Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1896-01-02

turned half round, leaving black vault
at my feet, up which an icy wind blew
suddenly and extinguished my light.
At last lighted my candle, and shad
Ing the fame with my hand from the
draft looked into the blackness at my
feet. I saw fight of worn steps winding
downward, and from below sounded the
hoarse laugh Of Gustaye.
At last / reached the bottom. Before
me was an archwsy, still hung with dusty,
tattered fragments of what had once been
heavy portieres. Round the arch could
distinguish an inscription in high, blood
red letters. Slowly deciphered it, "Fait
ce que voudras" J shuddered!
pushed on and stood at last in a vast,
vaulted hall BY my dim light saw q
great table where lay musty remnants of
long dead orgie. Masks and tattered,
moldy dominoes were scattered about in
wild profusion, chairs oyerset and pushed
back. Apparently sudden interruption
had broken up the feast.
Then ghastly imitation of human
voice struck my ear 1t was Gustave.
To kiss with the maid when the mistress is
kind.
Believe me- you always are loath, sir;
But II the maids fairest the oath doesn 7 bind,
Or-you may. il you like it, kiss both. sir
This, then, was the meaning OF his wish
to constantly roam about the cellars. He
had enjoyed many revel in this horrible
hall, and he could not believe that the
good old time was dead forever
Suddenly the sound Of footsteps and
hoarse voices approaching struck my ears.
Who was coming, and on what dark er-
rand, to that dreadful placer
1 seized one of the moldy dominoes
which were scattered about, wrapped it
round me, concealed Gustave in it under
my arm, blew out my light and orept be-
meath the great table just in time. A
rough voice cried:
"Aye, here the place is, just as Cart
wright thought. There's room enough for
stuff here to blow up oil London. The
chief will be pleased at this"
And then to my Mortified ears was re-
vealed plot, sheltered under the sacred
names of liberty and freedom, o plot which
showed the ingenuity Of satan himself.
I lay still as DEATH Mercifully at last
the tension became too great, and
tainted
When came to myself, all was dark and
still again. ! crept out from the table
and struck match. This reused Gustave,
who apparently had been sleeping of his
excitement, and unhesitatingly he dutter-
ed to the ground and hoped through the
right archway.
Exhausted as was, instantly went to
Scotland Yard and told them what had
heard. England was saved from disaster
which would have brought her enemies
aocking like vultures around her, and the
world from a crime which would have
stained the book of fate with record
black as death.
quickly recovered my usual strength
but yet awoke next morning with q pre-
sentiment of misfortune, o foreboding Of
evil. Too we'll was this justified
The excitement Of visiting his old haunt
had proved too much for Gustaye. The
parrot was dead; my occupation was gone
The police searched the whole Of the un-
derground part Of the square. The origin
of 1T was, so far as can be discovered, as
follows:
Many years ago the now half deserted
square was fashionable center In Lon
don and certain noble earl, famed in
history for his fearful deeds and his wild
life, inhabited a great house which formed
one side Of it. Under the square, 80 said
rumor, he excavated great subterranean
hall.
Enough that the tradition Of the place
still fingered, aud on his return from
Italy, Beokford heard Of 1t. 1t touched his
whimsical imagination, and he bought the
house subsequently rented by the mother
Of Mime. Lebrun, or Mile, as 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-
membered his father, who had been q
mason had told him that as lad he had
been employed in mending flight Of stone
steps in a house IN the square, which steps
led to great subterranean hall.
The house indicated was to let, they
took it, and but for the wonderful chances
Of Gustave on that night escaping to the
cellars, and Of my accidentally treading
on the secret spring OF the turning stone
their designs would In time have been ao-
complishod. Strand Magazine.