Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1869-04-23

come and see me-come unconscious of
the danger, until a bloodhound at his
throat would choke the brave young life
down there forever. a
listened in the intervals of the now
fitful storm to hear if he was breathing
near me. I put my soul in the sense of
hearing. but no human shadow of sound
greeted it.
When the storm swelled again [ drew
the bolt and looked into the night; black
pail hung over the earth and sky. I bad
as good chance to pass him in the OBJ
scurity as be to catch me. With my knife
in my teeth and the massive thigh bone
of negro to fell him with, if I must,
drew off my shoes and stepped out into the
darkness. A sudden whirl of the temp
est almost took me off my feet, and a
brick dislodged from one of the chimneys
grazed my head in its passage, and broke
in half on the pavement.
With bated breath, and step like the
tread of the panther scenting his prey
parted the thick darkness and turned my
face toward the hospital. He might be
either here-at any step along the pass
age-or hid in the angle of the wall al
the door through which l must enter
This seemed most probable: but there
was another door, known only to the doc.
tors.
thought would elude him. With
infinite caution I began to scale the high
wall, dreading horribly lest some sudden
break in the sky might reveal me to the
wild eye that watched for me-but no.
Safely passing the summit threw my
|leg over the decent. and-felt my foot
seized. It was but the clinging tendril
of wild vine, skirting the wall. Grasp.
ing my knife in my right hand. crep'
along the bushes for fifty yards, then
struck across the lawn for the side en-
trance The darkness perplexed me, but
thought l was steering straight. Sud
denly my feet struck bricks. What was
this I tried to recollect. There was
no pavement round that part of the hos
pital.
pushed on uncertainty and feeling q
weight in the air, put out my bands tc
grope for some clew to my whereabouts.
I was in an alley-aanked with stone
walls above my head. gave a sudden
turn. In an instant I knew was in the
suUseranean passage Of tss asylum
turned to retrace my steps-the Opaque
density of some heavy body crouched be.
tween me and the outer air. I heard its
stiaed breathing-its stealthy tread ap.
preaching me. My God! be had follow.
ed me from the very door Of the dead.
house here A struggle for life with Q
madman in these narrow, gloomy vaults
to lie in the pool Of ones own hearts
blood in this undiscovered tomb-and my
young wife Constance Twas madden.
ing.
For an instant my brain was on fire.
Then I thought there might be an exit
other devious windings in which I could
elude my deadly pursuer. Going deftly
backward, turned the angle in the wall
and then plunged at the utmost speed o
young, active man along the black pass
age. Instantly I knew l was pursued
Meeting another crossed path struck in
to it in an opposite direction. The maniac
instantly followed me. What race thro
those cavernous depths of the madhouse
What tragic pitfalls might lurk at every
step! What black and stagnant pools lii
waiting to engulph me! What deeper
depth Of icy blackness into which to fall
and fall forever
The passage grew narrower. We wer'
perhaps under the very center Of the build
ing, and farthest from the open air.
had tried to breathe noiselessly; the effor
exhausted me. I knew nothing Of th'
labryintbs; could only guess at our posi-
ton by the distance from the entrance.
had counted the turnings we had made.
thought I could retrace them. NJ
strength was failing. I was Aeetest, bu
he was most enduring.
Presently he would run me down. I
was terrible venture, but the necessity
was imminent. would try it, Gather
ing all my force darted like an arrow OF
into darkness. The suddenness of my in
creased speed bafled him. I succeeded
in putting fifty yards between us. gained
and turned the next angle. then drawing
myself against the wall, With every nerve
and muscle strained into preter-natura
tension, with the mighty heave of my
chest crushed into silence by an iron eff
fort of despairing will, waited for him tt
pass me. I heard him come rushing OF
with new strength through the blackness
reach the angle, turn it striking his mas
sive body against the jutting stones.
heard him spring like an animal on alons
the track. felt bis hot breath like steau
the foam of his set jaws flung across my
face-and he stopped. l felt that be wa'
feeling for me e!-that he was crouchinf
on the stones. saw the red fire of BIZ
eyeball glare up to me through the dark
ness. / felt the touch Of his icy flesh OF
my hand. Like lightning he raised him
self, and throwing bis vast weight agains
} me, pinioned me to the stones. All th,
mad rage Of a man at bay surged upware
to my brain. I clasped my knife convul
sively, and seized him by the throat, re
solved to die hard. It was hairy-it wa
SHAGGY. The hands against my chest ha,