The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-11-12

from his perch, and opened the door a.
back the other. ssr
With the first blow of the assassin had
instinctively kicked my little vslise under
the ffont seat and was prepared to hght
over It 20 long e mad consciousness or
the liberty Of 30 much as finger.
Though it may seem egotistical, / declare
that was not ffightored but enraged,
crazy with the strength Of an anger that
I had no ideA was part Of my nature. l
seemed TO consume with its flercene@.
When my asmilant opened the left door
Of the carriage, the light ffom the lamp In
front glanced across his face and revealed
Roderick Murtagh, as from the yoice, !
had half expected. He looked in with .
leer of triumph on his nee 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, Iquickly
drew up my leg, and, with all the strength
at my command, sent my heavily -shod
foot full and fair into that flendish face.
Before could recover myself the driver
ms upon me with his full weight, holding
me with the grip Of a giant. Then 1 be.
gan to shout = Murder" though the cord
around my throat seemed cutting through
to the bone. Then, as If in horrible
dream, uprose the fayed and ghastly face
of Murtagh, and in his uplifted hand
ehimmered knife.
! "Let me at him, Jim, he hoarsely whis.
pered. "None Of that Roddy, none ol
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"
sNo! no! I tell you no murder! Put up
that broad-sword!"
Yet I kept crying all the while, "Mur-
der murderi murderl" and struggling
tenaciously for liberty.
Jim hunted awhile on the bottom OF the
carriage, guarding himself skillfully against
nv kicks, and finally shouted,
ATS in the vslise /" cried Roddy.
"That's gone: Stop his noise! this
isn't q slaughter house"
"TH make it one" was the savage an
swer, as he leaned into the carriage with
upaised arm.
"Steady, Roddyp and Jim looked
through the back window. "Curse my
luck there comes carriage. The horses
are on the keen run, and there's star on
the front seat They're after us"-and
he backed ont of the vehicle, and began
to run across the prairie as last as he could
Roddy did not seem at all frightened at
this newx He put one hend on my shout
der. "With my compliments" he whis-
pered. Then felt the knife cut through
clothes and flesh, and grew deathly sick
with the wound. And the knife descend
ed, and another spam Of unutterable
agony ran over me. Apparently satisfied
with his work, the rufflan 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 furiousiy 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
Now steals over me q feeling of sweet
relief, q sense of bliss, of resignation, OF
utter carelessness IS to life or death. Is
this feeling the ecstacy of death, / 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, I pass into Inconsistencies
At times my eyes open and for minute
or more I am able TO recall the events OF
the night Vainly at such periods do
struggle to loosen the cord around my
throat. It has worn and chafed into the
flesh, and each tremor of the coach Y
keen torture. At last, after repeated ef.
forts, / become conscious that Il Il fastened
outside, and 30 by degrees, am able to
get out my knife, and saw and cut unit!
the strands are severed, and l 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
moments of consciousness realized thai
thew were in motion; their speed could
not Judge.
Al 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
~ moving.
night. Ny wounds-whether severe Of
not I could not tell-had stopped bleeding
because, lying as did, my clothing hae
pressed upon them and acted as son O
bandage. did not care for them 20 lone
as l had preserved the treasures conhded
to me. I emulated all fAithfhl servants
who had suffered in defense Of such trusts
put my hand under the seatar one altel
the other. r
My salise seas lost.
II was inexplicable-its disappearance
for Jim had declayed, remembered tha'
he could not find it. When this loss be
came certsin to me, the tears came, and
for long time wept like o child-criet
until the pain of my wounds made M
ashamed Of my weakness. Then begaI
to plan what to do in this emergency. /!
could not move, was so weak; IN met
did not dare to make any attempt =
chance even my position, uncomfortable
as il Waa I coald only wait for help Z
come TO me. All but where was II Th'
nlace was silent as o cemetery, save for tn,
sones of birds Evidently the city hat
moved away. Just then, as If providenti
ally. the report of gun far away rouset
the horses and they Immediately trottet
off over what seemed to be smooth road
Mother Goose sent me consolatlon In
rhyme, .,, ,,.,.u oome boms..
The devil isn't driving, I said to myself
and waited for the next phase OF aftairi
r. came. as near as 1 could judge, abou
twenty minutes later. Two men matigh
hupev dashed up in the rear.
Eloped horses" laughed one.
aSee the blood on that ones flank. VIII,
be,s been shot. Whoa soothingiy Q
they drove alongside.
GHelp!n moaned in voice 50 feebl
as 20 frighten me. They heard it, though
and drove 80 closely that they saw me.
"WelN welli" said one Of them, thi
tooks like a murder. Whoa, there, 20
| devils - TO the horses. The beasts cam
to halt, and the men opened the bac
SWhat's the matter heres"-togethel
"Tm badly cut up. I think: How d
| is It to the city-to surgeon
"To the city-ten milesi to mrgeor
Tn one" and getting into the carriage b
beean. tenderlY, to examine my wo0nd
sWeil sir, you are pretty thorough
s,..bed It's nothing serious though; .
fiesh wounds,r he decided, after long e1
Animation. aCan you stand it to ride
sLvinr DOWN. Yes. / have been thi
v.v Snce midnight. II you viii help m
along, mrgically, I'll try two or three hou'
longer" ,.---..
.cd nd. q All right" Hitching their teal