The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-11-10


the incarnatio of murder. 1recognizet
one of them as fellow whom had seer
hanging about the hotel at Florence, ant
tie other I was confident I had caught I
glimpse of just as the diligence left th'
yard of the P;stoja.
i was upon the point of speaking
when the th ught occurred to me that
had better keep my knowledge of the
Italian language to myself. might hnc
out the character of the fellows thus -
1 knew very well that further remon
STRANGE would be useless, for the drivers
were stupidity hoggish, and the new ap'
plicauts were clearly not men to be ar
gued with. The door was opened, and
the fellows entered. l occupied the
back seat, and they took the seat at the
other end, fixing themselves SO as to face
me. They looked at me out of wicked
eyes, and as they threw back their short
clcaks I saw they wero we'll armed.
Hope we don't trouble you?' said one
ofthem In coarse italian, as the diligence
started on.
|. Il gazed iDquiriugiy into his face, but
made no reply.
He repeated the remark.
No comprehend, Signor, I said shak-
ing my head.
'Ah-AnglissP' he suggested, with a
shrug of the shoulders.
'No-Irish,' told him.
'UghI' he grunted, with another shrug
of the broad massive shoul ders, and an
awful scowl of the face.
We had now began to ascend the
mountain in good earnest, and our pace
was slow and numbering. The fellow
who drove the oxen made noise enough
for an army, while the blows upon both
oxen and hor=es fell bard and thick, but
without accomplishing anything. Had
been alone, might have enjoyed the
III agnifcent scenery WHICH unfolded itselt
below Us as we crept up the Collina, but
as [ was could not think Of anything
save the two aeu " bo had forced them
selves upon me. Pretty soon one o.
them spoke, and though I appeared moi
to notice them, yet L could see that they
were watching me closely.
Death and destruction!' he uttered
in his own tongue, '@e shall be over the
precipice if that drunken driver is not
careful.
read the fellows purpose in mo
ment, and not movement betrayed my
understanding of what he said. My
eyes were half closed and to all appear.
ancesI was unconscious even of their
presence.
He's right, he don't understand US,
said one of them.
All is safe, returned the other.
After this they couversed together
quite freely, aud was not long in hav-
ing my worst fears realized. But not
change could they detect in my oounte-
uauce. kept my knowledge as secret
as the grave, and all my fears were with
in me. After while they became sat
listed that knew nothing of their Ian
guage and they became more bold IL
their speech, and talked thoir plans ali
over, and from them learned the fol-
lowing highly interesting particulars.
The one whom had seen in Florence
had by some means learned that / was
to carry quite large sum Of money with
me across the mountains, and he had
come on to Pistoja, where his confeder
ate was to await my arrival, intending to
rob me if possible. But when they
found that was to go alone in the did
igence. they had better plan. They
would rob NC on the monnta Thine
two drivers were friends of theirs, and
were to be paid literally for allowing
themselves to be overcome. The vii
iains talked about cutting my throat
shooting me through the head or plung
lug knife to my heart, and then throw
ing me over the precipice, as coolly al
though they had been planning the death
of foul dinner! The place where they
were to muir der me was about q mile
distant, where the road wound round q
high crag, with an almost perpendicular
wall of rock upon ole hand, and a deer
chasm on the other.
This was an interesting position, sure
enough. 1 was weak-weak at best
but doubly weak with my illness--and
the only weapon had was single pistol
Either of the brigands could have thrown
me over his head with ease, and as fol
fighting with them that was out of the
question. What could I do2 Both tht
drivers were in league with them. II
Ieaped from the diligence I should die
on the spot where landed. IF sho
one of the bandits, the other would an
pibilate me in a moment. had the
gold in small travelling bag under my
feet, and as the heavy carriage joltee
oyer the stones, the yellcw pieces jinglee
sharply, and could see the eyes OF tn
'i- ike stars.
villains sparA,~ -
At length the high oraggy peak NJ.
in sight, and | could see where the roae
r