The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-05-12
CONCLUDED

ae It never occurred to me at the time
that there was no need to make him in
sebaible in order to elmde him. The
darkness would have rendered my pre-
sence invisible to him. But my mind
was hopelessly confused. I was breath
Ing a snlphurous. air, made thick and
dificnlt by its blackness My only
thought was to keep the ruffian down. 1
was. only capable. indeed, of this
thought: "A few minutes had elapsed,
when heard distant rumbling, like
approaching thunder. It increased. I
seemed to feel a wind blowing against
my face. J. tasted, too, continuous
draught of smoke and steam. knew
that train was approaching, and my
hair lifted on my head. What rails were
I we on2 The suspense was frightful. My
>assailant' Increased his struggles. H..
became furious. He was evidently fight
ing to throw mo down, and over in the.
direction of that side of the tunnel
along which came the roar of the train
L saw his object, and madly pressed upon
him. His body frantically writhed. H..
twisted under me as if he revolyed upon
pivot. He endeavored to shrek some
words to me, but my throttling grasp
made his voice no more than O horrible.
hoarseness. I saw the red and green
lights OF the engine approaching. They
grew in size and luster with hideous
rapidity. There was roar, shower of
dust, q wind that struck me down like n
blow from strong mans fist; then fol
lowed the dying rattle, ending in dull
and sullen moan. rose to my feet l
crossed over to the wall, and, feeling
along it, took q walk with all the speed
my sinking frame would suffer me to put
forth. How long walked know not
My passage seemed interminable. The
damp of the wall against which my hand
constantly pressed froze my blood. Now
and then L stumbled over piles of rub.
bish lying grouped against the side; and
sometimes my cropping was bewildered
by my coming across recesses into which
my hands guided me.
At length saw star, tremulous, glo-
rions, in the distance. It was duylight:
the aperture of the tunnel, and pushed
forward with invigorated spirits Ineared
it slowly. for this star seemed to main.
tain an inexorable distance, and would
not enlarge. How shall I describe nv
Joy as gained the twilight of its reflec-
tion-as advanced and felt the pure air
Of heaven upon my dry cheeks and burn
ing lips-I saw the blue sky and the dim
vista of pale, green banks As got
into the light, cry escaped my lips
My trowsers were splashed with blood
There was one ensanguined line, ms if
fountain of blood had played upon me-
seated myself to recover my strength
could see that presented dismal and
terrible spectacle. My coat was torn,
my hands were black-so, too, I judged,
was my face-my collar had been tom
from me, and the skin ut the ends of my
fingers had been lacerated. After re-
posing myself, climbed the bank, and
perceived at the distance of about n mile
small station I made toward it and
gained it. A railway official, who wns
standing looking at two children playing
in a back garden, uttered loud cry OF
alarm rs he spied me. I narrated my
story to him as coherently as I could,
and then sunk upon the ground in
fainting condition.
OF what happened after this, have
no remembrance. When I came to my
senses, I discovered that I had been
taken to the honse of the station master
and carefully tended by his wife. From
him learnt the conclusion of this sin
gnlar incident in my life. It seems that
after my story had been told, two men
were despatched into the tunnel in search
of my assailant. They discovered him
lying dead, with both his legs cut clean
off, little above the knee. They bore
the corpse to the adjacent dead house,
and an inquiry into his death brought
out particulars that are easily anticipat-
ell. The man who 30 very closely re-
sembled me at v, had sednced the
hetrothed Of laborer, ono Theodore
Vertot. This Theodore, reckless now of
life, and resolutely bent on vengeance,
swore to kill her seducer. Mistakiug me
for bis enemy. he attempted to shoot me-
This failing. he hung about the hotel,
armed with stletto. determined to stab
me. whenever I should appear on the
street.
Hearing, however, that was about
leaving for Paris, he perceived better
and safer means of prosecuting his de-
sign, by stabbing me in the tunnel
through which lie knew we wonld pnss.
and then escaping in the darkness Re-
Election hna obviously taught him that
revenge wonld be none the less sweet
becanse it did not entail his destruction
by the law.
Such is the simple bnt tragical story.
,,,lx L. i Al,