The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-10-25


and shoQlh have overtaken her, bat that IN
darling round the corner where she disappear
ed, ran hult against stout, elderly gentle
man, who wa hurFying srnartly along out Of
the. weather, With the suddsnness Of the
shock hud ths slipperiaess 81 ,hs pavement,
down We both reeled and by the time We re-
gained our feet, and growled sayAgely at each
other, the young woman, whoever she was,
had diAappearadand more than half An hours
eager search aner her proved fruihess. Al
last bethought me Of hiding at one corner
Of Westminster bridge. ! had watched im-
patiently for aboai twenty minutss, when 1
observed tho object Of my ,pursuit stealing
timidly and fartively towards the bridge on
the opposite side Of the way. A. she oame
nearly abreast of where stood, dArted for
ward she saw, without recognizing me, and
uttered an exclamation Of terror, flew down
towards the river, where lumber Of pieces
ofbalk and other timber were fastened togcth-
err fOrming kindOr 1O0Ee rEft 4 -tUttuwud
with haste, Tor saw that il was indeed Mary
.Kingsford,a aud loudly called 70 her 10 stop
She did pot seem 10 hear me, and in few
moments the unhappy girl had gained thc
end of the timber rAh. One instant she pans.
ed, with olaspcd hands upon the brink, and
in another had thrown hor.elfinto tho dark
river On reaching the spot where she
had disappeared, could not at drst see her
in consequence Of the dark mourning drcs'
she had on Presently caught sight Of her
still upborno by her spread clothes, but hlrea.
dy carried by the swim current beyond my
reach, The only chance was 10 crawl along
piece Of round timscr which projected fag,
ther into the river, and by the ond Of which
she must pass. This effected with some dil.
GOultyi and laying myself out at full length
yainly endea' 'orcd, with outStrctehcd, strain.
ing arms, to grasp her dress. There was moth
ing lc0 for il but 10 plunge IN after her.
wilf confess that hesitated to do 30. | was
encumbcrcd with heavy dress, which therc
was no time to put oil, and morcoecr, like
most inland men, was but an indifferent
swimmer My indecision quickly vanished
The wrotched girl, though gradually sinking
had not yet uttered a cry, or appeared "a
struggle; but when the chilling waters reach.
cd her lips, she seemed TO suddenly revive "a
consciousncss Of the horror Of her fate she
fought wildly with tho engrlphing tide, and
shrickcd for help. Before one could count
ten, Sraspcd her by the arm, and lflcd her
head ar0Yc TfG EuTrac5 0t tho TivUT, 7tg-i
did SOL felt as if suddenly cncascd and weigh
ed down by lcadcn garments, so quickly had
my thick clothing and high boots sucked in
the water. VAinly, thus 6urdcned and impc-
dcd, did cndeavor TO regain the raf,; The
strong tide bore us outwards, and / glared
round, in incxprcssiblc dismay, for some
means OF feNtrication from the figHtfuI peri I
found Ryself involved. Happily, right in
the direction the tide was drifing us, large
barge lay moorcd by chain-cable. ! seized
and twined one arm firmly round il, and thus
partially secure, hallooed with renewed pow
or for assistance. Il soon came; a passer had
witnessed the fight Of the girl, and my pur-
suit, and was already Fastening with others
to our assistance. A whcrry was unmoorsd;
guided by my voice, they soon reached us
and but brief interval elapsed before we
were safely housed in an adjoining tavern.
A change of dress, with which the landlord
kindly supplied me a blazing FIRE, and coup
le OF glasses of hot brandy and water, soon re-
stored warmth and vigor to my chilled and
partially benumbod limbs; but moro than two
hours elapsed before Mary, who had swallow.
cd good deal OF water, was in condition "a
be removed. I had just sent for cab, when
two police officers, we'll known 10 me, enter.
cd the room with official briskness. Mary
screamed, staggered towards me and clinging
to my arm, bcsought me with frantic earnest
ness 10 save her.
"What is the meaning Of this ?" ] exolaim.
cd, addressing one of the police officers.
Merely" said hO, "that the young woman
that's clingiug so tight to You has been com
hitting an audacious robbery
"No--no-no ~ broke in the terrified girl.
"0h Of course you'll say So" continued
the officer. "Alhi know is, that the diamond
brooch was found snugly hid away in her owr
box. But come, we have been after you fol
the last three hours; so you had better com,
along at once" .e,..,,,.
"SAve me save me ~ she sobbed tighten
ing her grasp upon my arm and looking with
beseeching agony in my saco.
"Be comforted," l whispered; ''you shall &c
home with me, Calm yourself. Miss Kings
ford p j added in louder tonci ~ no more be
lievc you have stolen diamond brooch thar
that have"
BLESS you l-bless you !" she gasped in til,
intervals of her convulsive sobs.
"There is some wre.ched misapprehensior
in this business, anr quite sure, II continued
"but at all events shall bail her-for thi
night at least" u4
"Bail her That is hardly regular"
".NO but you will tell the superintendent
that Mary Kingsford is in my custody and tha
I answer for her appearance tomorrow
The men hcsftEted; bug I stood too we'll al
headquarters for them to do more than hest,
I tate; and theesh I Ind ordered being just
/ sl..... 4 ..~.,..l ~. I.