THE STAIRCASE AT THE HEARTS DELIGHT. By Anna Katharine Green (Mrs. Charles Rohlfs) Copyright, 1894, by Anna Katharine Green AS TOLD BY MR. GRYCE. "In the spring of 1840, the attention of the New York police wasattracted by the many cases of well-known men found drowned in thevarious waters surrounding the lower portion of our great city. Amongthese may be mentioned the name of Elwood Henderson, the noted teamerchant, whose remains were washed ashore at Redhook Point; and ofChristopher Bigelow, who was picked up off Governor's Island afterhaving been in the water for five days, and of another well-knownmillionaire whose name I cannot now recall, but who, I remember, wasseen to walk towards the East River one March evening, and was not metwith again till the 5th of April, when his body floated into one of thedocks near Peck Slip. "As it seemed highly improbable that there should have been a concertedaction among so many wealthy and distinguished men to end theirlives within a few weeks of each other, and all by the same method ofdrowning, we soon became suspicious that a more serious verdict thanthat of suicide should have been rendered in the case of Henderson, Bigelow and the other gentleman I have mentioned. Yet one fact, commonto all these cases, pointed so conclusively to deliberate intention onthe part of the sufferers that we hesitated to take action. "This was, that upon the body of each of the above-mentioned personsthere were found, not only valuables in the shape of money and jewelry, but papers and memoranda of a nature calculated to fix the identityof the drowned man, in case the water should rob him of his personalcharacteristics. Consequently, we could not ascribe these deaths to adesire for plunder on the part of some unknown person. "I was a young man in those days, and full of ambition. So, though Isaid nothing, I did not let this matter drop when the others did, butkept my mind persistently upon it and waited, with odd results as youwill hear, for another victim to be reported at police headquarters. "Meantime I sought to discover some bond or connection between theseveral men who had been found drowned, which would serve to explaintheir similar fate. But all my efforts in this direction were fruitless. There was no bond between them, and the matter remained for a while anunsolved mystery. "Suddenly one morning a clew was placed, not in my hands, but in thoseof a superior official who at that time exerted a great influence overthe whole force. He was sitting in his private room, when therewas ushered into his presence a young man of a dissipated but notunprepossessing appearance, who, after a pause of marked embarrassment, entered upon the following story: "I don't know whether or no, I should offer an excuse for thecommunication I am about to make; but the matter I have to relate issimply this: Being hard up last night (for though a rich man's son Ioften lack money), I went to a certain pawn-shop in the Bowery where Ihad been told I could raise money on my prospects. This place--youmay see it sometime, so I will not enlarge upon it--did not strike mefavorably; but, being very anxious for a certain definite sum of money, I wrote my name in a book which was brought to me from some unknownquarter, and proceeded to follow the young woman who attended me intowhat she was pleased to call her good master's private office. He mayhave been a good master, but he was anything but a good man, In short, sir, when he found out who I was, and how much I needed money, hesuggested that I should make an appointment with my father at a place hecalled Judah's in Grand Street, where, said he, 'your little affair willbe arranged, and you made a rich man within thirty days. That is, ' heslyly added, 'unless your father has already made a will, disinheritingyou. ' "I was shocked, sir, shocked beyond all my powers of concealment, not somuch at his words, which I hardly understood, as at his looks, which hada world of evil suggestion in them; so I raised my fist and would haveknocked him down, only that I found two young fellows at my elbows, whoheld me quiet for five minutes, while the old fellow talked to me. Heasked me if I came to him on a fool's errand or really to get money;and when I admitted that I had cherished hopes of obtaining a clear twothousand dollars from him, he coolly replied that he knew of but oneway in which I could hope to get such an amount, and that if I was toosqueamish to adopt it, I had made a mistake in coming to his shop, whichwas no missionary institution, etc. , etc. Not wishing to irritate him, for there was menace in his eye, I asked, with a certain weak show ofbeing sorry for my former heat, whereabouts in Grand Street I shouldfind this Judah. The retort was quick, 'Judah is not his name, ' said he, 'and Grand Street is not where you are to go to find him. I threw out abait to see if you would snap at it, but I find you timid, and thereforeadvise you to drop the matter entirely. ' I was quite willing to do so, and answered him to this effect; whereupon, with a side glance I didnot understand but which made me more or less uneasy in regard to hisintentions towards me, he motioned to the men who held my arms to let gotheir hold, which they at once did. "'We have your signature, ' growled the old man as I went out. 