Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-12-03
QUAsQUEToN BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA THURSDAY DECEMBER

The Travellers last Inn,' he replie,
, mournfully.
Let us fly 7 l cried, starting up il
wild alarm. we are not sufficient,
armed-let us fly =
made movement for the door, bu
he laid one hand upon my arm to arres
my steps, and the other on my lips t.
warn me to be silent.
] Hush not SO loud. They are fv'
and we only two. The odds are agains
us, for the girls are as strong and as ac
tive as the father and sons. Besides, al
chances of egress are, and have been from
the moment we entered, cut off. They
stand between us and the door, armed
like assassins, as they are, to the teeth
We may yet escape, but it must be by
stratagem-not by force.
Try the window, then o, heavens
must | die, and yet so young 2
Hush be man 7 cried Herman,
throwing aside the curtain of the win
dow. Look 7 he exclaimed, as he held
up the lamp.
| looked and shuddered. The window
was nailed down, and through the panes
heavy range of iron bars, like those
fronting the cells of a prison, ran up and
across the window frame.
The door, l exclaimed, staggering
back Il. the sight
Herman flew to the door 1t was fast,
and all his activity and strength could
not make ii bulge or give "a hair.
we are lost cried, and fell into Il
chair.
Not yet said Herman, calmly. The
crisis, however, is certainly approaching;
but till it shall have come and left us
corpses, we must not despair. We must
think we must collect our energies and
all our faculties yes, we must keep cool
and think
He was himself far from calm. His
fine, manly features were as pale as a
shroud his dark hair hung loopingly
about his brow beads of cold sweat
were visible at every pore his nerves
shook painfully. He dropped for few
moments on the side of the bed facing the
door, and covered his eyes with his hands.
My agitation passed in looking upon his.
In few moments he removed his hands
and raised his head and then, to my
amazement, all traces OF his agitation
had passed away. His features were
calm and stern as iron, and the beads OF
cold sweat had all vanished
Let us prepare for the crisis, said he,
rising and seating himself on tie chair.
Get ready your pistols and your knife
l made no reply, but prepared TO fol-
low his suggestion. In few moments,
as far as defending ourselves with our
arms was concerned, we were ready.
We must make up our minds to pass
the night without sleep said my COM
panion, or else run Tie chance OF sleep
ing forever
am prepared, said l, resignedly.
And l., said Herman. Now, listen.
If it be my fate, in the conflict that is
coming, to fall, and yours to escape, l
have favor to ask of YOU
Name it.
In the town of Picardy, France, l
have an estate valued at two hundred
thousand francs. By using my name,
any citizen in the town will point it out
to you
We'll
At Berse, by careful inquiry, you
will find poor lone widow, by the name
of Rudder-she is my mother. Do not
start, for guess your thought and par
don It, You will seek out this poor wild
ow; tell her of my end ; convey her
with what despatch you can to Picardy,
and after paying yourself freely for your
time and trouble, put her in possession of
my property. Do YOU understand me p
Yes
'Will you do this p
Yes
Thank you-thank you
He took my hand and grasped it warm
ly, turned away his head and wept.
And YOU he said at length, have
you nothing that can do for you, it you
should fall and live p
Nothing, said l.
Nothing!' he exclaimed, looking at
me in surprise.
Nothing | replied. Il am mere
clerk, travelling from town to town, to ex-
tend the correspondence of my employ
er. have no kindred living, no friends
that care for me. / owe no man, and all
the troubla my death xyould oraata ,,o,,ll