The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-11-04

the WINDOW, out great moor or prairie
At this change from the city to country
, grew frightened. 1 had been uneasy fol
some time, thinking my journey of mile
from one depot to another was strangely
prolonged, yet never dreaming of harm,
and almost oblivious of the treasure be.
tween my feet, so interested had become
in watching the silent scenes of mid
night on the streets of large city. As
this realization of my situation and of the
change of localities flashed into my mind,
subtle terror possessed me and sent the
blood, like fire, through my veins At
that very instant the driver began to roll
out from his stentOrian lungs the inspirit-
ing song of Bonnie Dundee" / was
Just thinking that that was an odd happen
ing for such man and such place, when
crash went in the little glass window be-
hind me; a second later and l seemed to
have thunder r-storm in my head.
The blow was an ugly one, as it was
doubtless meant to be, and felt the warm
blood trickling down my neck; but was
not stunned for longer than breath Be-
fore / could move, however, even so much
as to turn my head after it received the
terrible stroke, l felt hands slide something
over my head and around my neck which
| something was drawn so taut that could
barely slip in my fingers between it and
my throat to keep me from strangling.
Then a voice that sounded very familiar,
shouted, "The moon is out !!
| The driver ceased his song, shouted
"whoa!" to the galloping horses, jumped
from his perch, and opened the door as
| my hitherto unseen assailant slammed
back the other.
With the first blow of the assassin had
| instinctively kicked my little valise under
the front seat and was prepared to fight
| over it so long as l had consciousness or
the liberty of so much as finger.
Though it may seem egotistical, declare
that | was not frightened but enraged,
crazy with the strength of an anger that
L had no idea was part of my nature. l
seemed to consume with its fierceness.
When my assailant opened the left door
of the carriage, the light from the lamp in
front glanced across his face and revealed
Roderick Murtagh, as, from the voice, /
had half expected. He looked in with
leer of triumph on his face more devilish
than human. In second my mind re-
verted to that night when found him in
the office, and the safe open then back
again to my treasure, hid under the seat.
Regardless of the consequences which
must inevitably follow my action, quickly
drew up my leg, and, with all the strength
at my command, sent my heavily-shod
foot full and fair into that fiendish face
Before could recover myself, the driver
me with the grip OF giant Then l be-
around my throat seemed cutting through
to the bone. Then, as if in horrible
dream, uprose the flayed and CHASTITY face
of Murtagh, and in his uplifted hand
shimmered knife.
Let me at him, Jim, he hoarsely whis-
pered "NOne of that, ROddy, none of
that" answered the phlegmatic Jim, in
sinuating his hand into one after another
of my pockets. "NO murder, you know
You promised me that"
"Just one slash and you may keep
everything"
"Nol not l tell you no murder! Put up
that broad-sword!
Yet l kept crying all the while, "Mur-
der murder! murder!" and struggling
tenaciOusly for liberty.
Jim hunted awhile on the bottom of the /
carriage, guarding himself skillfully against
my kicks, and finally shouted,
"D-n it, it's gone"
"It's in the valise 7" cried Roddy.
That's gone. Stop his noise! this
Ism I slaughter mousse.
"Tll make it one," was the savage an
swer, as he leaned into the carriage with
upraised arm.
"Steady, Roddy!" and Jim looked
through the back window. "Curse my
luck there comes a carriage The horses
are on the keen run, and there's a star on
the front seat. They're after us"-and
he backed out of the vehicle, and began
to run across the prairie as fast as he could
go.
Roddy did not seem at all frightened at
this news. He put one hand on my shoul
der "With my compliments" he whis-
pered. Then 1 felt the knife cut through
clothes and flesh, and grew deathly sick
with the wound And the knife descend
ed, and another spasm of unutterable
agony ran over me. Apparently satisfied
with his work, the ruffian leaped from the
steps, and followed his companion as
quickly as possible.
One, two, three shots in quick success
sion from the approaching carriage. One
of our horses utters prolonged cry of
pain, kicks furiOusly for second, then
they both bound madly forward at right
angles to the course of the other hack,
which follows in pursuit of Jim and Rod
dy.
Now steals over me feeling of sweet
relief, sense of bliss, of resignation, of
utter carelessness as to life or death. Is
this feeling the ecstacy of death, l wonder?
The warm blood bathes my body, and,
growing weaker and weaker as the run
away steeds fly along the ground, bump
ing the hack against hummock after
hummOck, pass into uncOnsciOusness
At times my eyes open and for a minute
IL
the night. Vainly at such periods do l
struggle to loosen the cord around my
throat. 1t has worn and chafed into the
flesh, and each tremor of the coach is
keen torture. At last, after repeated ef-
forts, / become conscious that it is fastened
outside, and so by degrees, am able to
get out my knife, and saw and cut until
the strands are severed, and fall forward
upon the seat-at rest. OF how long the
horses ran, or when or where or how they
stopped, / have no knowledge. In my
OF consciousness | realized that
they were in motion; their speed could
not Judge.
At dawn came back again to reality,
and found that was lying upon the bot
tom of the carriage, and that the animals
seemed to be browsing on the grass, scarce
ly moving.
At once / recalled the events of the
night. My wounds-whether severe or
not could not tell-had stopped bleeding
because, lying as did, my clothing had
pressed upon them and acted as sort of
bandage. | did not care for them so long
as had preserved the treasures confided
to me. l emulated all faithful servants
who had suffered in defense of such trusts.
| put my hand under the seats, one after
the other.
My udlise soas lost.
1t was inexplicable-its disappearance
for Jim had declared, remembered, that
he could not find it, When this loss be-
came certain to me, the tears came, and
for long time wept like chld-cried
until the pain of my wounds made me