'If youpeach on us or trouble us in any way we will show it to your father andthat will put an end to all your hopes of future fortune. ' Then raisinghis voice he shouted to the girl in the outer office, 'Let the young mansee what he has signed. ' She smiled and again brought forward the bookin which I had so recklessly placed my name, and there at the top of thepage I read these words: 'For moneys received, I agree to notify LeviSolomon, within the month, of the death of my father, that he mayrecover from me, without loss of time, the sum of ten thousand dollarsfrom the amount I am bound to receive as my father's heir. ' The sightof these lines knocked me hollow. But I am less of a coward morally thanphysically, and I determined to acquaint my father at once with what Ihad done, and get his advice as to whether or not I should inform thepolice of my adventure. He heard me with more consideration than Iexpected, but insisted that I should immediately make known to you myexperience in this Bowery pawnbroker's shop. "The officer, highly interested, took down the young man's statementin writing, and, after getting a more accurate description of the Jew'shouse, allowed his visitor to go. "Fortunately for me I was in the building at the time, and was able torespond when a man was called up to investigate this matter. Thinkingthat I saw a connection between it and the various mysterious deathsof which I have previously spoken, I entered into the affair with muchspirit. But, wishing to be sure that my possibly unwarranted conclusionswere correct, I took pains to inquire, before proceeding upon my errand, into the character of the heirs who had inherited the property of ElwoodHenderson and Christopher Bigelow, and found that in each case there wasone among the rest who was well known for his profligacy and recklessexpenditure. It was a significant discovery, and increased, if possible, my interest in running down this nefarious trafficker in the lives ofwealthy men. "Knowing that I could hope for no success in my character of detective, I made an arrangement with the father of the young gentleman beforealluded to, by which I was to enter the pawn-shop as an emissary of thelatter. I accordingly appeared there, one dull November afternoon, inthe garb of a certain western sporting man, who, for a consideration, allowed me the temporary use of his name and credentials. "Entering beneath the three golden balls, with, the swagger and generalair of ownership I thought most likely to impose upon the self-satisfiedfemale who presided over the desk, I asked to see her boss. "'On your own business?' she queried, glancing with suspicion at myshort coat, which was rather more showy than elegant. "'No, ' I returned, 'not on my own business, but on that of a younggent----' "'Anyone whose name is written here?' she interposed, reaching towardsme the famous book, over the top of which, however, she was careful tolay her arm. "I glanced down the page she had opened and instantly detected thatof the young gentleman on whose behalf I was supposed to be there, andnodded 'Yes, ' with all the assurance of which I was capable. "'Very well, then, ' said she, 'come!' and she ushered me without muchado into a den of discomfort where sat a man, with a great beard andsuch heavy overhanging eyebrows that I could hardly detect the twinkleof his eyes, keen and incisive as they were. "Smiling upon him, but not in the same way I had upon the girl, Iglanced behind me at the open door, and above me at the partitions, which failed to reach the ceiling. Then I shook my head and drew a stepnearer. "'I have come, ' I insinuatingly whispered, 'on behalf of a certain partywho left this place in a huff a day or so ago, but who since then hashad time to think the matter over, and has sent me with an apology whichhe hopes'--here I put on a diabolical smile, copied, I declare to you, from the one I saw at that moment on his own lips--'you will accept. ' "The old wretch regarded me for full two minutes in a way to unmaskme had I possessed less confidence in my disguise and in my ability tosupport it. "'And what is this young gentleman's name?' he finally asked. "For reply, I handed him a slip of paper. He took it and read the fewlines written on it, after which he began to rub his palms together witha snaky unction eminently in keeping with the stray glints of light thatnow and then found their way through his' bushy eyebrows. "'And so the young gentleman had not the courage to come again himself?'he softly suggested, with just the suspicion of an ironical laugh. 