The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-03-25
sand francs in the Bank of France, and
4 will willingly add q check for half

edIlO II2ucS III k11c 08ukO1 f6uce, duu
Il will willingly add q check for hall
that amount W u JLl 4 III Il JDI /.
"Checks don't answer our purpose
very WELL" said a second voice.
"Then I pledge you my honor that
will tomorrow draw out five thousand
francs and pay the, amount over to any
person who may approach Me with
this boquet in his hand, " said / hold
ing out the flowers I had apufolased oi
the fair decoy.
"And have him arrested tn next
minute, i suppose. 7y,stu .<un
"No; on my honor he shall depart
unharmed and unqueStioned, and nc
other human being shall be informed
of the transactions for a week, month
or a year."
sLet u.s. handle what you have
said the first speakef.A II Il II &
1 Immediately took out my pin, took
off my ring, drew out my watch, pro
duced my pOcket-boOk and purse, and
placed them oil in his extended hand.
"YOq e, make US a present. Of these
"Yes, on condition that one of you
will forthwith conduct me to the street
above" replied.
Monsieur is q very liberal gentle.
man, indeed !" was the response.
They then drew off together, scruti.
nized the articles by the light Of smo.
ky lamp, and conversed together in
low tones Eifp, littu{ i,us -
felt that they were holding a con.
sultation that involved my life. To
speak the honest truth, it seemed as il
every nerve in me quivered, AID it was
with difficulty that I could stand.
/ At length the principal spokesman
methodical manner:
/ "Monsieur has acted more like a
gentleman than any we ever had de:l-
ings with, and if We could, consistent
with our business, oblige him, We
would be happy to do so; but unfortu-
nately we are governed by a rule which
is law with us, that dead men tell no
tales, and We think it will not do to
make an exception in this case. We
will, however, in consideration of Mon
sienr's gentlemanlyS behaviour, be "a
mild and lenient as possible in doing
our duty, and give you, five minutes for
prayers" - - eFN , - a
"You have then resolved to murder
me?" gasped 1.
Monsieur uses o very hard term,
but we will let that pass. You have
five minutes yet 10 live, by this watch. F"
This william then held my watch to
the light, and, l felt indeed that my
minutes were mum bered, and secretly
began to pray for the salvation of my
on,,l lol;or;nr fhof I oon1d NOT Sovo
my body.
A death-like silence reigned in that
gloomy apartment for some time, and
then one of the ruffians bent down and
lifted trap door, and from the dark
pit below issued q nauseOus smell, as it
might be of putrid bodies. l beheld
my intended grave, and shuddered like
an aspen. lsfsffHi ait ra .rI.lfs,Ti
But why stand there and die like a
dog, without q single attempt at escape?
At the worst. it could be but death,
and there was bare possibility that 1
might get away. fixed my eye on the
door which opened OH the stairway,
and with q single sudden bound reach
ed it, but found it locked. Then as the
hands of the ruffians seized me with a
murderous intent, 1 uttered q wild
shrek, the door was burst in with a
loud crash, and in a moment the room
was filled with gems d'armes I saw 1
was saved, and tainted and fell.
The four masks, the fair decOy, and
some two or three others concerned in
the murderous den were secured that
night, and 1 subsequently had the plea
sure of giving in my evidence against
I, oil 10, r<,d
to the galleys for life.
The place had for some time been
and the decoy marked. On
that night detective had secretly fol-
lowed the girl and myself, and after as
certaining whittier she had conducted
me, had hastened to bring body of
gems d'armes to the place. The delay
of the ruffians in their murderous de-
sign had been just sufficient to save me.
1 scarcely need add that never again
volunteered to accompany distressed
damsel on a. secret adventure while ]
remained in Paris. '-if