Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-10-06

thus. | knew very well that further
remonstrance would be useless, for the
drivers We're stupidity hoggish, and the
new applicants were clearly men not
to be argued with. The door was
opened, and the fellows entered. J
occupied the back seat, and tilev took
the seat at the other end, fixing them
selves so as to face me. They looked
at me out of wicked eyes, and as they
threw back their short cloaks I saw
they were we'll armed.
''Iope We don't trouble you:" said
one Of them IN coarse Italian, as the
diligence started on.
Il gazed inquiringly into his face,
but made no reply.
''He repeated the remark.
"No comprehend, sigEor," said,
shaking my head. -
"Ah-ERglise :" he suggested with
a shrug Of his shoulders.
"No-Irish,'' y told him.
Ugh - he grunted with another
slrug Of the broad, massive shoulders,
and an awful scowl of the face.
owe had now begun 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 horses fell nara and thick,
without accomplishing anything. Had
L been alone, l might have enjoyed the
magnificent scenery which mtolded it.
self below Us rs We crcpt up the Coli
ma; but rs i. WAS | could not thinI1 Of
anything save the two men who had
forced themselves upon me. Pretty
soon one Of them spoke, and though /
appeared not to notice them, yet I
could see that they were watching me
closely.
''De&th and dcStru, tion;' he muttes-
ed III his own tongue, eve shall be over
the precipice if that drunken driver is
not careful -
Il read ti.e fellows purpose in mo-
ment, and not a movement BETRAYED
an understanding OF what he Said.-
Ny eyes were half closed, and to ali
appearance I Was unconscious OF even
their presence.
''Iic's right. He don't understand
Us, said one OF them.
''AIl safe > returned the other.
''-Attcr this thcv convcrsed together
quite freely, and I was not louo in hay
ing my worst fears realized. But not
a change could they detect in my
countenancc. | kept my knowledge
as secret as the very grave, and all my
feeling was within me. Atsscr while
they became satisfied that [ knew
nothing Of their language, and they be-
came more bold in their speech, aud
talked their plan Ill over, and from
them I learned the following highly In
teresting particulars:
"The one whom ! had seen in Flor
ence had, by some means, learned that
[ was to carry quite . large sum of
money with ne across the mountains,
and he had come on to Plstoia, where
his confederate was, to await my arri-
val, intending to rob me there if posi-
bic. But when they found that was
40 90 atoue by diligence, they had q
better plan. They would rob me on
the mountain. The two drivers were
friends of theirs, and were to be paid
.1berally for allowing themselves to be
overcome. The villains talked about
cutting my throat, shooting me through
the head, or plunging a knife to my
heart, and then throwing me over the
precipice, - cooly as though they had
been planning the death OF. q fowl for
dinner! The place where they were to
murder me was about a mile Distant
where the road wound round u high
crag, with an almost perpendicular
wall Of rock upon one hand, and deep
chasm on the otheI..
SeSIi1ls was an interesting position,
sure enough, / was weak weak ut
best-but doubIy weak now with my
ilIness-and the only weapon I had
was 4 single pistol. Either Of the Bri-
gands could have thrown me over his
head With ease, and as for fighting with
them, that was out of the question:
What could | do? Both the drivers
were in league with them. III leapcd
from the diligence, [ should die on the
spot where / landed. # ] shot one Of
the bandits, the other would annihiIatc
me in moment. I had the gold in
small travelling bag under my feet,
and as the heavy carriage jolted over
the stones, the yellow pieces iingIcd
sharply, and [ could see the eyes Of
,the villains sparkle like stars.
"At length the ffig4l cragGy pea}
was in sight, and I could see where
the road wound abruptly round it
Thus far | had been torturing nay
brains to invent some way Of escape,
but without effect. / was as thorough
.ly ledge3 in as though bound by iron
chains. And in few minutes all
would be overt Still I felt for my pis-
tol, and [ had it ready
'Presently the diligence stopped al
the foot Of an abrupt rise, and the fel-
low who drove the oxen came and told
the bandits they must get out aud walk
up. They stepped out at once, and in
moment heard slight scuffie. ]
locked out just in time to see both the
drivers lashed together by the arms,
back to back. They nust have been
placed ready for the operation, for the