'Thought, perhaps, I would exact too much commission; or make him paytoo roundly for his impertinent assurance. ' "I shrugged my shoulders, but vouchsafed no immediate reply, and he sawthat he had to open the business himself. He did it warily and with manyan incisive question which would have tripped me up if I had not beenvery much on my guard; but it all ended, as such matters usually do, in mutual understanding, and a promise that if the young gentleman waswilling to sign a certain paper, which, by the way, was not shown me, he would in exchange give him an address which, if made proper use of, would lead to my patron finding himself an independent man within a veryfew days. "As this address was the thing above all others which I most desired, Iprofessed myself satisfied with the arrangement, and proceeded to huntup my patron, as he was called. Informing him of the result of my visit, I asked if his interest in ferreting out these criminals was strongenough to lead him to sign the vile document which the Jew wouldprobably have in readiness for him on the morrow; and being told it was, we separated for that day, with the understanding that we were to meetthe next morning at the spot chosen by the Jew for the completion of hisnefarious bargain. "Being certain that I was being followed in all my movements by theagents of this adept in villainy, I took care, upon leaving Mr. L----, to repair to the hotel of the sporting man I was personifying. Makingmyself square with the proprietor, I took up my quarters in the roomof my sporting friend, and, the better to deceive any spy who might belurking about, I received his letters and sent out his telegrams, which, if they did not create confusion in the affairs of 'The Plunger, ' mustat least have occasioned him no little work the next day. "Promptly at ten o'clock on the following morning I met my patron at theplace of rendezvous appointed by the old Jew; and when I tell you thatthis was no other than the old cemetery of which a portion is still tobe seen off Chatham Square, you will understand the uncanny nature ofthis whole adventure, and the lurking sense there was in it of broodingdeath and horror. The scene, which in these days is disturbed byelevated railroad trains and the flapping of long lines of parti-coloredclothes strung high up across the quiet tombstones, was at that time oneof peaceful rest, in the midst of a quarter devoted to everything forwhich that rest is the fitting and desirable end; and as we paused amongthe mossy stones, we found it hard to realize that in a few minutesthere would be standing beside us the concentrated essence of all thatwas evil and despicable in human nature. "He arrived with a smile on his countenance that completed his ugliness, and would have frightened any honest man from his side at once. Merelyglancing my way, he shuffled up to my companion, and leading him aside, drew out a paper which he laid on a flat tombstone with a gesturesignificant of his desire that the other should affix to it the requiredsignature. "Meantime I stood guard, and while attempting to whistle a light air, was carelessly taking in the surroundings, and conjecturing, as best Imight, the reasons which had induced the old ghoul to make use of thisspot for his diabolical business, and had about decided that it wasbecause he was a ghoul, and thus felt at home among the symbols ofmortality, when I caught sight of two or three young fellows, who werelounging on the other side of the fence. "These were so evidently accomplices that I wondered if the two sly boysI had engaged to stand by me through this affair had spotted them, andwould know enough to follow them back to their haunts. "A few minutes later, the old rascal came sneaking towards me, with agleam of satisfaction in his half-closed eyes. "'You are not wanted any longer, ' he grunted. 'The young gentleman toldme to say that he could look out for himself now. ' "'The young gentleman had better pay me the round fifty he promisedme, ' I grumbled in return, with that sudden change from indifferenceto menace which I thought best calculated to further my plans; andshouldering the miserable wretch aside, I stepped up to my companion, who was still lingering in a state of hesitation among the gravestones. "'Quick! Tell me the number and street which he has given you!'I whispered, in a tone strangely in contrast with the angry andreproachful air I had assumed. "He was about to answer, when the old fellow came sidling up behind us. Instantly the young man before me rose to the occasion, and putting onan air of conciliation said in a soothing tone: "'There, there, don't bluster. Do one thing more for me, and I willadd another fifty to those I promised you. Conjure up an anonymousletter--you know how--and send it to my father, saying that if he wantsto know where his son loses his hundreds, he must go to the place on thedock, opposite 5 South Street, some night shortly after nine. It wouldnot work with most men, but it will with my father, and when he has beenin and out of that place, and I succeed to the fortune he will leave me, then I will remember you, and----' "'Say, too, ' a sinister voice here added in my ear, 'that if he wishesto