the
fresh mortar. no one could have told where
1 had been at work. AS stepped back a
little to pull off my overalis, right down by
where had knocked the mortar Oft of the
bricks, as stopped, saw lying right be-
side the mortar, small pocket handker-
chief. Something struck me to get posses
sion of it. AS pulled the overalls off l
dropped them, and in picking them up,
picked up the handkerchief, also, and put
bothiin my sack. "Well,is that alp" said l.
"Yes, your job is completed" said he,
counted from large roll ten en-dollar
ber now," said he, s'your pledge of
secrecy, belong to fraternity that
knows how to reward friends, and punish
foes. Just so long as you are silent, you
are safe, and should we ever require your
services again, know where to find you,
and you know you will be we'll paid for
your work, but if you fail to observe your
obligations of secrecy, remember what
say, your life will be the forfeit. I don't
say this to ecare you, but that you may be
warned, for secrecy is what we pay for,
and what we require"
81 have performed your work." said l,
''and am well paid, and with me the trans
action shall be forgotten"
"That is all that is required" said he, so
he blindfolded me again; we went upstairs,
had my sack in my hand, also the piece
of chalk, as had determined to try and
leave some mark, by which I might idensi-
fy the place. And, as we paused outside
the outer door, while he was locking it,
drew my chaR for foot along the wall of
the house, and when we passed out the
front gate, as he turned to shut it, drop.
ped my sack, and in picking ii up, drew a
figure there on the sidewalk, nearly IN
front of the gate. We walked the same
distance we had before to the carrioge, evi.
IDENTIFY corner, here, while Jo was speak.
ing to Dave, who was the driver, sat down
my sack, and drew the figure again on the
cement walk. We got in the carriage, and
in an hours time they set me down on the
same corner from which they had picked
me up. l went directly home and let my
self in with my night key, and went to my
room; it was three O'Clock. hastily threw
the sack of tools under the bed, and was
soon sound asleep.
Mrs. Deans voice awoke me in the morn
ing, calling me to breakfast. AS camt
down, Silas Dean remarked: "Young man
you we're out pretty late last night"
"Yes," said /, '1 was, and unavoida
"Did you see anything of Lottie in youl
travels?" said he.
ssLottie," said l, "no, has she not re-
turned yet?"
NO." said Mrs. Dean, tive have no
seen her since she left here yesterday. Sht
never stayed a night from home before
without we knew where she was, however
she probably spent the night with som,
old schoolmate, and will soon be hom,
now.n
felt pretty sleepy yet, and resolved no
to work that day, so went round to tn
building, and told the contractor wantet
a day off, then / came back and started
} down town. l walked straight down tn
street on whichwelived, and had got abou
adozen blocks. AID was getting into fash
ionable part of the city when l passed
, large, three-story brown-stone front,
house, by the way, had often passed, bu
, around which had never seen sign of life
There was wide concrete pavement il
3 front of it. ] was thinking of the transac
t tions of the night before, and wonderin
, what part of the city l had been in, when
f glancing down on the sidewalk. nearly i
front of the iron gate, and close to the stop
t foundation of the fence, saw figure there
! evidently drawn with chalk. Can it bt
l thought L, that this is the house? ce
ment walk led straight up to the fror
6 steps, which one had to mount, to th
< main entrance, while a half-crcular wal
led to the basement entrance beneath tt
e stairway. The gate was locked, aud wit
the shrubbery in the way, l could not te