Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-04-08
A PARIS
LANDMARK
And What Happened to An
American
By F. A. mitchell

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When MacKnight Wentworth was In
Paris he stopped at hotel in the old
est part of the city, and the building
was so ancient that no one could tell
him when 1t had been built.
That was the year the car OF Russia
visited Paris, and every nook in the
city was filled with the crowd Of visit
ors who came to witness the festivities
attending his reception. Wentworth
was lodged in part Of the house that
had not been occupied before within
the memory Of any one connected with
the hostelry. His room was small
one and wainscOted There was no
closet in It and no hooks on which to
hang any clothing. Every one about
the hotel was too busy to pay any eX-
cept ordinary attention to guest, so
Wentworth went out and bought few
nails. with view to driving them into
the wall to serve as hooks.
He had driven three nails and was at
work OH fourth when the panel into
which he was driving it began to slow
ly slide on rollers to one side. 1t stop
ped. leaving gap just wide enough to
allow person by STOPPING to pass
through. The wall had been cut away.
but. since 1t was dark beyond. Went
worth could not see what was there.
ard for a time he was too much aston
ished to make an exploration. The
blows of the hammer had shaken the
panel. doubtless unloosening spring
which had held the door shut. This
spring was easily found. close to the
point where Wentworth had been driv-
ing the nail.
Timidity at length gave way to curl
oslty. and, lighting candle that stood
on n bureau. the American passed
through the opening and entered n
chamber. 1t was hung with tapestry
and furnished in style that dated
back several centuries. 4 bedstead
stood against the wall, with d canopy
above. and the curtains were lowered.
| The windows had been bricked up.
Wentworth pulled aside the bed cur
talns. and the dim light Of his candle
fell upon figure betwiXt Il skeleton
and body. II woman dIeSseu III Il
style of the period of Louis XIV.
Wentworth drew back Again he
found 1t necessary TO give curiosity
time to oyertake timidity. But the
former Is rapid mover. and In few
minutes he was examining the body.
Taking hold Of the dress. 1t crumbled.
There was some jewelry on the body.
earrings and necklace, and the gems
were large. Judging by the hair. In
which there were no gray strands. the
woman. II not young. was at least not
old. and her apparel so far as 1t indi'
Gated anything indicated youth.
Wentworth looked up from the grew
some sight and turned his gaze about
the chamber. There had been no ef-
fort to conceal the spaces where the
windows had been. and he wondered
II they had been left the same on the
outside He did not believe they had.
He wondered If the room had been
walled up before or after the woman
had been confined in It, He looked
about for arother egress than the
one by which he had entered aud In o
corner discovered trnpdoor But
there was no means Of raising 1t. not .
handle or even ring. Having
strong pocketknife with him. he put
a blade into the crack, but the trap
was not TO be moved. at least with
such an instrument.
Suddenly he hea d sound like the
shutting Of door He started. the idea
coming into his head that he might be
shut up in this grewsome chamber
Looking toward the opening through
which he had entered and through
which had come small quantum OF
light. he saw that the light had been
shut of. With rapidly beating heart
he hurried to the place and found the
panel closed For awhile lie was too
horror stricken to look into the mat
ter, but when he did the cause Of the
shutting of the panel was evident.
When the spring that opened 1t was
pressed weight pulled 1t back. The
cord by which the weight had been
held had parted. For years. perhaps
for centuries, 1t had rotted. and the jar
occasiOned by its recent opening had
reduced 1t to a single strand. which
had just given way. Could the spring
be worked Dnd the door opened from
the side on which he stood? \ ha' ty
examination showed that 1t could not.
Wentworth was appalled,. Shut up In
a chamber without n single opening.
with candle that would not burn
more than an hour. he began TO fear he
was doomed to the fate Of the woman
who had evidently died there He
might mnke noise to attract at;on
ton. but why could he he heard an.
more than she? When he gathered his
wits he bent his ingenuity toward get
ting out Of his dilemma Tie first tried
10 Introduce the point OF his pocket
knife Into the lock that held the panel
II he could dlsengare the catch that
held It he could move 1t back against
the force Of the spring that closed 1t.
But he failed to move the catch.
He next turned his attention to the
trap In the floor. examining 1t carefully
while his candle burned to discover
some means OF opening 1t. He could
see no way whatever. Then he made
an examination Of the room to see II
there might not be some other opening
that he had thus far failed to notice.
Holding his candle first high, then low,
he examined the walls and the floor.
There might be In exit concealed un.
der the bed Lifting the valance. he
lay down on the floor on his stomach
and thrust the candle as far under
meath us be could reach. Finding no
Indications. lie withdrew the candle,
raised himself ard WAS moving away
when an cdor Of something burning
came to his nostri!s. Turning. he saw
that he Ind set the valance Of the bed
Oh fire.
The idea of being burned to death or
suffocated In this horrible chamber
seemed worse even than dying Of star
yatIon. Tearing away the valance. he