The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1860-02-25

In miserably dilapidated condition. The
paper which had once covered its walls
hung IN strips III various places; the plas
ter OF the ceiling had fallen away here and
there, and several panes of glass were wan.
ting IN the windows, their place being sup
Piled by paper rudcly pasted on the sash
The furniture was in keeping with the
apartment; a ragged carpet, an old horse
hair sofa a wooden table and three or four
brollen-backed, rickety looking chairs com
pleted the inventory. The whole, diinly
lllumined by the light of solitary tallow
candle, looked gloomy enough. | ap-
preached one of the windows, threw it
open and endeavored as well as the dark
ness would permit, to discover what as
pect the neighborhood presented in that
direction. The room was, a. had conjec-
tured, in the rear Of the house and looked
out upon a small courtyard, shut in on
every side by the rear or sidewalks of the
adjacent buildings But two windows We're
visible in any of them, and in neither was
there light or other indication of the
rooms to which they belonged being occu-
pied. ] closed the window and returned to
| my seat by the table The vague sense of
uneasiness | had experienced when ] first
entered the house was rapidly becoming a
very positive apprehension Of some impcn-
ding danger.
As nearly as could Judge had been
alone about a quarter Of an hour, and re
solved that would wait five minutes longer
and then, should no one come, endeavor
to find my way downstairs and into the
street. | drew out my watch; it wanted
twenty minutes TO eleven | waited pa
tiently the time had proposed, and then
prepared To leave the apartment. What
was my dismay when, on turning the han
die OF the door, | discovered it 10 be
locked on the outside.
In an instant the whole peril Of my situa-
ton flashed upon me Nv worst fear
hade fair 10 b. realized How blinily had
| fallen into the trap sct for me, 70 which
the gold, 50 carelcssly displayed at the Jew
elier's window, had doubtless been the in
centiye. The story so pathe;ically told me-
had been, Of course, tale invented most
probably on the spur of the moment, 70
excite my compassion It had succeeded
we'll 1t was clear was 20 he robbed, per-
haps murdered Why not? ] had my
self, recollected-and I cursed nv fatui-
ty as I did so-told the woman, whom /
had accompanied to the house, that | was
a perfect stranger - the cirv. and there
fore, she would argue, not likely, should
any evil befail me 10 be missed for some
days at least recalled too, yiyiily. the
rnomentary CLEAN Of satisfaction which
had lightened up her features when
made the avowal.
What was 70 be doue2 Were there no
means of forcing the lock- Yes, at the
fireplace stood an oli-iashigucd bras,
fender, inside Of which was a sct of tir..-
irons The poker-not the small piece Of
iron crooked at one end most generally In
use in This country. but straight bar Of
steel about three feet in leugth-wou!d
euablc me IN break open the door without
cifheultv | instantly seized i and was
about To use it for that purpose. when
moment reflection made me pause Tho
noise should make In breaking or"u the
loclS could not but warn those who had
securcd il that ! was conscious Of my dan
ger and eudcayoriur To escape. Once in
the passase.a siidien blow might de IA the
li-fft fr''in my hand, and ass.iled n The
dark on the narrow staircase. ] should
have but little chance TO defend myself
Escape by the window was as | had glre.,-
DIV seen impracticable ! resolved. there
fore. 70 await the event, whatever il might
he, where ] could at least see and confront
the peril which threatened me | was
armed ! carried in the breast pocket ot
INV coat n brace of small siugie-barreleI
pistols. and il was not without satisfaction
recollccted that had but the very DIV ie-
fore, fearing that the sea air might have
affected them. drawn the charges and care
fully reloaded them. ! had however.
found l,It n solitary percussion cap in tE"
ease, and hal been obliged to replace. on
one pistol, the old one or the efficiency
Of that weapon, III erefora. | hal con~iderl-
blc doubt: the othcrI believed might he
depended upon The poker too. thought
a | glanced NJ It would enable me. if
things came to the worst, T. sell NV life
not chesply But, suppose myself opposed
not 10 single assailaut, bat 20 two or
perhaps. even three men. would they Toe
likely tn he deferred from their rurpo~-
bv pistol in the hands OF u single man ,
Mo- they would argue, | could hit hut
one and might, and very probably would,
miss even him, if they made a sinulta-
neous rush upon me However, that re
mained 10 be seen
! waited quietly some minutes still no
sound So profound was the silence and
so sharpened We're my senses by anxiety,
that could hear the very ticking of the
watch in my vest pocket began To feel
a feycrish anxiety TO know and brave the
worst
am, and have always been, peculiarly
=, -. roo,,, ON ,ba ",ini
an iiiis,'ea room eH'-FciS'I on 'iIs I',.ll''
even ond n1dfr r the on m n
ce1 ahd, IN my lfG>c". Sl'ul,"I ,', ~, -
.lil !" ot ell'e.eu =! ''is So,,,''l,' I .,
'!e "P.,t'iieii'; ""'oi M u, a i .''g
WIZ =, e,' st's FL 80 n,,,f.rI ' al
fl'." ~ ;,,,,'r,,a ~ Nh.
r -, ~ o' -. - to,,iI
H a"t o'','I I''e''ls ies; sioi'' -
n,sn od !; 80 Pnt ~ ,ou -, '', ,;nnn of ,be
sloii .;, 'ue $40 ~
c"n,.le ei,I'ii.e,. ',nr'r- haIf -
iiii'lu',H' e. ~ - s,'