Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-10-09
WHOLE NO. 4O3.

hollow to creep into and burrow there till
immediate danger was over. 1 was not
long in finding one. I slid down into it,
and with my right hand gathered the
snow around me. Not ten minutes had
/ lain there when I heard heavy foot
step crunching the snow above. It was
my pursuer, the intending assassin; and
1 could hear his uttered curses as he pass
ed on. Ia few moments more I heard
him coming back again, and then all was
silent and still as death. AT length I
crept out from my hiding place, with
cramped and aching limbs. Ikuew no
more in what direction to turn now than
had known before had entered that
accursed cabin; but Istruck right ahead,
knowing that there must be human hab-
itation somwhere before me, should Ton
ly have strength enough to reach it.
was fearfully exhausted, and drag
ged my feeble limbs along as if they
were weighted with lead. For time
the consciousness of danger, and the ex.
element of the fearful scene l had gone
through, sustained me but by.and-by
strength and reason alike seemed to de-
sert me, and staggered along like one
in delirium of fever. How long this
continued / cannot tell, for made no
count of time that night; but l remem-
Der how, at last, in utter exhaustion, /
fell PROSTATE on the snow.
As l lay there, unable to rise and un.
able to move limb, long piercing
shrek, the horrible import of which l
knew too well, rang in my ears. I
looked up; that eye Of fire was right
before me. How can I tell you the hor-
ror of my situation pa life's agony
compressed into the compass of one aw-
full minute. The good train, which al
ways passes Longley about three o'clock
in the morning, was coming, and I was
lying helpless on the rails With a cry
of agony tried to rise, but l fell back
in utter exhaustion. Even the terror
of approaching death did not give me
energy enough to crawl from where /
lay.
But my mind was active enough for
the one thought-to stretch myself out
with my head toward the engine-my
only chance of safety. Commenting my
seul to God, l lay PROSTATE and closed
my eyes. The next instant the shrek
of the engine, loud and terrific, blended
with the rattle of the carriages and the
grinding sound of the wheels upon the
snow that covered the rails and then
and then / looked up to Heaven, with
feeble laugh of speechless gratitude and
all danger was over. The train had
passed along the other line of rails, not
over those between which I lay. The
snow had prevented me from distin-
the one from the other; bu,
had / had strength enough to crawl in
he direction l had intended the engine
and carriages would have inevitably
passed over me, and left me mangled
corpse. 1t was my utter weakness which
saved my life. The joy of my delivery
rom a horrible death was followed by
natural reaction. / sank back in a
iwoon; and when consciousness came
pack to me again I found myself, weak
md wasted in my own bedroom, and in
ny own bed where (they told me) l had
ain for eleven days in raging fever. h
eems that in the morning, one of the
aiiway porters found me lying insensi-
)le in the snow and thus was third
ime within dozen hours, saved from
leath. But this bald pate was the price
paid.
'But the bag of gold?'
Was found suspended from my neck,
nd with the letter found in my pocket,
gas delivered in the proper quarter.
'And the intending assassins !?
l know nothing of them. They did
lot belong to that part of the country.
they had disappeared from the cabin on
be moor several days before l recover
d from my fever, and therefore, before
uspicion could have fallen upon them;
nd they were never heard of after.
The Carstons Ihope, were grateful ?
Do you see where that light is burn
rg family, in that window across the
ne there Frank Carston's sister is
leeping peacefully, I should hope) in
nat room. She is mother of three of
he finest young Britons in this big shire
nd am their father. But here comes
le mail train, and it makes no long stay
ere. You had better look after your
lggage.
Most tourists who annuaIlv visit ei,;es