The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-12-05

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blood boiled at the bare idea of being made the tool
of so unhalOwed purpose. wes resolved |
ground my teeth with rage grasped the relns
with tiger hold determined to be rid OF the
man-nay, even to attempt TO destroy him iather
than it be said that / ersisted in his escape At
some distance further on there was river suitable
for that purT Dse. When off his guard, he could IN
a moment be pushed into the stream In certain
places it was sufficiently deep to drown him One |
circumstance perpexed me. Ii he escaped, he
could adduce evidence against me- NO matter; IL
would be difficult 10 prove that had any lhiehuoh
of taking away his liie But should he be the per
son conceived, he would not daIs I'd come ior-
ward.
Hitherto we had ridden without exchanging a
Apord. Indeed, ! had only once turned my eyes
upon him since we started. The irhLh was, |
was too busy with my own thOughts-loo intent
uIJ6 de visng some plan to llberae myself from my
unparalleled situation. Inow cast mye iurnVe-
ly toward him. shqddered as ] contemplated his
Proclamation to myself. | fancied already felt his
communicating influence. The cap, as before, was
drawn over his face; the scarf muttied closely
round his chin, and only sufficient space allowed
for the purpO. Of respiration. was most deslrous
of knowing who he was indeed, had he been the |
" Man with the Iron Mask" so many years incar- |
ceraed in the French Basie, he could scarcely |
have excited greater curiosity.
deemed it prudent TO endeavor to dIaw him into |
conversation, thinking that he might drop some |
expression that would, in some measure, tend TO
eIucidate his history.
"It's very dark, unhealthy night, sir"
He made no reply. thought he might not have
| heard me.
A bad night for travelling" Ishouted, in a loud
tone of voice
The man remained immovathe, without in the
| least deignng to notice my observation. He either
did not wish to talk, or he was deaf. II he wished
| to be silent. ! was contehed to let him remain 50.
Ii had not occurred to me till now that had re-
| celved paper from tue landlord which would in
| form me whittier my extraordinary companion was
to be conveyed. My heart suddenly received
| new mpulse-it beat with hops and expectation.
| This document might reveal TO me something more
than was lead to expect; it might unravei the la
| lyrinth in which | entangled, and eXtrCate
me from all further difficulty But how TO
deCyph-r the writing There no other means
of doing so than by stopping the vehicle and alight
lug, and endeavOrIng to read it by the aid of the
| lamp which, | feared, would afford but very i'm
| perfect light after all. Before had recourse to
this plan, deemed it expedent to address once
| more my tacturn companion.
| Where am | to drive you to :" inquired, in so
| loud voice that the started oil at bTisker
pace, as though had been speaking to her re-
| ceved no reply, and without further hesitation, l
drew in the rens, pull1 the paper from my pocket
| walked to the lamp and held the paper near to
il as [ could. The haudwrit ng not very legi-
! BILE, and the light afford ! ME weak that had
great ditficrlty to diacouer its meaning. The
| words were few and pointed The reader will
|, Judge my surprise when | read the following la
e | comic sentence:
e ! Drive the gentleman to Grayburn Church
e yard p
: | was more alarmed than ever; my limbs shook
violently, and in instant felt the blood fly from
my cheeks. What did my employer mean by inn
! posing such a task upon me? My fortitude in
. some degree returned, and | walked up to the mare
4 ! and patted her on the neck.