effect an entrance into the gambling den which his son haunts, he must take the precaution of tying a bit of blue ribbon in hisbutton-hole. It is a signal meaning business, and must not beforgotten, ' chuckled the old fellow, evidently deceived at last intothinking I was really one of his own kind. "I answered by a wink, and taking care to attempt no furthercommunication with my patron, I left the two, as soon as possible, and went back to the hotel, where I dropped 'the sport, ' and assumed acharacter and dress which enabled me to make my way undetected to thehouse of my young patron, where for two days I lay low, waiting fora suitable time in which to make my final attempt to penetrate thismystery. "I knew that for the adventure I was now contemplating considerablecourage was required. But I did not hesitate. The time had come for meto show my mettle. In the few communications I was enabled to hold withmy superiors I told them of my progress and arranged with them myplan of work. As we all agreed that I was about to encounter no commonvillainy, these plans naturally partook of finesse, as you will see ifyou will follow my narrative to the end. "Early in the evening of a cool November night I sallied forth into thestreets, dressed in the habiliments and wearing the guise of the wealthyold gentleman whose secret guest I had been for the last few days. As hewas old and portly, and I young and spare, this disguise had cost me nolittle thought and labor. But assisted as I was by the darkness, I hadbut little fear of betraying myself to any chance spy who might be uponthe watch, especially as Mr. L---- had a peculiar walk, which, in myshort stay with him, I had learned to imitate perfectly. In the lapel ofmy overcoat I had tied a tag of blue ribbon, and, though for all I knewthis was a signal devoting me to a secret and mysterious death, I walkedalong in a buoyant condition of mind, attributable, no doubt, to theexcitement of the venture and to my desire to test my powers, even atthe risk of my life. "It was nine o'clock when I reached South Street. It was no new regionto me, nor was I ignorant of the specified drinking den on the dock towhich I had been directed. I remembered it as a bright spot in a massof ship-prows and bow-rigging, and was possessed, besides, of a vagueconsciousness that there was something odd in connection with it whichhad aroused my curiosity sufficiently in the past for me to have onceformed the resolution of seeing it again under circumstances whichwould allow me to give, it some attention. But I never thought thatthe circumstances would involve my own life, impossible as it is for adetective to reckon upon the future or to foresee the events into whichhe will be hurried by the next crime which may be reported at policeheadquarters. "There were but few persons in the street when I crossed to The Heart'sDelight, --so named from the heart-shaped opening in the framework of thedoor, through which shone a light, inviting enough to one chilled by thekeen November air and oppressed by the desolate appearance of the almostdeserted street. But amongst those persons I thought I recognized morethan one familiar form, and felt reassured as to the watch which hadbeen set upon the house. The night was dark and the river especially so, but in the gloomy space beyond the dock I detected a shadow blacker thanthe rest, which I took for the police-boat they had promised to havein readiness in case I needed rescue from the water-side. Otherwise thesurroundings were as usual, and saving the gruff singing of some drunkensailor coming from a narrow side street near by, no sound disturbed thesomewhat lugubrious silence of this weird and forsaken spot. "Pausing an instant before entering, I glanced up at the building, whichwas about three stories high, and endeavored to see what there was aboutit which had once arrested my attention, and came to the conclusion thatit was its exceptional situation on the dock, and the ghostly effect ofthe hoisting-beam projecting from the upper story like a gibbet. And yetthis beam was common to many a warehouse in the vicinity, though in noneof them were there any such signs of life as proceeded from the curiousmixture of sail loft, boat shop and drinking saloon, now before me. Could it be that the ban of criminality was upon the house, and that Ihad been conscious of this without being able to realize the cause of myinterest? "Not stopping to solve my sensations further, I tried the door, and, finding it yield easily to my touch, turned the knob and entered. Fora moment I was blinded by the smoky glare of the heated atmosphereinto which I stepped, but presently I was able to distinguish the vagueoutlines of an oyster bar in the distance, and the motionless figuresof some half dozen men, whose movements had been arrested by my suddenentrance. For an instant this picture remained; then the drinking andcard-playing were resumed, and I stood, as it were, alone on the sandedfloor near the door. Improving the opportunity for a closer