chimney, possibly you may have
noted that I frequently applied my rule to it in a manner apparently
unnecessary. Possibly, also, at the same time, you might have observed
in me more or less of perplexity, to which, however, I refrained from
giving any verbal expression.

I now feel it obligatory upon me to inform you of what was then but a
dim suspicion, and as such would have been unwise to give utterance to,
but which now, from various subsequent calculations assuming no little
probability, it may be important that you should not remain in further
ignorance of.

It is my solemn duty to warn you, sir, that there is architectural cause
to conjecture that somewhere concealed in your chimney is a reserved
space, hermetically closed, in short, a secret chamber, or rather
closet. How long it has been there, it is for me impossible to say.
What it contains is hid, with itself, in darkness. But probably a secret
closet would not have been contrived except for some extraordinary
object, whether for the concealment of treasure, or for what other
purpose, may be left to those better acquainted with the history of the
house to guess.

But enough: in making this disclosure, sir, my conscience is eased.
Whatever step you choose to take upon it, is of course a matter of
indifference to me; though, I confess, as respects the character of the
closet, I cannot but share in a natural curiosity. Trusting that you may
be guided aright, in determining whether it is Christian-like knowingly
to reside in a house, hidden in which is a secret closet, I remain, with
much respect,

Yours very humbly,

HIRAM SCRIBE.

My first thought upon reading this note was, not of the alleged mystery
of manner to which, at the outset, it alluded-for none such had I at all
observed in the master-mason during his surveys--but of my late kinsman,
Captain Julian Dacres, long a ship-master and merchant in the Indian
trade, who, about thirty years ago, and at the ripe age of ninety, died
a bachelor, and in this very house, which he had built. He was supposed
to have retired into this country with a large fortune. But to the
general surprise, after being at great cost in building himself this
mansion, he settled down into a sedate, reserved and inexpensive old
age, which by the neighbors was thought all the better for his heirs:
but lo! upon opening the will, his property was found to consist but of
the house and grounds, and some ten thousand dollars in