LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 249, 30 March 1875, Page 3

LITERATURE.

A DEAD-LOCK, AND ITS KEY.

( Concluded)

No, they could not let her out. Mr Lester and his friend had gone off with the key, to show it to some one who had doubted its date—so it appeared from one of the boys who now came in : he had heard them talking on the stairs as they went out. ‘He said: ’‘Jarvis knows nothing about it; he has never seen it,” said the boy, sobbing. ‘ I heard him. I know he said Jarvis.’ ‘ That will be Colonel Jarvis, in Charles street, ma’am,’ said Davis. ‘Maybe, if we sent there’ _ There wore voices outside, and Barker looked in with a white face of horror. ‘lt’s master coming in,’ she said, in a sort of whisper. We all stood back. Who would tell him ? Who was to say, your girl is behind that immovable door ? But the boy, frightened enough at his father at other times, went up to him, trying to speak quietly: ‘The key, sir. Quick, for God’s sake!’ . , ‘Key! What—what’s all this? Good God! sir’—seizing a servant by the collar, and flinging him to one side, like a cat ‘ do you know what you’re doing meddling with that cabinet ? Why, it’s worth thousands ! God bless me! what does all this mean?’ He was purple with anger. * Don’t stand staring.—Sarah Heriot,’ he thundered, you are not a fool; be good enough to explain this—this’ I went up to him sick with horror. ihe key is wanted,’ I managed to say. ‘There is some one inside—dying. ’ ‘ Some ouo —dying —in there . Who . What! Who is it, girl?’ He shook me by the shoulder till I winced with pain. ‘ Oh, the key, the key ! Never mind anything else, sir. Only open it, quick, and lose no more time. ’ He looked sharply round —Mrs Lester and Kate were standing at the door, with their terrified, miserable faces. He took in the rest of ns with a glance. ‘ Where’s Mary?’ he said suddenly. No one spoke. ‘ Why the devil don t you answer me ? Who is shut in there? How

could any one be there ? Trash !’ But hi« face was growing ashy gray, and his lips whitened as he spoke. ‘ Ah, my God! I never shut the door! It is not Mary, not my girl that’s’ He pointed w‘ith a shaking hand to the heavy door. * And—l haven’t the—key !’ He made one rush into the street; the servants standing about were swept right and left, as he tore past them, down Orchard street into Oxford street. They could see the hatless, fleeing figure disappearing in the distance.

Mr Lester came into the hall. The doctor and others were busy about poor Jack Marsh, who lay on the dining-room sofa with closed eyes, happily unconscious. The timid mistress of the house stood by the staircase, her face, her voice, her whole appearance changed and aged in the last hour. ‘ He has gone for the key; he can’t be back,’ she said, speaking like a woman in a dream, ‘ not for half an hour. ’ She looked round stupidly, and smiled. ‘He will kill me, you know; but the cabinet shall be broken open—broken to pieces. Never mind. Fancy waiting for the key!’ she laughed. ‘ Break it down. I tell you! I give the order. Do you hear ms?’ Two workmen came from the side door, where a fresh and useless attempt had been made to remove the panel without injury to the front or to the imprisoned girl. ‘We might loosen the woodwork, and strike it out, mum; and go on taking out screws same time.’ 4 Do it. ’ Sharp blows upon chisels now, and several screws removed from lock and hinges. ‘ Strike at the hinges with the hatchet,’ came Mrs Lester’s altered voice, haid and wiry, usually so low and hesitating. ‘ Cut them through; it can be done—it shall,’ They struck with a will; the hatchet edge was pressed to the weakest part, and heavy blows from a mallet upon that. The hatchet edge was turned, and a dint made; some of the work injured and broken—but no more.

‘Cut through the panel,’suggested Kate. ‘ Surely wood can be broken.’ ‘ It’s all lined with iron, mum,’ said Davis ; *itis as good as a safe. But we might try. ’ Three telling blows. The room suddenly darker, a chill sough of wind from the window, and the door swung to with a bang. Every one looked round. A growl of distant thunder ; and a faint flash of lightning accounted for it the next moment. More blows, and a long ominous roll, and the lightning playing across the great armoire ; then an avalanche of rain and hail—all strange and incongruous on this fine evening. The room was nearly dark. One of the men spoke—‘ls there a step-ladder in the house ?’ It was brought. ‘ I’ll try the top, with your leave, ma’am. Ah, if I had a light now!’ He jwas handed a taper from the library table. ‘ Bill ’ —to his companion— * look here ; hold the light, and keep a hand on the side.’ He lifted the hatchet, and gave a swinging blow—another—an awful clap of thunder, and the next flash showed every white face to the other. Quick steps in the hall, and the door flung wide ; a wild, wet figure threw the key amongst us, and fell in a heap upon the floor. With a wrench the man on the ladder tore off theupper moulding, and half the roof of the armoire. Mrs Lester took up the key, fumbled with the lock, let it fall with a shriek. Barker caught it from her, put it in, and turned it. ‘ Open it,’she whispered to one of the men; ‘I can’t.’ She turned away, sick with dread. It was opened, showing nothing but the terrible inner door, whose spring was only known to the master, lying senseless on the floor.

* Take off more here,’ one of the men shouted ; ‘ it will give air till the door’s got open. ’ Good thought. They worked savagely. Mrs Lester was on her knees by her husband. ‘ Oh, get brandy. Get him to speak. He could tell us how.’ They did what they could. * William, oh speak to me. How can I open it, the spring—the inner door V The white lips moved, and the head with its dripping hair rolled to one side, but no sound came. The men worked wildly now. All thought of sparing the beautiful front and brasswork was forgotten. They tore and hammered at the inner door, whose smooth polished surface presented no crevice or join where to strike first—where to insert a chisel or direct a blow. As they worked consciousness returned to Mr Lester; he half sat up, supporting himself against the door; but no words came, though his lips moved, and his eyes looked with intense eagerness at the destruction of his precious armoire. He lifted his hand and looked mutely at his wife. She put her head down to his lips. ‘ What is it? What shall I tell them to do?’ He beat his hand upon the floor. Kate sprung forward. I know—l know! Strike on the floor, at the foot of the inner door. Oh, I remember, it was there!’ Davis felt with his hand all along the polished surface of the lowest shelf. ‘ Here, press here; give me a hammer.’ He felt a slight rise, and struck gradually all about the spot Kate showed him. A deafening clap of thunder, and a flash blinding us for a moment, and we all crowded close, and then came a creak, drowned in the awful thunder. ‘ It’s open, ’ said one of the men, Kate slid to the floor, twisting my dress about her head. Davis turned from the door. * I daren’t look,’ he said. ‘Do you,’ to the carpenter’s man. ‘ Open it gently. ’ Barker stretched forward, turned round, tried to say something, and burst out crying. ‘ I can’t see,; said the man with a strange, thick voice. * Bring the light some one,’ For ten awful seconds there was silence in the dim room, then a cry and a heavy fall. * Saleen,’ said a voice close to me, * do you know it’s a quarter past seven, and you are due at tlie Lesters’ at half-past; mid not even dressed. Here’s your book fallen down. ’

1 had been asleep over an hour. If 1 felt like a conspirator at the Lesters’ pleasant dinner, it is not surprising, but I did not mention my dream.

The modern fashions have always afforded great encouragement to women to phrug their shoulders ; but the latest mode, which places two elegant humps on each aide of the waist makes them look as if they were shrug* ging their hips. The New York Nation states that the valuable Squier collection of American antiquities from Peru, Central America, and the Mississippi Valley, now and for some time past on temporary deposit at the Central Park Museum, ie in the market, and is, it is feared, likely to be told out of the country.