inspectionof the place, I was struck by its picturesqueness. It had evidently beenonce used as a ship chandlery, and on the walls, which were but partlyplastered, there still hung old bits of marlin, rusty rings and suchother evidences of former traffic as did not interfere with the presentmore lucrative business. "Below were the two bars, one at the right of the door, and the otherat the lower end of the room near a window, through whose small, squarepanes I caught a glimpse of the colored lights of a couple of ferryboats, passing each other in midstream. "At a table near me sat two men, grumbling at each other over a game ofcards. They were large and powerful figures in the contracted spaceof this long and narrow room, and my heart gave a bound of joy as Irecognized on them certain marks by which I was to know friend from foein this possible den of thieves and murderers. "Two sailors at the bar were bona fide habitués of the place, and soI judged to be the one or two other specimens of water-side characterwhose backs I could faintly discern in one of the dim corners. Meantimea man was approaching me. "Let me see if I can describe him. He was about thirty, and had thecomplexion and figure of a consumptive, but his eye shone with theyellow glare of a beast of prey, and in the cadaverous hollows of hisashen cheeks and amid the lines about his thin drawn lips there lay forall his conciliatory smile, an expression so cold and yet so ferociousthat I spotted him at once as the man to whose genius we were indebtedfor the new scheme of murder which I was jeopardizing my life tounderstand. But I allowed none of the repugnance with which he inspiredme to appear in my manner, and, greeting him with half a nod, waitedfor him to speak. His voice had that smooth quality which betrays thehypocrite. "'Has the gentleman an appointment here?' he asked, letting his glancefall for the merest instant on the lapel of my coat. "I returned a decided affirmative. Or rather, I went on, with a meaninglook he evidently comprehended, 'my son has, and I have made up my mindto know just what deviltry he is up to these days. You see I can make itworth your while to give me the opportunity. ' "'O, I see, ' he assented with a glance at the pocketbook I had justdrawn out. 'You want a private room from which you can watch the youngscapegrace. I understand, I understand. But the private rooms are above. Gentlemen are not comfortable here. ' "'I should say not, ' I murmured, and drew from the pocketbook a billwhich I slid quietly into his hand. 'Now take me where I shall besafe, ' I suggested, 'and yet in full sight of the room where the younggentlemen play. I wish to catch him at his tricks. Afterwards----' "'All will be well, ' he finished smoothly, with another glance at myblue ribbon. 'You see I do not ask you the young gentleman's name. I take your money and leave all the rest to you. Only don't make ascandal, I pray, for my house has the name of being quiet. ' "'Yes, ' thought I, 'too quiet!' and for an instant felt my spirits failme. But it was only for an instant. I had friends about me and apistol at half cock in the pocket of my overcoat. Why should I fear anysurprise, prepared as I was for every emergency? "'I will show you up in a moment, ' said he; and left me to put up aheavy board-shutter over the window opening on the river. Was this asignal or a precaution? I glanced towards my two friends playing cards, took another note of their broad shoulders and brawny arms, and preparedto follow my host, who now stood bowing at the other end of the room, before a covered staircase which was manifestly the sole means ofreaching the floor above. "The staircase was quite a feature in the room. It ran from back tofront, and was boarded all the way up to the ceiling. On these boardshung a few useless bits of chain, wire and knotted ends of tarred ropes, which swung to and fro as the sharp November blast struck the building, giving out a weird and strangely muffled sound. Why did this sound, soeasily to be accounted for, ring in my ears like a note of warning? Iunderstand now, but I did not then, full of expectation as I was fordevelopments out of the ordinary. "Crossing the room, I entered upon the staircase, in the wake of mycompanion. Though the two men at cards did not look up as I passed them, I noticed that they were alert and ready for any signal I might chooseto give them. But I was not ready to give one yet. I must see dangerbefore I summoned help, and there was no token of danger yet. "When we were about half-way up the stairs the faint light which hadilluminated us from below suddenly vanished, and we found ourselves intotal darkness. The door at the foot had been closed by a careful hand, and I felt, rather than heard, the stealthy pushing of a bolt across it. "My first impulse was to forsake my guide and rush back, but Isubdued the unworthy impulse and stood quite still, while my companionexclaiming, 'Damn that fellow! What does he mean by shutting the doorbefore we're half-way up!' struck a match and lit a gas jet in the roomabove, which poured a flood of light upon the staircase. Drawing my handfrom the pocket in which I had put my revolver, I hastened after himinto the small landing at the top of the stairs. An open door was beforeme, in which he stood bowing, with the half-burnt match in his hand. 