ed woman hurriedly tried to close the lid. Her
efforts were frustrated, however, by the girl, who leaned with all her
force upon it, keeping it back, and still held out her hand as before.

"There followed a pause, which seemed to me very long, but which could
in reality have only lasted a minute.

"It was broken by the wicked woman, who, hastily casting a glance behind
her into the gloom of the darkened chamber, then seized the girl by the
arm and dragged her with all her force into the chest. It was but the
work of a moment, for the woman was much the more powerful of the two,
and the poor victim was too much taken by surprise to make much
resistance. I saw one despairing look in her face as her murderess
flashed the lantern before it with a hideous gleam of triumph.

"Then the lid was pressed down upon her, and I saw no more, only I felt
an unutterable terror, and tried in vain to scream.

"This was not all the vision, however, for before I had mastered my
terror the scene was superseded by another.

"This time it was twilight, and the wicked woman and her son were
together. The son seemed to be talking eagerly, and grew more and more
excited, while the mother stood still and erect, with a malicious smile
upon her lips. Presently she moved toward the chest with a fell purpose
in her eyes, unlocked it with a key which hung from her girdle, raised
the lid and disclosed the contents.

"I understood it all now: the son was asking for the girl whom he had
loved, and whom on his return home he missed, and the wicked woman,
enraged at hearing for the first time that he had loved her, was
determined to have her revenge.

"He should see her again.

"On beholding the dread contents of the chest, the man staggered back
horrified; then, doubtless comprehending the case, he turned suddenly
upon the murderess, and threw his arm around her, and there ensued a
struggle terrible to witness.

"Her proud triumphant glance of malice was now succeeded by one of
abject fear, and, as his strength began to gain the mastery, of despair.

"His iron frame heaved for a moment with the violence of his efforts,
the next he had forced her down into the chest upon the mouldering body
of her victim. I saw her eyes light up with the terror of death for one
second, and then her screams were stifled forever beneath the massive
lid.

"The horror of this scene was too much for me; I found voice to scream
at last, and I suppose it was my cry