The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-25

"r NshiHt' ioI cilluli'rr can'llrStick nv
scli s,inrrlntcndcd the removal ur Rivers lu n
Dcdchanbcr before seckin. my own nnc ~ i,,. =.
an, upon the fourth floor 'N ''''
me Swarlhy Frcnchman, who now made no
Scrfpic abopf letting IL bc seen that hr w.,s
;iHout 10 pass he night there himself I,a,,r M,
farewell IN the mos; impressive mauncr. al.
b,g, bini,l,ilng, IN whisper, my resolve, which lir
my door. and stood. candle In hand ani with
| bcatn. heart, alone
could hear the heavy throb. tiirob of my
ncatl is II seemed to lorcc the blond lron.
my veins with Il power that m;ulo them thrill :.
ala u wis In vain that told myself thai il
was rom the ascent. Such fattciinm tInc,iun
colll'i not be received, and w.N E,in 10 con-
| icHS th;lt, trembling, anxious HAY, in deadly
leaf was wondering; whether should sr,.
| the morning light.
| How cursed my weakness again and again
or eoHlng and then for stopping To the inIIul-
| snhce 0i weak and insatatc passion. Wiy
| titer all, had | stayed? Rivers would lav,,
been quite rs safe without me-
l';li this was no time for childish mur,mlrn.r
mSa,,S. ~. n' thy loily was In sore straight. il
my E!ilcy had not been magnityln.s the danger;
aiio r0using myself TO the emergency | bro,
cecded 10 examine tho room before securing
| the door. 7
The task was soon performed had b,,t In
| look under the bed, and my examination wa.
| hcarly 1T an cnd No cupboards-no place
where an enemy cOu!i be cOnccalad--no see
ond means Of c.srrSs
| went To the window and throw IL onrn to
| look DOWN upon u long. dark, deserted stree,
| III an immense distance below me- and sh,,d
Irred us Thought of the consequence of II fall
,,s,l aners was WAS INC usual Venetian shutters, OH
either side, fastened back, and II li..;. appeared
mere ann there In some Of the houses opposite.
Whlic above my hcad the stars pecrcu down
| rom Tie son summer nights S!;y
Leaving the window partly omen TO admit
inc cool, gentle breeze, now turned nv AT
icnilon TO the door, TO find tli.,t there was a
lock bu! no key. There WIS, however, IL large
bolt at the top of the door. which Slipped ca
silly into its staple and then, as quickly as !
could, moving il Oily few inches at time,
contrivcd 10 place the head Of the bed against
lhe door, and then SAT down, painting. 10 think.
i wanted to take out the money and 10 tic It
all up toscthcr-slvcr, gold and biHctS ttc
ddnqac-in my handkerchief, SO that If the
worst came TO the worst might throw il from
should not go To those who felt sure Intended
70 at.acE ne. No /; .hcy .s.;ouid not have IL,
thought, for would throw il through the open
fMindow. But, MOI dared not take it from
my pockets tho clinkinS would, perhaps, be
heard, and, II my fears were bascicss, would,
house.
or course did not uutlrcss but SAT for n lon,,
while debating as to whether should put ont
my candlc-a point decided by the short piece
burning cnt, so that soon sat upon the ed.e
81 the bed, in utter darkness, listening attcii-
lively {. very sound, and seeing, lii inlagina-
ton, the swarthy Frenchman, slIletto armed,
slowly ascending the stairs.
had ne difficulty in Keeping awake, for my
uctNcS NcTc SlrdiHcu 10 lnclr greatest tension
with the excitement, and cold damp coec-
ted upon my forehead and In The palms OF my
hands, as at last, amer several false alarms /
heard Faint brcathhg noise apparently just
outside the door.
Rising softly and with my heart beating al
most to suflocation, I stole to the window,
and slJNd once more listening, as there came
i;tlnt, gliding, grating noise; and though
coultl see nothing, felt that one of the panels
OF the door was So contrivcd that IL would
slide back, and secmcdt be gazing the next
moment upon Il hand thrust through, to be
laid upon the bolt..-a
The darkness was intense, bat I WAS, felt,
right; for there came the grating of the iron,
and the holt was softly shot back from the
staple, and the door pressed Inward against
the bcdstend.
What could do? That should he mur-
dcrcd If stayed there unarmed, / felt assl,:cd;
and even If could elude my assiilanls in The
dark, il would only bc for II few minutes: for
must he hunted down at last. There was no
escape, told myself; and as the hctlatcad
crcakcd with the pressure against II, knew
that II must in few minutes 1T most give way
sufficiently for u man to pass In, and then
would come the struggle for life.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I. 4ffGem6ng ' seized upon me-
but even then | did not think to offer the
money as ransom for my liberty; but hurried
nom one end of The room TO the other, i'm
search of a way OF escape. Then I stopped
short for there was whispering outside, and
thought had occurred to me. Could escape
by the window?
Four stories high, and the cruel stoncs bc
meath
But the bed-clothcs knot them TO-
gcthcr, and slide down?
moments reflection told me that the Idea
was madness; and | leaned ont TO listen IL
there was any one below to whom might an
peal for help; but all was still and my tongue
seemed 10 refuse It's Office. Almost mad with
fear, climbed out OIL the window sill and
looked upward.
was on the top floor, but the parapct was
| above my reach, unless -ycs-the Venetian
shuttcfs-each very latldcr-evcry thin bar n
step TO climb to safety, If
Yes-ff they would bear my weight.
sliuddercd as at that moment | seemed 10
sec the shutter torn from Its hinges, and with
me clinglng TO IL, falling-ialllng with u fearful
crash to the pavement beneath, and men gath
erinS round TO gaze upon the sickcnlng Spcc-
tacle.
But 1t was my only chance for safety; and
upon the roof might travel OH and on, and
clndc my pursuers If they could reach my
refuge by any other way; for iclt assured that
| they would not attempt IL by my route. But
would the shutter bear this weight?
tried one with my left hand, and 1t shook
tried IL. Frmcr, certainly; bnt what fr.lil
road to safety? Would 1t not be better TO stop
| and encounter my enemies, who were now in
The room?
1t seemed the lesser evil to trust 10 my ac-
tiviiy to reach the roof; and softly placing one
| foot upon the wool work reached the top Of
the shutter and drew myself up from the win
] uo" JuSL " IeitllCu OuL anu uttered
an exclamation Of horror. But could not
look down at him, nor heed his warning cry
| to descend, for all my weight was now upon
The shutter, supported by Its hinges and the
wall. felt 1t giving way beneath me; but
taking another step threw up one hand. as
with spnsmodic effort drew up my body In
what knew to be my last struggle for life;
and that hand rested upon the parapct; the
next Instant my other hand was by its side;
my feet aided me again for an Instant, and
then, with sharp crack, the shutter gave way,
hung to my feet for q few moments, when, MS
kicked them free and chung there, l heard it
fall, alter what seemed lifetime of horror,
| upon the pavement below.
The effect OF that crash below was almost
| sufficient to make mo relax my hold, 80
strangely did it jar upon my nerves; but my
| fingers seemed to grow, as 1t were, into the
stone, and hung at the full stretch of my