Year: 1865

[, in answer to their looks Of interrogation,
"and if you will afford me shelter for the
night I shall be happy to repay you for
your hospitality"


'Be good enough to sit down" said Mr.
Theodore Munsel, his eyes sparkling when
the word "repay" was used.


"Where are you going?' asked his neph-
ew, and then fixing another searching look
on my face.


81 am going to Centerville. I left Park
vile at six o'clock, but | suppose | mis-
took the road for I have been wandering
about the woods ever since"


"You are fifteen miles from Centerville," )"
said the uncle with kind Of leer.


"You do not belong to this part Of the
country ?" said the bankers clerk.


mo" | replied, 81 am from the state Of
Virginia"


"What is your business %


II am collector for house in Rich
1nond.'


q should have taken you for Yankee"
said the young man.


"No, indeed" replied, with an attempt
to smile.


The uncle and nephew now left the
room, and | could hear them whispering
in the next apartment. Still did not feel
any uneasiness, Tor relied on the fact that
was unknown to the absconding clerk
They soon returned to the apartment where
sat.


"We have only one room in the house."
said the uncle as he entered; elf you will
not mind sleeping with son Of mine, you
can have part of'his bed."


I, Of course, Immediately consented, glad
enough to find any place whore could rest
my weary limbs.


After a pause Of few minutes, I pulled
out my watch, and said would like to go
to bed. noticed at the time significant
| looks pass between the uncle and nephew
when they saw my watch. 1t was a fine
gold one-a real Cooper-and had been
presented to me by an importer Of watches
for services had rendered.


"You will find my son against the wall, =
said the uncle "You will have the good
ness not to awaken him, for he has been
sick lately, and has to get up very early"


] replied that I would certainly avoid
waking him. The uncle took up candle,
and showed me to room up stairs it was
the only habitable sleeping room in the
house, and was situated over that part in
which we had been seated. Cautioning me
to pat out the light as soon as was III bed,
he left me-


found myself in room the exact coun-
terpart Of the one below, excepting that
this contained bedstead. Snoring on the
bed next the wall was man some years
Younger than myself cautiously brought
the light to bear On his face. The first
thing that struck me was, that the man be-
low had deceived me when he had told me
his son was sick. lie was undressed and
wore on his head night cap.


A vague sensation aof uneasinees crept
over me. regretted having entered the
house, and looked around the room, for
means Of exit. There was only one door in
the room, that by which I had entered
Opposite to the door was a window.
walked up to it, and endcavored to peer
through the outside darkness, but could
distinguish nothing I tried to reason
away my forebodings, and succeeded in do
ing so to some extent.


I began to prepare for bed, and had al
ready taken eff my coat and waistcoat,
when I fancied heard step on the stairs.
I Immediately extinguishhd the light, and
waited with breathless anxiety the door
gently opened, and the uncle thrust for
ward his head. In the gloom of the ham
Der he could not perceive me, and finding
the light extinguished,I i suppose he thought
| | was in bed, for he closed the door very
softly and descended the stairs again.


| was now worked up to the highest pitch
of excitement. | felt certain that some
thing was going to happen. remember
ed my lonely situalion-the inquistive
questions of the men below There was
no possible means for me to escape, except
in going through the room in which they
were seated-and such q course [ knew
would be perfect madness. | summoned
up ali my philosophy, and determined to
wait the denouenlept, and tried to persuade
myself my fears were groundess. But
when thought ofthe significant looks that
passed between the men when they saw my
gold watch, must confess the effort was
failure. And then the thought suddenly
struck me, if, after ali, the clerk had re-
cogniZed me, it was certain that he never
would let me leave the house alive Five
long minutes passed away, and | heard
nothing. At that moment light passed
before my window. went directly to it,
and saw the uncle with lantern digging
in the garden. watched him with eager
eyes he was digging a hole about six feet
long and three broad


Good God" | exclaimed to myself, he
is digging any gTde6 r.


now felt certain that the young man
had been left in the room below to prevent
my escape But | determined to satisfy
myselfif such were the fact or not. I OPP
cned the door noiselessly, and stole eau
tiously down the stairs in my stocking feet
| glanced through the yhole Of the door
which opened into the room, and saw that
my supicons were well founded, for the
abscondng clerk sat beside table with a
revolver all ready cooked within his reach.
I returned to the bed room again.


again took my position at the window
Five minutes more Of agonizing suspense
ensued ! had nothing with which to de-
fend myself, and was completely at their
mercy. 4 sudden calmness now took pos
session Of me. I suppose it was the calm
ness Of despair, but withal my faculties were
! perfectly clear, and turned over d hundred