d Poor thing-poor thing - | said "you have
o long Journey before YOU and it may be dangerous
n 1 one
If | looked at my companion, but he appeared tc
W take notice of my actions, and seemed as indt
= ! fereTt if he corpse. l again resumed
ID my seat and in part cOnsoed myself with the pros
g Pect Of being speedily rid OF him in some way o
ii other as the river have already alluded to wa
I'd now only two or three miles distant My thoughts
u ! now turned to the extraordinary place to which
IT, ! was to drve-Grayburn Churchyard. What coult
W the do there at that hour of the night! Had
,r he somebody to meet? something to or obtain
| 1t was ble-beyond the possibility
" of human dvination. Was he insane, was hi
H. bent upon an errand perfectly rational, although TO
s the present wrapped in the most lmpenetrabIe mys
Sc tery2 / at a loss for language adequate +
a convey a proper notion of my feelings on that oc
cason. He shall arrive, | internally elacu
lated, at Grayburn Church yard he shall neve
pass beyond the stream, which even now | amos
heard murmurlng IN the distance! Heaven torglv
- me for harbOring such intentions but when l re
hected that | nigh be assisting assassin to fl
M from justice, | conceived WIS acting perfect
,er correct in adopting any means (no matter HOY
lte bad) for the obvIation OF so horrld CONSUMING
,ot ! ton. For aught | knew, his present intento
"
he | remembered that the person who had so latel
in been murdered was inferred in this very churcl
,as yard.
ire We gradually drew nearer to the river. heal
a its roaring with fear and trepldaton. 1t smote m
ro- heart with awe when | pondered upon the deed
me had in contemplation. l could discover from /
he rushing sound, that it much swollen, and tn
uc- was owing the recent heavy rains. The Strea
in ine weather seldom more than couple
in feet deep, and could be crossed without danger
ich difficulty; there, however, were places where
Did, was considerably deeper. On the occasion in que
ard ton, it more dangerous than had ever know
ok it, There was no bridge constructed across it
rot. this place. and people obliged to get throul
the it as well as they could. Nearer and nearer Y
red approached. The night was dark that it W
be- quite impossible to discern any thing, could tt
ling the beatlngs of my heart against my breast, &C
ud- cammy sweat settled upon my brow, and i
my mouth became dry that anced was choklr
Is, The moment at hand that to put my
ger solution the test, A few yards separated
lgh from the spot that was to terminate my journe
anu anu and perhaps, the mortal career of my incompI
not hensible companion. The light of the lamps thr
uat- a dull lurid CLEAN upon the surface of the wat
isI 1t rushed furousy past surging and boiling as
t eaped the rocks that here and there interse
@ l,'u ed its channel. Without moments hesitation
w urged the mare forward, and in a minute we W
,h in the midst of the stream. 1t was case OF LIE
NO death The water came down like a torrent
;hat tide was irresistible. There not mOmen
cate be lost. My own life was at stake. With the
hos EtnCtlye ieellng oil sell preservation, drove
re | animal swiftly through the dense body of wa
gs a and in few seconds had gained the oppo
.stIv bank of the river We safe, but the oppo
ould nifty of ridding myself of my companion
d be dered by the emergency OF the case, unavalal
;new ] know not how 1t was, but | suddenly bect
ceed actuated by a new impulse. Wretch though
In was he had entrusted his safety, his life, nJO
own hands There was, perhaps, still some good IN
The | man by enabling him 10 escape, might be
TOwn instrument o ms ternal salvation. ne mao q
him | me no injury, and al some period of his life
sss. | might have rendered good Offices to others
ped his situation, and determined TO render
great what assistance could. | applied the whip to
mr. of mare In a moment she seemed to be endO
eman with supernatural energy and swlttness. Tho
Jour he was a murderer-IhOugh he was hencefortl
u dis be driven from society outcast, he should
The be deserted in his present emergency. On, on
star | sped hedges trees, houses were passed IN E
mat succession. NO.hJng impeded our way. We
quite a task to perform, d duty to fulfil danger
tack, difficulties fled before us. human life depeT
dvan- upon our exertons and every nerve required
ashed strained for Its preservation. On, on We hlr
npres- My enthusiasm assumed the appearance OF
Jm the ness shouted the mare till was hoarse,
ie dis broke the whip in several places. Although
)sr ag- comparatively flew the ground, iancle
gested did not 60 fast enough. My body was in con
d-lhe motion, AS though il would give impetus to
m the movements. My companion appeared COnsCiO
ilh ths my Intentions, and for the first time, eVinCe
uld be interest IN our progress. He drew out his
Why kerchef, and used II inressantly as an ince
stery | to swIttRess. Onward We fled. We were