The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-15


Mt my feet, up which an icy wind blow
suddenly and extinguishod my light.
AT last lighted my candle, and shad-
ing tho ilamo with my hand from tho
draft looked into tho blackncss ut my
feet saw n flight of worn steps winding
downward, and from below sounded tho
hoarsc laugh of Gustavo.
At last l reached tho bottom Before
mo was an archway, still hung with dusty,
tattcrcd fragments of what had once been
heavy porticrcs Round tho arch could
distinguish an inscription in high, blood
rcd letters. Slowly dcciphcred it, "Fait
&C quo voudras." / shuddcrcd!
pushed on and stood at last in n vast
vaulted hall. by my dim light 1 saw a
great table where lay musty remnants of
long dead orgic. Masks and tattcrcd
moldy domnocs wcro scattered about in
wild profusion, chairs ovcrsot and pushed
back. Apparently II sudden interruption
had broken up the feast.
Then II CHASTITY imitation of human
voice struck my car. 1t was Gustave.
To kiss with the maid when the mistress is
kind,
Believe me, you always are loath, sir;
But If the maids faircst the oath docsn' t bind
Or-you may, If you like it, kiss both. sir.
This, then, was the meaning of his wish
to constantly roam about the cellars. He
had enjoyed many Il rcvcl in this horrible
hall, and hc could not believe that tho
good old time was dead forever.
Suddenly tho sound of footsteps and
hoarsc voices approaching struck my ears
Who was coming and on what dark or
rand, to that dreadful place.
L seized one of tho moldy dominocs
which were scattered about, wrapped it
round mo, concealed Gustavc in it under
my arm, blew out my light and crcpt be-
meath tho great table just in time. A
rough voice cried:
Ago, hero the place is, just rs Cart
wright thought. There's room enough for
stuff hero to blow up all London. Tho
chief will be pleased at this"
And then tony Mortified cars was re-
vcalcd n plot, sheltered under the sacred
names of liberty and freedom, n plot which
showed tho ingenuity of satan himself.
lay still as death. NIcrcifully ut last
the tension became too great, and l
tainted
When l came TO myself all was dark and
still again. crcpt out from the Table
and struck u match. This reused Gustavc.
who apparently had been sleeping off his
excitement, and unhesitatingly he nutter-
ell to tho ground and hoped through the
right archway.
40 Was, L INSTANTLY WcIlU TO
Scotland Yard and told them what had
heard. England was saved from disaster
which would have brought her enemies
Hooking like rulturcs around her, and tho
world from crime which would have
stained the book Of fate with a record
black as death.
lquickly recovered my usual strength
but yet L awokc next morning with u pre-
sentiment of misfortune, IA forcbotling of
evil. Too we'll was this justified.
Tho excitement of visiting his old haunt
had proved too much for Gustave. Tho
parrot was dead; my occupation was gone
The police searched tho whole of tho I'M
foreground part Of the square. The origin
of 1t was, so far as can be discovered, as
follows:
Many years ago tho now half deserted
square was II fashionable center in Lon
don, and IL certain noble earl, famed in
history for his fearful deeds and his wild
life, inhabited Il great house which formed
one side of 1t. Under the square, so said
rumor, he cXcavatcd u great subtcrranean
hall
Enough that the tradition of the place
still fingered, and on his return from
Italy, Rockford heard Of it, 1t touched his
whimsical imagination, and lie bought tho
house subsequently rented by the mother
of Mime. Lcbrun, or Mile, us she should
rather have been called.
The anarchists had found the hall
through one of their members telling,
when they were looking for some safe
place to store their explosives, that he re-
mcmbcrcd his father, who had been q
mason, had told him that rs IL lad he had
been employed in mcnding a flight of stone
steps in a house in the square, which steps
led to great subtcrrancnn hall.
Tho house indicated WAS to let, they
took 1t, and but for tho wonderful chances
of Gustavc on that night escaping to the
cellars, and of my accidentally treading
on the secret spring Of tho turning stone,
their designs would in time have been ac-
complishcd.-St Magazine
a VICTIM To EriOIICTrp