The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1868-03-04

} be here; but he is dead, or l would have
found him"
:. Purvis did the deed You shall seek him.
Your repentance il not complete until be shall
be punished" -
What do you know Of Purvis!" qucried
the maniac. wonderingly.
Il did not know he had committed muir.
) der, but | know he is in prison for robbery
at Nashville, in few weeks his trial comes
on. am prosecuting attorney there"
"Bill Pqrvis Is it him Z"
! eyes; it is he Ifhes guilty of murder
you ought to appear against him. instead o.
numbering yourself"
" He is guilty He struck the blow. I bus
shared with him the plumber, and then be
robbed me of that. Will you lead me to him
No, no, cannot Co. She bids me stayy
"She does not, now that you know you
may bring Purvis to justice. Listen Did sls
know he was alive 7"
"No, | told her not; / thought him dead
So was told in Lexington. No, she no long
er bids me stay. shall have vengeance.
ION to the boat-you shall Go first !;
you know the shortest cut"
|
ruse, yet fearing the gnide's Authorizations
might, at any moment turn him from his res
olution he FASTENED eagerly and anxiously al,
ter him. Long and toilsome seemed the walk
which had been begun so gaily. Yet, it was
not the weight Of his insensible wife that
taxed his strength doubt Frustrated his ner-
vous powers, so that in complete exhaustioa
1t was that at length he lay in the stern Ct
the boat. Now, for the FIRST time, he brcathed
freely and acknowledged to himself that ali
danger was over. He looked at his watch.
three O'Clock 1t would be half, past four by
the time they gained the entrance to the cave.
| Well the driver would wait there would bs
| no trouble there.
| As the boat slowly gl;ded down the current.
| the traveller ignoring the attractions nature
held forth, gathered from the guides disepn-
| nected declarations. the story of the murder
It had occurred the year before. A visitor
to the caye had desired guide, aud was d.
rected to johnson by the man, Purvis, who
was lounging near the place. Purvis next
offered his assistance to johnson. 10 rowing
the boat, which offer was accepted. On reach
ing che place of many grostoes and disem-
barking for the purpose Of exploration, Pur-
Wis had whispered to the guide, telling him
that the gentleman was perfect stranger iu
the vicinity, and exceedingly wealthy; that
ne had IN his pocket at that moment bills TO
the amount of several Thousand dollars; that
they could easily obtain it by killing him, and
that detection, where they were, was inpos
sibs.
Purvis played the part eff tempter we'll, and
Johnson finally led the stranger to this cave,
where Pur,is suddenly turned upon him and
struck him to the ground with sung shot.
A knife passed by the same individual across
the throat of the stunned man rendered the
assassination complete The spells amounted
| to about ten thousand dollars, which the two
confederates shared equally
For the purpose Of allaying ary suspicion
that might attach to his movements, johnson
continued his usual svocation for few daTs
after the murder, but his conscience would net
let him rest, and he finally departed for Chi
cage, where Purvis had been for some time.
He met him there. and By some kDavery Pur-
Wis got from him four thousand dollars, with
which he decamped, leaving johnson in pos
| session Of but three hundred This vas soon
spent, and, without means, johnson was
forced to rsturn to the house by the cave
There hs found his only child very Ill He
| had been with her but month when she died
Her reproachtul looks, Is she laid on hef
| death bed haunted him. She knew froru
many tokens that he had been guilty of
great crime. Sorrow and remorse soon worked
havoc with his brain. He had been for weeks
subject to Authorization.
| All these facts our traveller learned Wills
his wife lay irsensible.
At the expiration Of sn hour he heard q
faint sigh, and gentle movement told hins
that she was awaking FROM her stupor.
ION the boat. Emma--safs, safe r he whia-
pered. Take something, darling; your
strength has been oyertasked, and reaching
for the basket, which amid his agitation hs
had not forgotten to bring from the cave, be
pressed bottle OF wine to her lips.
la few moments she was unobtrusively
clasping her husband in her arms and mur-
muring words OF thanksgiving to her Maker.
When they arrived at the boat landing on.
posite the guides cabin they found their car
rage waiting but the driver 10 state Of 40
little Indignation.
Having whispered him few words. tbs
expression Of his face altered. aud he and our
traveller proceeded to the guide to take him
into custody.
As they approached, the drivers count.-
nance indicated his purpose, the wretoAed
maniac gave derisiye yell, and pushing into
the stream vas soon lost sight of amid tins
shadows Of the cave. He was never seen
again
! 1t was learned some time after that the a..
sassin, Puryis, met his death by lynch law Ia
some out Of the way part of Texas. A pan
sion for gambling had soon dissipated the fu,-
| tune with which his crime had invested him.
and he had been reduced to lead the life Of .
| desperate in that uneultivated region.
| Our travellers reached their homes ia Nah
vile in safety, though at a late hour.
Emma has ever regarded her husband n
one Of the greatest heroes of modern time.,
and once, considering the romantic episode q
their honeymoon. was heard to declare Oh.
wished she could marry him again. Tia
achievement should have preceded marriage
she thought. 1t always does in story book.
RADICAL RAscAL!rY.-A Washing.o.
correspondent of the Chicago Times says:
stNha Mecurc ll;i.o ~ N;no;nn,t; o,. -