The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-25

me. Now, IN my examinations OF this
curious chamber | had carefully inves-
tigated the contents of every panel ex
cept one; one that. to all appearance,
had no spring and / had not been able
TO open it. To this panel Constance
made her way. without hesitation she
pressed her finger against the ornamen-
tai trail of ivy which had been painted
on the woodwork, and the panel re-
golved back, revealing inside long
and. narrow safe made Of solid iron,
The safe was about three to four feet
deep. Constance went in, and began to
pull forward heavy iron box which
stood on shelf
cit is too heavy" she painted, turn
ing to me.
"Let me help you" ] said.
Just as if she were in an ordinary
state, she stepped out Of tho safe, and
I went in, She stood on the threshold.
! stretched up my arms to take down
the box, and as I was in the act Of so
doing, suddenly / found myself in
complete darkness. The spring door
up in living tomb.
| The place was not only dark and
narrow, but also, 1 was quite certain,
almost sound proof. 1t WAS a safe built
of solid iron, and doubtless hermeti-
cally sealed. l guessed quickly what
had happened, Miss Enderby had
planned this terrible catastrophe; she
| had made Constance her tool, and had
sent her to entrap me in the iron chest.
| 7 knew that unless I could find 8
prompt mode Of exit my hours were
numbered; nay, more, that | had but a
few minutes TO live. | would swiftly
absorb the air in this narrow cham.
Der. and in very short time die of
asphy1ia. j felt in my pocket, took
out silver case which contained
matches, and struck one. Already the
confined space of my cell was taking
effect upon me; there was buzzlng
! in nv ears. my heart throbbed wildly
, and ! painted as one does in the throes
Of suffocation Glancing dizzlly
around / saw Just over my head and
behind the iron box what looked like q
bolt. I tapped the wall at this spot:
it sounded hollow. Desperately ]
pulled the box from its place, and
! flung myself savagely against the wal
where it sounded hollow. II gave way
felt breath of cold air, and IN less
than a minute was myself again. Light
ing another match. I found myself or
the edge Of some deep steps which went
down into apparently bottomless
depths. and descended carefully. Very
charity T got TO the last step. and then
pursued my way along very narrow
and winding passage. which presently
brought me to an old door thick with
cobwebs. Selling bar of iron which
happened to be on the floor, ! pushed
back the hasp of the lock. A breath
of cooler air greeted me, and ! fouLd
myself out of doors and in the direction
of the servants part of the house. AS
quickly as possible / once more entered
the house and regained my chamber by
means of the servants staircase.
went in, shut the door, and sat fol
some time thinking over the position
of affairs.
Whether Miss Enderby was mad OF
sane, nv plain duty was to acquaint
her relatives with the occurrence which
bad Just taken place. It was not safe
to have such a woman at large. Doubt
less even now she thought I was dead
as I assuredly would have been but
for the discovery of the secret door
at the back of the safe. After resting
for an hour, ] changed my dress and
went down to the ballroom. / heard
the merry strains of music, and entered
the ballroom by one of the side doors
The first person / saw was Constance
She looked radiant in her white dress;
] the light Of youth and happiness shone