Greene County herald., 1912-06-21

power over me. Why do you mes
merize me? Why do you force me to
come to you"
You have impaired very ghastly
secret to me" / rejoined q haye
not yet decided what / shall do about
| it."
The appearance of Mr.. Perowne put
a stop to our conversation. Miss En-
derby ran forward to meet him. She
looked quite composed, and spoke
lightly to him. Il am coming to
breakfast with you, grandfather she
said. He nodded pleasantly and we
| three returned to the house. From
that moment Miss Enderby avoided
me. AS far as I could tell, her eyes
never met mine. That night, too,
had no strange desires to rise from
my bed. Miss Enderby did not in
trude on the hours devoted to slum-
Der. The story she told me, however,
still troubled my mind I felt puzzled
how to act. 1t was either true, and
the woman was a murderer, or she
was mad. True or false, the matter
had lain in oblivion for Is years, and
did not feel disposed to cast a
shadow over the Christmas festivities
by taking any steps in a most un-
pleasant business. During the week
which supervened between Christmas
day and New Years day Miss Ender-
by was in and out of the house con-
tinually. / began to notice a subtle
change in Constance; she did not look
well, once or twice I thought 1 heard
her sigh, and the bright, laughing
light of her eyes was subdued. On
New Years night there was to be a
grand ball, to which the county was
invited. The evening before l got a
chance to speak with Constance
alone.
"You are sad about something;
what is the matter?" | asked her.
Her face clouded over. 81 am un-
happy because l am disobeying moth
er,' was her reply. Louisa has mes
merized me again. She asks me about
you, and-but there she is coming
Please do. not tell her / said any
| thing"
| She fitted away and turned in an
other direction. Next day we dined
early and went up to my room after
dinner to rest for a short time before
the festivities of the evening began.
was seated by the fire reading, when
a light tap sounded on one of the
doors of my room. Before had even
time to say Come in" the door
1 opened, and the slight form of Con-
stance Perowne stood on the threhold.
She was in her ball dress, and looked
at me vaguely; there was a peculiar
expression in her eyes. It needed but
a glance to show me that the girl
was in state of trance or mesmeric
sleep. / went up and spoke to her.
| what is the matter?" I asked.
What do you want?"
There is box of old silver in
safe at the back Of one OF the panels"
she replied. II have come to fetch
it,; grandfather wants it."
| She looked past me, answering my
questions, but not apparently seeing
me. Now, in my examinations of this
curious chamber had carefully in
vestigated the contents of every panel
except one; that one, to all appear
| ance, HAD no spring, and I had not
been. able to open it. To this panel
Constance made her way. Without
hesitation she pressed her finger
against an ornamental trail of ivy
which had been painted on the wood
work, and the panel revolved 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 a shelf.
'It is too heavy" she painted, turn
ing to me.
LET me help you," I said.
| Just as If she were in an ordinary
state, she stepped out of the safe, and
| went in. She stood on the threshold.
| stretched up my arms to take down
the box, and as / was in the act of
so doing, suddenly l found myself in
complete darkness. The spring door
of the panel had come to; / was shut
up in living tomb.
The place was not only dark and
narrow, but also, was quite certain,
almost sound proof It was a safe
built of solid iron, and doubtless her
metically sealed. / 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. / knew that unless / could
find prompt mode of exit my hours
were numbered; nay, more, that had
but few minutes to live. ] would
swiftly absorb the air in this mar
row chamber, and in very short
time die of asphyxia. felt in my
pocket, took out a silver case which
contained matches, and struck one.
Already the confined space of my
1 r0fl waa fo limo offoof .,po,, mo. %hora