The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-10-23

fall. he'd bs ! dead man before be touched tue
gtouud." -. 49,. .,omsnt
TO be abie to ESQ his face: bnt what WIN ss,r,ne
head being downward, aud all q" ~s.S.' han "a
on my arms, I had DO more power
..John. !. exclaimed, awhat do Jon mesnf CATCH
hold Of ID. pole, and let me DO the same ny ''''
..po Won ace thiss" said he catching my arm
1. inches higher Up. and looking rishtnto my fsce
I, yss . large. open clasp knife, and he was
holding h, with HE teeth. His breath seemed W
hiss over the cold blaze ha,,-
waited I'll, the clouds came round, aud tnafo VA
no soul to see. Presently shall cut yon away
frnra the balloon. l took al oath that you hhooiu
never have her, and mean to keep ".
A dImaess came over my eyes ana every .s snS
srev ed felt that 10 another mioute snou'o
re pseasibIe lie thought vas 30 sireany, SUI
letting my arm free, made spring ss the po''o'e'
nv head.
Tha, spring saved me- Our wrists we're dravn
tos ether. and as he rose be drew me a.ong WY"
him. for was 60 faint and gfady that coo'u A""'
no effort for myself Ia
sew him hold by the pole with his LETT
hand: saw him take the knife in tue rigoti
felt the Geld steel pass between bis wrist apa mhs
and then --
And then the horror of the moment gave me back
We we're separated now, and was still secured
to the trapeze by one ankle. He had only his al m
{, trust to snd-the knife.
Oh. the deadly strife that followed! It sickens
me to think Of it. His only hope now lay 10 inc
cursed weapon and 30. clineing to the wood~orK
with one hand he strove to stab me Win tue
other
1t was life or death now. and grew desperate.
To feel his murderous clutch upon my th oar, abo
In the silence of that hideous struggle 70 hesr
repor. of champagne cork, followed by peal oi
careless laughter overhead. Oh, 1t was worse than
death, hundred times over! .,
cannot tell how long We chung thus. each with
a baud rpon the Others throat. It may pave
been only a few seconds, but seemed IKE hours
to me. The question was simply, wno shonia DC
strangied FIRST.
Presently his gripe relaxed, his lips became dead
white and shudder ran through every hbre 10
his body. He had turned giddy.
TheL a cry burst from him-a cry like pothing
human He m AIDE false clutch at the trapeze and
reeled over caught him Jus. IN tlnie py Tue peis
around his waist.
"Itis al, over With me-" he grosned between his
teeth ats al-over with me. Take your re-
venge.o Then his head fell heavily back, and be
hung dead weight on my arm
did take my revenge: bnt it was hard worx,
and was already half exhausted. How contri-
we'd TO hold him up, to unb!Dd my foot, and to
crawl. 30 laden, up the ropes, 10 more than car
tell; but my presence Of mind never failed me TOR
an instant. and suppose the excitement gave me
a sort of false strength while it lasted. At all
events I did it, though now only remember
climbing over the basket work, and seeing the
faces of the gentlemen all turned upon me rs sank
in the bottom of the car, scarcely more alive than
the burthen 10 my arms.
He is a penitent man now-an Australian
settler-aud, as / am told, well to do in those
parts.
This ia nv story, aud have more to tell.