Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-05-07

ne eI1OTL I0Ile0.
The weight Of his heavy frame dangling in
the air by one hand only, his violent efforts
the pressure Of the tight-drawn.knOt, occa-
stoned the villain intense torture: the joints
Of his arm crackled and began to part; the
blood Oozed out under the rope from the lac
Grated skin, and trickled into the sleeve Of his
cloak; while that Of the rest Of his frame
rushed from the extremities to his head. Ev-
cry moment it seemed as II the hand would
be torn of. lie even wished that it might
His anxiety lest the people of the house
should return his dread Of being taken in
this predicament; inpatiencc, rage; the
thought of his misdecds, of his punishment :;
all his guilty life all this possessed his tn.
multuOus Imagination, and brought his dark
soul to dispair. Cold sweat broke from his
forcheadR In spite of his tigcr-like endurance,
n cry of agony burst at last from his iron bo-
-seFa.
Duna, pctrfed, and thinking only of death,
had hitherto looked on in idiotic indifference.
For long time she did not understand what
he was doing, and made no attempt to under
stand il. True, she was still standing upright
like living thing, but living she was not
The involuntry cry of the murderer walked
her, however from her trance. She saw him
bleeding. as ifit were half dream she saw
blood on the floor, a hideous gaping mouth,
with great misshaped teeth, red fiery eyes
starting from the socket; she read his anguish
in his ghastly distorted features, and guessed
at last what had happened. Hope animated
her: she began to think of deliverance.
" "Avdotya! push the table nearer" said
the robber; in altered, but still harsh and
commanding accents, that terrified her again,
and compelled her to blind obedience. Once
more she lost her presence Of mind, and push
ed the corner Of the table towards him. The
villain reached it with the toes of one foot {;
he raised himself up few lines. It was for
him moment Of heavenly enjoyment. Never
in his whole life had he known one like it
not even after the most successful murder
His agony was less intOlcrable; he drew breath
again; but his left hand, which he tried TO
use to free his right, was benumbed and pow
erlcss. The knot, too, had grown too tight |;
the rcprobatc felt that he could do no more
without aid.
""Avdotya Yercmeycvna kind friend!-
good girl! do me the favor! jump upon the
table; unite my arm-prny do! will not
kill you; | only meant to frighten you. Oh !
how my head Swims!"
The miscreant's torture touched the kind
hearted girls soul. The feeling Of compassion
not unfrequently extinguishes in woman the
thought Of their own danger. That woman
thinks with her heart has been said thousands
of times since -the-iRve0tien-o of printing. In
Dumas bosom compassion prevailed over fear,
and stifed the voice of sclf-preservation. She
sprang upon the table, and labored long and
hard at the knot. She could not undo it,
:" do me the favor, sweet, sweet Duna -
Fetch knife-cut the cursed repe-I am dy-
ing with pain"
The girl jumped off the table, and ran to
the pantry. Poor creature! she little knew
the return the lcd-noscd guest was prepared
to make for her Kindness Of heart ShefOund
a knife; she hurried back; she was on the
Threshold Of the scene Of torture, when the
table on which the robber had rested his foot,
turned over with a loud noise. lie had upset
it in endeavoring to change his feet. Once
more he was swinging with all his weight in
the air. A piercing yell told the sudden re-
ncwal of his former tOrtures. Duna stopped
short ut the door. His .hideously distorted
face struck her with involuntary horror; she
thought it was Satan's own features she be-
held. The sight riveted her to the spot where
she stood: she shuddcred, and dared not
move a step forward.
She looked round and saw q window open.
The thought flashed upon her that she might
avail herself of the circumstance. But he suf.
fers so dreadfully! How frightfully he screams?
The rope must be cut. Duna advanced few
steps. That horrid gaping mouth Duna
tOttered back, and mechanically unconscious
of what she did, she raised herself to the win.
dow-ledgc, and dropped from it into the court
yard.
When she was in tho courtyard, she knew
not what she had done, or what she bad to do
She had escaped the sight of that ferociOus
satanic mouth, but not the influence of her
tormentor. lie had fascinated her. He vas
still lord Of her life. Her knees trembled. She
dared not withdraw from the window.
"IIa you young jade i" howled the mis-
creant savagely; "yCu have done cleverly.-
have Silt your throat like chickens"
Ihese wc;:ds uttered in unspeakabIe agony
and desi, si,,air, suddenly rallied the girls ener
gies, She ran to the gate. The monsters
horrid jest had proved his horrid punishment
Could he have supposed that he tied the kno
for himselfP Could he have supposed thai
that awful moment, in W hich her foot hung ovel
the grave, should be the moment of deliver
ance to the innocent, and Of exemplary pun
ishment to the guilty? Hero was the finger
Of Providence. 1t is everywhere. 1t is q
falsehOod to maintain that vice and crime alone
prosper IN this world.
She ran, and ran, till her strength was
nigh exhausted; no one was in sight. Sht
ran further her breath failed; her limbs
tottcred; she dared not look round, lest sht
should again see that fearful mouth, lest she
should again fall into the hands of her perse
cutor. Nowhere living soul.
She struggled up rising ground.
"Ahl there is our butler and there il
Vaska; and PrOchOr. An! he too is with them.
He, to wit: the incompatible Ivan, tht
governors valet. They were all returning
home together from the brandy shop, careless
and happy, singing love songs, cracking jOkes
upon their masters, with their caps set isuntily
on one side, and tacking along the road Il
easy zig-zags. Duna ram towards them, pale
with staring eyes and flying hair; her necl
uncovered--her wits bewiIdeted. "Ccms
along! quickl quick ~ she screamed. "Ht
is hangingl hangingl hanging l-the villain
is hanging fasteri faster
Hey, darling little dove Of the woods; >
they ell cried to her. with y laugh; "who il
hangings Where is he hangingl Give Us 1
kiss, Dunushka. Tis a'merry world.' %
Z" He is hanging tell yout Don't laugh
Run TO the house. Take forks hatchets, guns
"A thief - murderer. with great moustscbe,
and q red nosel He said he would slit NV
throat like . Chicken's-that he'd hang me /! !
They haAtened their steps, armed themselve.
as well ~ they could. broke the honsS dOOI
open and went into tho r4iaOs. The tohAel
had tainted; blood streAmed from his motti
and nose the arm by which be hung hai
grown nearly fhok lGnaat Thar1 tooE It,