The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-05-24


air OF carelessness, though his watch was now
keener than ever. At length he camr TO
place which he fell contained his enemy. Ma
ture seemed to have adapted this place foi the
purpose of concealmenf. The rocks which
skIrted the road at this place were about breast
high, and so perpendicular as to be nearly i'm
peTvlous The tall trees on each side of the
road twined their tops together, forming 4 nat
ural roof of leaves aud branches, and render
ing the place as dark, ,and dismal as midnight
/: was scene sufficient to appal the stoutest
heart, but the hors-man, although hp knew that
| ihs' next moment might BE- his last, rods on
with as careless an aT as he might have WON
had he been travelling the streets of populous
city. His hand still grasped the butt OF pis-
tol, and his keen eyes still searched each coF-
| eTt. Suddenly pistol shot rung out upon the
air, and his hat fell TO the ground, with bul-
let-hoIe through it, not more than an inch above
where his head had been. Instantly turning
| in the direction OF the sound, hebeheld
a slight wreath OF smoke culling up from
| behind bush, and without "a m1men's bqs-
I taton, he leveIed his pistol and fired The
aim was terribly fatal. A wild shrek rang up
on the air, and the next moment there sprang
from behind the tree, not the charcoal burner,
as he had expected, but his wife. The blood
was flowing CoPIously from her forehead, and
presented horrible spectacle. She tottered 10
the edge of the wall of rocks and fell into the
road, corpse.
"Had known it TO be a woman," the hoTsp-
man muttered, g | never would have fired
But it is too late to moraize. What can have
become OF my friend, the charcoal burner 2 F"
As he spoke, he turned round quickly and
encountered the object Of his thought. 1t was
luckily for him, that he was SO quick. TIE
charcoal burner held gleamLg knife in his
hand, already uPlihed TO strike. While the
horssmans attention aad been engaged by the
tragIcal end Of the woman. he had silently crept
up behind him, and the would-be assassin
sprung forward, making desperate pass al
his brest. The horspman still held the des-
charged pistol in his hand, and with its long
barrel managed 10 parry the blow.
He thrn buried his spurs deep into thr
horses SIDES, and the Goaded beast sprang for
ward SO violently as to dash the charcoal bur
ner to the ground, and completely sprrug over
him dashing the kniie from his hand, leaving |
him stunned IN The middle of the road Ths,
hors~nan tUr" i INSTANTLY, drawing TITS re-
naming pistol from bis tolstr, waited for The |
other TO rise The latter staggered to his feet, I
and leaning against the rocgs on the side OF the |
road, gszed sulenly and revengefuly on /
his conqueror. Thus the strange couple |
regarded each other for sore time, until at |
last the horseman broke the silence:
$50 my friend" he sand, 'youE career is en-
ded at last"
''Yes, curse you I'd rend you asunder too
if"
''You dared, presume, put in the stranger.
81 doubt not your good intentions, and cal
only thank heaven that you have not a power
proportionate to your will, but am doubly
thankful that have been the means of riddlng
the earth of such monster. presume you can
give pretty good account of those mysterious
diSaPpesrances of late %
s'Aye, that l can you are the first richly
freighttd traveller who has entered that lane,
and escaped the bullet or The kniie'
"Pshaw do you take me for one of those
Simplelons whose purses are better filled than
their heads!"
"No'' exclaimed the other with sudden en-
ergY. " know better From the verv first
you seemed TO have read my very Intention,
and you must have been sent expressly TO en-
trap me. In other words you are detective in
disguise. Well, you have come out best, bat
you have played desperate part. Few
would have capped as YOU have, for my wife
is good shot. But you seemed from the
first TO b. fortunes favorite."
81 certainly had AaHow escape" remarked
the other, pointing 10 the bullet-h hole in his
hat.
'But ii is not the first time that fortune has
proved friendly to me-"
''WelI, who are you?" at length demanded
the other.
"My name is Vidocq"
ssGreat heavens! the Partisan detective.-Il
mi hit have known that it would be all upwith
me when you are pitted against me-"
eyes; business at the metropolis beng rather
dull, and having heard some rumors of your
doings, thought l wonld take trip out here,
If only for the good Of my health, but, it is
late, and you must De moving"
"Where mnst go'"
sTo the gallows, in the end,'' was the cool
reply ''but at present, 10 the jail at P"
"To the gallows!" returned the other flerce-
ly. "Never any death but that"
'sYou shall have bullet through your head,
if you prefer it,
The other ducked his in expectation OF the !
shot, and then made desperate spring at the
detective. The latter, however, was IN no :
hurry to FIRE, and cooly awaited the others !,
attack. The charcoal burner grasped the reins /,
with his left hand and with his right endeay- .
bred to grasp The pistol The detective, how /,
ever, caught his rignr hand, with his own left, :
and holding it up with an iron grasp passed
ms right hand under, until his pistol pressed ;
against the others forehead, when he fired.
The other instantly relaxed his hold, and,
with terrible cry FIJI back corpse '
The d4tecrvr, having accomplished the pur t
pose OF his visit, did not delay his return to e
Paris, hut having explained the affair 10 The c