True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-07-18
VOLUME NUMBER 28s

victim !ittered not a word, probably in dis
dain IF his fate. At length he succeeded
in holding off her skinny and ensangdined
arms, and while doing so uttered few
words in Russian which could not under
stand. Finding her task difficult, she gave
a hiss like serpent and presently male
confederate, looking like Burke or Hare
clothed for an Adelphi melodrama, sucli
as | have seen in London, stole to her as
sistance and deliberately passed a long
knife into the bosom of the hapless Rus:
sian. | heard the sound Of it, atd tie
low deep groah that follosed. Tainfy had
[ endeavored to shout, in order to scare
these fends from their prey; but my tongue
clave tJ The roof of my mouth. was like
one under nightmare. Suddenly the
moon dived beneath a cloud. When it
came out again, the spoilers Of the field
of death had finished plundering the Rus
sian general, whose white hair, livid fed:
lures, and startling eye-balls I could plain
ly see, and were engaged in dividing or Sc
curing the booty. The glittering eyes of
the wrinkled Zingara, for such she was,
then turned upon me. 1t was evident
from their expression that my turn was at
hand. A tumult of thoughts agitated my
breast. To die thus, after escaping with
life from the events of the week /! 1t was
horrible. Already felt the clutch Of those
bird-like fingers at my throat Already
fancied that the butchcr-like knife, red
from hundred murders, and warm from
the old generals side, slowly passed into
my broast. / could offer no resistance. -
My left arm was brokcn-my ancle twist
ed-my strength utterly gone. l raised
myself partly up, as with hideous dclibcr-
alton, the pair cautiously approached, one
on each side. What would l have given
at that moment to be headinga "forlorn
hope;' to be struggling with the break
ers as when lately wrecked on the stormy
Caspian; to be standing opposite the best
saw-handlc shot in the county of Galway ;.
to be hob-nobbing over my fathers claret,
in my grandfather's house, with the black
guard attorney who ruined us all; to be
listening to the unmistakable refusal to
marry me of the only girl l loved, or to
be arrested by dirty tailor on the eve of
steeple chase, in which was the favour.
ite gentleman rider. Don't fancy that I
thought of all these things at that time,
though I never thought so much in a year
as did in those few moments. The ugly
Jewish features ofthe man approached ME
with the fascination of serpent l twist
ed myself around to meet the still more
fcndish glance of the woman. They near
ed me. The clutch of the bag is already
at my throat. The knife Of the man is
upraised. Suddenly the cords of speech
were loosened, and screamed-screamcd
like horse in the agony of battlefield.
shall never forget the sound of my own
voice III the unearthly cry. The monsters
drew back, but it was only to look at each
other, and indulge in chuckle of ghastly
merriment. At that instant l thought of
something-with my right hand l drew
forth my Colts revolver. l remembered
distinctly, during the instant it took to
pluck it forth, all the incidents of the two
days previous-each time | had fred it,
and that there were two charges left when
was shot down from my horse. To
snatch it forth--to cock ito level ito
pull the trigger-was the work Of second
Down went the man, a filthy corpse upon
the ground. remember seeing the shad-
owy forms of the obscene birds grouped
cropful in the solitary tree near me lazily
extend their wings, as, tho, sharp. report
rang out. The hag fled half-ardozen pa
ces, like startled ghoul but she was bur-
} dened with spoil, and her foot caught
against the very corpse Of him. whom she
had at last assisted, to murder. Before
, she could rise, had covered her with my
, istol. One two three! HShe has it
| cried. But it was. not fated. that she
! should enjoy the privilege Of instant death,
! She fell wounded and crippled. Her means
, and maledictions were horrible. / had,
. struck her, | believe, in the hip joint. =
At length, conceived the idea of dragging
: myself from that appalling vicinity fol
a these two wrotchas had made the accdstom
: cd sights, and SQUADS, Of the battlefield "a
d milar and endurable by comparison Will
Al rrnNcIIInrn ~ rnttpTt, u1opl