Year: 1870

from and returned to your own door blind
folded"


Ideas of murder, burglars, and almost
every other crime to villainy, hurriedly pre-
sented themselves in succession as politely
bowed, and said 3,


II must understand something more of the
character of the employment, as well as the
conditions, to accept youraofer."'


''Will not five hundred dollars answer in
lieu Of an cxplanation?" she asked.
No, nor five thousand!'
She patted her foot nervousIy on the floor.
| could see she had placed entirely too low
an estimate on my honesty, and | felt some
qualification in being able to convince her of
the fact.


"Wen, then, if it is absolutely necessary
for me to explan' she replied, II must tell
YOU that you are required to pick the lock of
tirc-proof vault, and"


you have gone quite far enough, madam,
with YOUR explanation | interrupted 81 am
at your service"


CAS- | said" she continued, ''you are re-
quircd to pick the lock of a vault and rescue
from death a man who has been contined
there for three days.


''To whom does the vault belong?" I in


''My husband,r was-1le somewhat reluct-
ant reply.


''Then why so much secrecy? or rather
how came q man confined in such a place ~


Il secreted him there to escape the obser-
walton of my husband. He suspected as
much, and closed the door upon him. Pre-
suming he had left the vault and Quilted the
house by the back door, ] did not dream
until to-day that he was confined there |
know he is there! Certain suspicious acts
of my husband this afternoon convinced me
that he is there beyond human hearing, and
will be starved to death by my brutal hus-
band, unless Immediately rescued. For three
days my husband has not left the house.
drugged him less than an hour ago, and he
is now SO completely stupefied that the lock
may be picked without his interference l
have searched his pockets, but cannot find
the key. You must rescue him Now that
you know all. will you accompany me-"


ITO the end of the world, madam, on such
an GRAND"


Then prepare yourself, quick There is a
cab at the door,


l was little surprised, for had not heard
the sound of wheels. Hastily drawing on a
coat, and providing myself with the necessary
implements, | was soon at the door. There,
sure enough, was the cab with the driver in
his seat, ready for the mysterious journey.


| entered the vehicle, followed by the lady
As soon as | was seated she produced a heavy
handkerchief, which by the faint light of an
adjacent street lamp, she carefully bound
round my eyes The lady seated herself be-
side me and the cab started | could feel
her tremble. In half an hour the vehicle
stopped-in what part Of the city / am en-
tirely ignorant, as it was evidently driven in
anything but u direct course from the point
OF starting.


Examining the bandage to see that my Wis
ion was completely obscured, the lady hand
ed me my bundle of tools with which was
provided, then taking me by the arm, led me
thro' gate into q house knew was of brick
and after taking me along u passage way,
which could not have been less than fifty
feet in length, and down flight of stairs in
to what was evidently an underground base
ment stopped beside vault, and removed
the handkerchief from my eyes,


''lIere is the vault, open it," she whisper
ed, opening the door OF a dark lantern, and
letting beam of light upon the lock-
took Il bunch of skeleton keys, and after
4 few trials, which the lady seemed to watch
with the most painful anxiety, sprung the
bolt. The door swung upon its hinges, and
my companion whispering me not to close it,
as it was self-locked, sprang into the vault
| could see it was one of those large iron
vault, that were formerly so frequently con-
structed to protect valuables from the de-
structivc and terrible confagrations that de-
vastated the city in its earlier days. heard
the murmur OF low voices within, the next
moment the lady re-appeared, and leaning
upon her arm 4 man with face so pale and
haggard, that | started at the sight
would know him again among a thousand.
| IIpu No hava S,,f, +J,o
long days of his confinement it the vault
''Reman here,n she said, handing me the
lantern, | will be back in moment
The two slowly ascended the stairs, and |
heard them enter a room Immediately above
where | was Standing In a few moments
! the lady returned.


''Shall 4 close it, madam" said 1, placing
my hand upon the door of the vault
"No! no!' she exclaimed hastily seizing
my arm, sit waits another occupant"


"Madam, You certainly do not intend to-


care you ready?" she interrupted, hold
ing the handkerchief before my eyes "Here
is your money"


| The thought flashed across my mind that
she intended to push me into the vault, and
bury me and my secret together. She seem
cd to read my suspicion, and continued
| "Do not be alarmed You are not the
man.


| l could not mistake the truth of the fear
full meaning of the remark, and | shuddered
as | bent my head to the handkerchief NV
eyes were as carefully bandaged as before ;
was led to the cab, and the purse of money
placed beside me, and then was driven home
by q more circutous route if possible, than
the one by which we came Arriving in front
of the house the handkerchief was removed,
and | stepped from the vehicle with nv
purse, and in a moment the cab and its
mysterious occupant had turned the corner
and was out of sight


| entered the shop, and the purse of gold,
which counted even five hundred dollars,
was the only evidence | could summon in
my bewilderment, that all had just witness
ed, was not u dream.


A month AFTER l saw the gentleman taken
from the vault, leisurely walking along the
street with a lady on his arm. l do not
know, but | firmly believe the sleeping hus-
band awoke within the vault, and his bones
are there to-day! They still reside in San
Francisco, and frequently see them prom
enading along Montgomery street.


EARTH NOT OUR ABIDING PLACE. 1t can
not be that earth is mans only abiding place !;
it cannot be that our life is u bubble cast up
by the ocean of eternity to float moment