The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-30
UN TENEBREUX
JOUR DE Ian.

CdIibb Say lsldt L luCNEuL UlICu VI
Macintosh. He seemed to me a great prig.
Good looking Well, yes-in a BARRIERS
block sort of way. Curly. oiled hair; pink
complexion; white teeth. His teeth were
good, must say; and when he smiled his
appearance varied from that of skull 10
that of dog out of temper about bones. ]
am in the horse artillery; and Macintosh
was nOn-military, and lofty on occasions, at
having passed the India civil. But dc not
believe he could do mathematics, and with
ont them he could neither have passed in
nor out of Woolwich.
We were both home on a short leave from
India.
Down at Brighton in the summer l had
met DR.. aud Mrs. Cherry, who were friends
of mine. We had been stationed at Delhi
once together. They were going ont again
in December, and intending to take their
daughter Ellen with them. She was an ex,
ceytionally nice girl, with light hair and
blue ewes, and a low steal voice Il must
say like blondes, and harsh voice IS one
of my crosses. and | saw good deal Of her,
and should have seen more, only Mackin-
tOsh was rather in the way. He was with
his people, who live at Hove. | should not
have cared at all about his tame-cat visits if
Ellen had been entirely her own mistress.
But there was mamma And those blessed
civilians are worth certain sum. dead or
alive. l believe the pensions fetch the ma
ternal mind more than anything.
However, l found out that my friends pro-
posed to go to India by the steamer leaving
MarSeilles on January ID. And that was
Just the time my leave was up. 1t was in
the days when one steamer started from
Southampton, and few days afterwaFd an
other from MarselleS, and they met in
Egypt. The journey was cheaper by the
bay and had intended to take that route.
but met Macintosh at the Office and found
he was going from southampton to please a
chum. You would scarcely believe ii. bnt
It was the case, nevertheless, that the Mar
seilies passengers thought themselves rather
more in Society than the Southaaptoa<.
So l pondered: ''If my agents Will find the
money. will give Master Macintosh the
go-by." | took a southampton berth, but
the clerk said that l might change it for
Marseilles one atterward if l liked. And
this did. | started from Dover the day
after Christmas day and at Paris went
straight to the Hotel Byron, where | knew
the Cherrys were staying.
Friend Mac" l SAID to myself, with the
brand Of Southampton on his brow, will
never he able to cope with MY continental
prestige"
l travelled with my friends in a leisurely
way; we gave tYenty-four hours to Lyons
and reached MarSeilles on the evening of
December 51St. Our inn, the Du Midi, was
on the road to the New Quarter, ana I have
been told, since the building speculations
were not so successful, it has been altered
and let out in flats. But at that day it was
high, well-like house, having a courtyard
IN the middle adorned with pomegranates
in green boxes, where We sat after table
d'hote, and drank coffee and cognac.
Mrs. Cherry had a letter that evening by
the post, and l observed that its receipt
created interest; aud / heard one OF two
observations which did not however in any
way interpret themselves to me ut the time
Really, after ALP But is there time 2"
How has it been managed?' and so on
And when | asked what projects were in
view for seeing the place the next day, Mrs.
Cherry only replied, Something will Sug-
gest itself"
January 1St was a general holiday and
from an early hour the streets began to fill:
frr the peasants came in from the neighbour
hood, and all the artisans turn out ia their
gayeSt costumes. The Cherrys had break
fast In their own apartments, and L on re-
tuning from the sale a-manger, went into
my bedroom, which was high up, and sat at
the window smoking a cigarette. Hearinga
noise below | looked out and saw the
Cherrys starting, without giving me any no.
lice. Ellen, however. observed me.
Where are you of TO? | called down to
her.
We are going" she said, "to walk in the
Canebiere 1t Will be great fun. Come
along!'
Come alongP OF course, 1 would! 1
snaiched up my hat and dustcOat, and, on
rushing from my room, observed slight iron
gates, and, within, lift stationary. There
was no gas in it, nor any attendant, and |
had not noticed it before, or heard of people
going up or down. But the thought struck
me. may as well use it-tlme will be
saved" The grating was unlocked. l en-
tered, took a seat and pulled the rope. The
lift began to descend. Darkness-but only
for minute or twO-and then another graf
ing; and on-into the darkness again. Sud
denly l felt that the seat | was occupying
WIS losing its horizontal position. II sunk
on one side. There was grievous creaking,
scraping. crashing and then stOppage. Half
WAY between two landing places the machine
had stuck immovabe fast.
OF course it was very awkward But there
as apparently no cause for alarm; | knew
| should get out in time, but still it might be
lOngish job. did not near much noise and
concluded was among thick walls, and not
near a grating. But there was some rum
bling ana shouts, as | thought. In short
time, however, all was still ! had not
called out, for | was anxious to show ! was
cool, and not disturbed by a trifiing of the
SORT. Indeed, had planned to come out
smoking, for l had fusees and a cigar ase
with me. As there was no vent, however l
put off lighting up till my release was near
al hand. l did not wish the air to be closer
than it WAS | just thought vaguely: "Thev
will get ME out aud viii emerge smoking"
But two things suddenly occurred to me:
How will they get you out?" and then
- Are you sure they viii look for you?" BY
heavens. this latter idea became serious.
The lift must have been out of rep Iir-unft
for use. Ii was careless to leave The grating
unlocked; but still there was no attendant
as there would have been if the thing had
been IN working trim. They might perhaps
think The lit passed down Of its own accord,
and that no one was in it.
In point If fact this was So The Cberrys
it seemed, walked slowly on, and, as | did
not follow, thought l was engaged. and
bu>i.d themselves about the drama of the
Streets No one was near when | entered
the maebin', and it had sunk away once be-
fcTe-it was said, without any one touchingit
And, indeed, il was disorganized and unen-
ploy
The chambermaids were at the windows
the walters at the door; the occupants OF
rooms were among the gay throng on the
payements, enjoying the sunshine of the
Sontn, which danced in thouS md dimples
on the blue eXpanse OF the Mediterranean.
dit not wish to seem frightened or frantic,
and so only called out for help at intervals
ana in an unexcited voice And no one
heard, or, hearing, failed to localize the
sound.
The Che!rys were out for three hours, and
oil returning, finding there was no trace of
NE, and hearing of tile fall of the lift at last
conceived the idea that / might be inside it.
vi course, When this suspiclou was once set
on loot, there " as great excitement. But il
was MT very easy TO do anything In the
hrst place, on account of the fate, there was
and Wien they were procured the part al
the we'll where the lift had damned ran
down amid the walls of several small apart
ments and behind cupboards, and to find
where the aperture should be begun was no
light mater. With fusee l could see nv
watch. / entered the lift at IL, and at was
still there, though the voices We're close at
hand and the pickaXes seemed to be pene-
rating the framework of my little box.
Even then it appeared long before friendly
hands helped me down into chamber,
whepce reached the body of the house.
1t was pleasant being an object of female
kindness and solicitude. But DR.. Cherry
was anxious aud DESTROYS | should keep
quiet. When | went to bed found he had
reason for some apprehension. Sleep en-
urely deserted me and an excess of nervous
excitement ensued. Twelve struck and
then one. 1t was intolerable. | should he
altogether unnamed without rest. | had
hydrate OF choral in my portmanteau, but
there was no night-light. However, | man
nOahf tn mt . ..stl a