The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-10-27

HNlltul ulNtI, NdlCiliiiS IIlc opportunity
of one being separated from the rest,
rose through the waters, fixed strong
ligature to one of the lower limbs, and
then divcd off, while confederate in
the boat, by means of rope and hold
or purchase of some kind NJ the bottom
of the river, drow the struggling swim
mor irvcsistibly down, when death soon
put an end to all efforts to escape.
"WhiIc these particulars werc being
narrated became more and moro agi-
tatcd, until I could no longer keep my
seat. why, Major said one, you
seem disturbed; can there he anything
in the doings of these wrctches OF sufli-
cient pungcncy to quicken
"'Stop,' said 1, for ] saw he was about
to quiz my cquanimity, 'don't treat
this matter lightly. | confess I am not
a little agitatcd or a little confused at
present, butt have heard all you say,
and, what is more, have seem
"'What have you scCn?'
"'I have seen the face Of man
whom never thought, and certainly
never desired, to meet again.
"'Of whom do you speak"
WGhOlab.'
why, that is the name of one of
the villains accused, rs have informed
YOU
" Great TIcavensr ] exclaimed 'but
no, no, it is impossible; he could not
approach a running stream, much less
and here, here, of all places; his dread
Of water, his pitiabo shrinking away
from its vicinity
Something very like burst Of
laughter from all asscmbledin the room
hero greeted me.
"'3Iy good Major, dread of water I!
pitiublo shrinking away from lis vicini-
ty! Why, this fellow, Gholab, is ono
of tho most (if not tie most daring,
skilrul, and cnduring divers of the
East
" In fever of agitation I demanded
to be shown the remains Of the latest
victim. | was taken to whore they lay.
The attendants were about to disrobo
the upper part Of the body, when
pointed to the feet, and babe them un
, cover it there. They lifted the ma
: with which it was concealed, and there
) round the slender ankle, was the circu
lar, blnd-likc mark, the exact counter
{ part of that which | had behcid Ion;
, before, when the happy home Of one 0
} my dearest friends was turned into {
house Of bittore5t mourning.
"UnknoWn to the accused, I wa,
) present at the trial. GholaD-the othc
was hardly Il sane being-in turn accus
, ell the alligators, many Of which mon
, sters infested the stream, and Vociler
ously protested his own innocence, ever
| when the bangle-liko fc,tcr, chain, anC
, rope, which had been the instrument
of murder, and which, rs well as th'
ornaments of the poor victim, had beer
: traced to his possession, were laid on
the table before him. When these
things were produced, | came from my
station somewhat in the roar of the ac
1 cusel, advanced toward the table, keep
ing my face averted from them, ant
then taking up the chain and fctter
turned slowly round and confronted
q, them with the evidences Of guilt in my
} hand. For a few seconds the gaze Of
, Gh0lab, though piercing and intense Il
t the last degree, was evidently moro ol
$ wonder than alarm; but suddenly rec
| ognition shot into his brain, and may
r never again behold such terror and des
= pair in the depths of human soul (foI
in his glowing eyeball5 it seemed al
| unyeiled as were then opened up lik
Q a vision into IIlia5 before ne. ii,
/ stood rigid, immovable, and when th'
@ trial went on spoke never a WorlaSain
: though 50 tiorcely animated before. Still
: the trial went on and the judgcWas ahou
= to pronounce sentence of death, when
;, starting suddenly from his saomin.
t trance, Gholab threw up his arna, ant
4 with wild cry fell back in fit Of hOr
@ rble commissions. The unspoken sen
t tcncc of a Judge more potent had no
? only gone forth, bat had been eXccutc'
: too: the man was dead"
a "And you think the circular ahra
= sions around the aallle Of young West
r crton Werc-"
= "Thc marks Of the alligaLor's teeth.
t " And what became o. the other-th
l. cousin"
d Gle did not live even to inherit
:, The old squire dragged ON q broken lii
@ FOR some time, cvincing little interest i
a anything, and rarely showing himsel
Is beyond his own doors, never beyond n
i grounds. One day, however, he seen
y cd suddenly to have formed a strang
Y resolution, which was neither more nc
/ less than to odrain tho lake; he summon
n ed large body of laborers, and s.
" them to work to perform the almo
re impracticable task. His ncpheW, WI
le had not been near the spot since the ca
}r astrophe which restored him to his o.
Id position of heir 10 the Westcrton G
O. tatea, as soon as he heard Of the O
~ mans doings, urged either by appr
rs hendcd damage to the property OF
he aDprphcnsions of a far more tOrmidab
r. character - namely, lest sOmcthil
al might be reVealed-hastenCd down
m once, first to use his influence with i
yn Iunclc, and, that falling, to stop {
lc- worl, ON his own authority. As 20 I
T., old man, he could not be prevailed
To to consen, to do so, steadily refusing
Il last TO utter even II single word on /
nj subject of hi, ncpheW's complaints, b