Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1854-09-14

herself out of all means q escape by the doc.
and was entirely no TO her own resources. >
without utseripg cry, trembling IN every limb
The poor woman 20. into her bed by ihe side o
her child IL had flashed through her brail
like lighting. II vas The only chance len.
The bed vas 20 disposed that the robbie
could geI beneath Il BY . small. aperture. al IN,
Il head Without making 3 noise and il Wadproba
bic that he would choose, from prudence. tbii
means Of exit There was no curtain N M,
way, so Mrs. Martin, with terrible decision snt
noiseless energy, made rulEing moose will
her scarf, and held il poised over the aperturs
by which her enemy was 10 make bis appear
anee. She had resolved 10 try to strangle hin
lin defence Of her own life and that Of her child
/ The position was an awful one, and probably
had sac been able 70 direct her attention 10 the
surrounding circumstances, she might have
given way 70 her fears, and attsmptedto arouse
the inmates Of the house BY her screams. The
fire on the hearth. unattended 10. had fallen
around, and now gave cnly dull, sulIen II igIis.
with an occasional brigh; CLEAN. Every OBJ.
fject in the vast apartment glowed with rest
less motion. Now and then mouse advanced
stealthily along the floor, but startled BY some
noise under the bed, went securing back in ter.
ror toits hole. The child bresthed steadily in
its unconscious repose; the mother endeayored
also to initiate slumbeF; but The man under the
bed, uneasy 10 his position, could not help oc-
casionally making a slight noise. ma 80.
Mrs. Martin was occupied with only two
ideas. First, she reflected onthe extraordinary
delusion by which she had been led to see enc
mics in the peoHle Of the house, and a friend in
the red-haired man; and secondly ii struck her
that as he would feal no resistance from wo-
man, he might push away the chairs that were
in his way, regardless Of tie noise, and thus
avoid the snare that was laid for him. Once
she thought that whilst her attention was
strongly directed to one spot, he had made his
exit and was leaning over her, but she was de-
ceiyed by a Pickering shadow on the opposite
wall. In reality there was no danger that he
would compromise the success of his sanguina-
ry enterprise; the shrieks of ayiclim put ON its
guard might alarm the house.
Have you ever stood, hour after hour, with
your fishing rod in hand, waiting with the fero.
cious patience Of and angler, for nibble 7? If
you have, you have some faint idea OF the state
OF mind in which Mrs. Martin-with far other
interest at stake--passed the time, until an old
clock on the chimney piece told one after mid
night. Another source OF anxiety now present
ed itself-the fire had nearly burned out. Her
dizzy eyes could scarcely see the Aoor, az she
bent with fearful attention over che head of the
bed-the terrible nose hanging like the sword
OF Damocles, above the gloomy aperture.--
What, thought she, 'if he delay his appear
ance until the light has completely died away?
Will it not then be impossible for me to adi,;,st
the scarf-to do the deed--to kill tbs assas.
sin-7to save myself and my ckiiG? o, God [!
deliver him into my hs::l1s ....'--' 2.
A cautious movement below--the drag gging
OF hSnds Gnd knees along the foor--s heavy
suppressed breathing-annOunced that the su-
preme moment was near at hand. Her white
arms were barred to the shoulders; her hair fell
wildly around her face like the name of a lion.
ess about to leap upon its prey; the distended
orbits Of her eyes glared down upon the spot
where the question of life and death was very
soon to be decided. '.' '-
Time seemed UNNECESSARILY heightened out
every second assumed the proport ions of an
hour. But at last, Just as all lines and forms be
gan TO float before her sight through an indis
tinct medium of blending light and darkness, a
black mass interposed between her eyes and the
floor. Suspense being over, the time Of action
having arrived, everything seemed to pass with
magical rapidity. The robber thrust his head
carefully forward, Mrs. Martin bent down
there was halfchoked cry-the sound Of a
knife falling to the fOor--a conyulsive strug
gle. Pull pull! pull Mrs. Martin heard
nottingham nothing, but the scarf passing
be tween her two naked feet. et .g..r.
/ She had half thrown herself back, and hold
ing her scarf with both hands, pulled with a
desperate energy for her life. The conflict had
begun; and one or the other must perish. The
robber was powerful man, and made furious
effort to get loose not sound escaped his
lips not sound escaped from hers. The
dreadful tragedy was enacted IN solemn ST.
lence, a7ags eas % .s
ta'a* *alsr*
We'll, mother Guerard, cried young man,
leaping out of a carriage that stopped before the
door of the Auberge next morning, what news
have you got? Has my mother arrived"
is it your mother?' asked the landlady, who
seemed quite good humored after her nights
rest. There's a lady up stairs waiting for
some friends, but she does not speak French ca
silly and seemed unwilling to talk. We could
scarcely persuade her to goto bed.
Show me the room ! cried 4 rthur running
into the house. 7''s '5d -s.40s4 .-.''a D-a
They soon arrived before the chamber door.
aa Mother ! Mother I cried he, but received
no answer. q -TeE' st a9u la la.
gl The door is only latched, for we have no
robbersin this part Of the country said the
Ilsndlady. a1s4 .'iai 5it 81 7s'l4s aa a .'a'
But formidable obstacle opposed their en-,
Itronco + rTbev ihaeanne alarmed esneciallV