'This is the place, sir, ' he announced, motioning me in. "I entered and he remained by the door, while I passed quickly about theroom, which was bare of every article of furniture save a solitary tableand chair. There was not even a window in it, with the exception of onesmall light situated so high up in the corner made by the jutting-upstaircase that I wondered at its use, and was only relieved of extremeapprehension at the prison-like appearance of the place by the gleamof light which came through this dusty pane, showing that I was notentirely removed from the presence of my foes if I was from that of myfriends. "'Ah, you have spied the window, ' remarked my host, advancing toward mewith a countenance he vainly endeavored to make reassuring and friendly. 'That is your post of observation, sir, ' he whispered, with a great showof mystery. 'By mounting on the table you can peer into the room wheremy young friends sit securely at play. ' "As it was not part of my scheme to show any special mistrust, I merelysmiled a little grimly, and cast a glance at the table on which stood abottle of brandy and one glass. "'Very good brandy, ' he whispered, 'Not such stuff as we give thosefellows down-stairs. ' "I shrugged my shoulders and he slowly backed towards the door. "'The young men you bid me watch are very quiet, ' I suggested, with acareless wave of my hand towards the room he had mentioned. "'Oh, there is no one there yet. They begin to straggle in about teno'clock. ' "'Ah, ' was my quiet rejoinder, 'I am likely, then, to have use for yourbrandy. ' "He smiled again and made a swift motion towards the door. "'If you want anything, ' said he, 'just step to the foot of thestaircase and let me know. The whole establishment is at your service. 'And with one final grin that remains in my mind as the most threateningand diabolical I have ever witnessed, he laid his hand on the knob ofthe door and slid quickly out. "It was done with such an air of final farewell, that I felt myapprehensions take a positive form. Rushing towards the door throughwhich he had just vanished, I listened and heard, as I thought, hisstealthy feet descend the stair. But when I sought to follow, I foundmyself for the second time overwhelmed by darkness. The gas jet, whichhad hitherto burned with great brightness in the small room, had beenturned off from below, and beyond the faint glimmer which found its waythrough the small window of which I have spoken, not a ray of light nowdisturbed the heavy gloom of this gruesome apartment. "I had thought of every contingency but this, and for a few minutesmy spirits were dashed. But I soon recovered some remnants ofself-possession, and began feeling for the knob I could no longer see. Finding it after a few futile attempts, I was relieved to discover thatthis door at least was not locked; and, opening it with a careful hand, I listened intently, but could hear nothing save the smothered sound ofmen talking in the room below. "Should I signal for my companions? No, for the secret was not yet mineas to how men passed from this room into the watery grave which was theevident goal for all wearers of the blue ribbon. "Stepping back into the middle of the room, I carefully pondered mysituation, but could get no further than the fact that I was somehow, and in some way, in mortal peril. Would it come in the form of a bullet, or a deadly thrust from an unseen knife? I did not think so. For, to saynothing of the darkness, there was one reassuring fact which recurredconstantly to my mind in connection with the murders I was endeavoringto trace to this den of iniquity. "None of the gentlemen who had been found drowned had shown any marks ofviolence on their bodies, so it was not attack I was to fear, but somemysterious, underhanded treachery which would rob me of consciousnessand make the precipitation of my body into the water both safe and easy. Perhaps it was in the bottle of brandy that the peril lay; perhaps--butwhy speculate further! I would watch till midnight and then, if nothinghappened, signal my companions to raid the house. "Meantime a peep into the next room might help me towards solving themystery. Setting the bottle and glass aside, I dragged the table acrossthe floor, placed it under the lighted window, mounted, and was about topeer through, when the light in that apartment was put out also. Angryand overwhelmed, I leapt down, and, stretching out my hands till theytouched the wainscoting, I followed the wall around till I came to theknob of the door, which I frantically clutched. But I did not turn itimmediately, I was too anxious to catch these villains at work. Would Ibe conscious of the harm they meditated against me, or would