murdered her,
and taken her body down into the vault for concealment; or if, as was
most likely, for there was no mark of violence or stain of blood about
the place--they had taken her to the vault first, and robbed and
murdered her there.

Oh, if these horrible fears should be realized!

With the very thought Lyon Berners went pale and cold as marble in an
anguish such as he had never felt in the severest crisis of their sorely
troubled lives.

"Joe!" he cried, "go search the wagon for that crowbar belonging to
Captain Pendleton. It must be there somewhere. And I must break this
vault door open, or break my heart-strings in the trial."

"The crowbar is all right, Marster. And I'll go and fetch it as fast as
I can. But we'll nebber see Mistess alive again! Nebber, Marster, in
this world!" sobbed Joe, as he arose from his knees near the door and
went upon his errand.

Little Nelly renewed her passionate demonstrations of distress and
anxiety; now furiously barking and scratching at the door; now jumping
upon her master's breast, and looking up into his face and whining, as
if telling him that her mistress was down there, imploring his human aid
to free her, and wondering why it was not given.

"I know it, my poor little dog! I know it all!" said Lyon, soothingly.

But little Nelly was incredulous and inconsolable, and continued her
hysterical deportment through the half hour which intervened between the
departure and the return of Joe.

"Ah, give me the tool!" eagerly exclaimed Mr. Berners, snatching the
crowbar from the negro, as soon as he saw him.

And he went and applied it with all his force to the door, straining his
strong muscles until they knotted like cords, while Joe looked on in
anxiety and suspense, and little Nelly stood approvingly wagging her
tail, as if to say:

"Now, at last, you are doing the right thing."

But with all Lyon's straining and wrenching, he failed to move the
impassable door one hair's breadth.

Joe also took a turn at the crowbar; but with no more success.

They rested a while, and then united their efforts, and with all their
strength essayed to force the door; but without the slightest effect
upon its immovable bars.

"I might have known we could not do it this way, for neither Pendleton
nor myself could succeed in doing so. Joe, we must take down the altar
and take up the flagstones; but that will be a work of time and
difficulty, and you will have to go back home a