Iimperceptibly yield to some influence of which I was not yet conscious, and drop to the floor before I could draw my revolver or put to my mouththe whistle upon which I de-pended for assistance and safety? It washard to tell, but I determined to cling to my first intention a littlelonger, and so stood waiting and counting the minutes, while wonderingif the captain of the police boat was not getting impatient, and whetherI had not more to fear from the anxiety of my friends than the cupidityof my foes. "You see I had anticipated communicating with the men in this boat bycertain signals and tokens which had been arranged between us. But thelack of windows in the room had made all such arrangements futile, so Iknew as little of their actions as they of my sufferings; all of whichdid not tend to add to the cheerfulness of my position. "I, however, held out for a half-hour, listening, waiting and watchingin a darkness which, like that of Egypt, could be felt, and when thesuspense grew intolerable I struck a match and let its blue flameflicker for a moment over the face of my watch. But the matches soongave out and with them my patience, if not my courage, and I determinedto end the suspense by knocking at the door beneath. "This resolution taken, I pulled open the door before me and steppedout. Though I could see nothing, I remembered the narrow landing at thetop of the stairs, and, stretching out my arms, I felt for the boardingon either hand, guilding myself by it, and began to descend, whensomething rising, as it were, out of the cavernous darkness before memade me halt and draw back in mingled dread and horror. "But the impression, strong as it was, was only momentary, and, resolvedto be done with the matter, I precipitated myself downward, whensuddenly, at about the middle of the staircase, my feet slipped and Islid forward, plunging and reaching out with hands whose frenzied graspfound nothing to cling to, down a steep inclined plane--or what to mybewildered senses appeared such, --till I struck a yielding surface andpassed with one sickening plunge into the icy waters of the river whichin another moment had closed dark and benumbing above my head. "It was all so rapid I did not think of uttering a cry. But happily forme the splash I made told the story, and I was rescued before I couldsink a second time. "It was a full half hour before I had sufficiently recovered from theshock to relate my story. But when once I had made it known, you canimagine the gusto with which the police prepared to enter the houseand confound the obliging host with a sight of my dripping garments andaccusing face. And indeed in all my professional experience I have neverbeheld a more sudden merging of the bully into a coward than was to beseen in this slick villain's face, when I was suddenly pulled from thecrowd and placed before him, with the old man's wig gone from my head, and the tag of blue ribbon still clinging to my wet coat. "His game was up, and he saw it; and Ebenezer Gryce's career had begun. "Like all destructive things the device by which I had been run into theriver was simple enough when understood. In the first place it had beenconstructed to serve the purpose of a stairway and chute. The latter wasin plain sight when it was used by the sailmakers to run the finishedsails into the waiting yawls below. At the time of my adventure, and forsome time before, the possibilities of the place had been discovered bymine host, who had ingeniously put a partition up the entire stairway, dividing the steps from the smooth runway. At the upper part of therunway he had built a few steps, wherewith to lure the unwary far enoughdown to insure a fatal descent. To make sure of his game he had likewiseceiled the upper room all around, including the enclosure of the stairs. The door to the chute and the door to the stairs were side by side, andbeing made of the same boards as the wainscoting, were scarcely visiblewhen closed, while the single knob that was used, being transferablefrom one to the other, naturally gave the impression that there was butone door. When this adroit villain called my attention to the littlewindow around the corner, he no doubt removed the knob from the stairs'door and quickly placed it in the one opening upon the chute. Anotherdoor, connecting the two similar landings without, explains how he gotfrom the chute staircase into which he passed, on leaving me, to the onecommunicating with the room below. "The mystery was solved, and my footing on the force secured; but tothis day--and I am an old man now--I have not forgotten the horror ofthe moment when my feet slipped from under me, and I felt myself slidingdownward, without hope of rescue, into a pit of heaving waters, where somany men of conspicuous virtue had already ended their valuable lives. "Myriad thoughts flashed through my brain in that brief interval, andamong them the whole method of operating this death-trap, together withevery detail of evidence that would secure the conviction of the entiregang. "