Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-10-31
WOODSTOCK, W., THURSDAY, OCT. 81, 1872.

This startled me. | scarcely knew
why, but it did startle me, and some
what unpleasantly. At the same III
stant | observed that Bergheim, in the
htaviness and helplessness of sleep,
had swayed over on one side, and was
hanging very uncomfortably across
one arm of his chair.
"Come, come, | said, "wake up,
Herr fellow-traveler- This sort Of
doing will do you no good. Wake
up and come to bed"
And with this | took him by the
arm, and tried to rouse him. Then
for the first time | observed that his
face was deadly white--that his teeth
were fast clenched-that his breathing
was unnatural and labored.
| sprang to my feet. | dragged
him into an upright posture; | tore
open his neckcloth was on the point
of rushing to the door to call for help,
when suspicion-one of those terri
Bile suspicious which are suspicion and
conviction in one-fashed suddenly
upon me. The rejected glass Of wine
was still standing on the table. |
smelt it-tasted it. My dread was
confirmed, 1t had the same pungent
odor, the same bitter flavor as the
coffee.
In moment measured all the hOr
ror of my position alone e--unarmed-
my unc)n sciou3 fellow-traveller drug
ged and helpless on my hands-the
mm derers overhead biding their time
the silence and darkness Of night
the unfrequented road-the solitary
house the improbability of help f'om
without-the imminence Of the dan
ger from within n | saw it all.
What could l do? Was there any
way, any chance, any hope?
turned cold and dizzy. leaned
against the table for support Was
| also drugged, and was my turn com
ing? | looked round for water, but
there was none upon the table. | did
not dare to touch the beer lest it also
should be doctored.
At that instant heard faint sound
like the creaking of a stair My pre-
sence of mind had not as yet for a
moment deserted me, and now my
strength came back at the approach
of danger lest a rapid glance round
the room. There was the blunder-
buss over the chimney-piece-there
were the two hatchets in the corner.
| moved a chair loudly, and hummed
some snatches Of songs.
They should know that was awake
this might at least keep them off a
little longer The scraps Of song COW
cred the sound of my footsteps as !
stole across the room and secured the
hatchcts. One of these | laid before
me ON the table the other hid among
the wood beside the hearth-singing,
as it were, to myself all the time.
Then | listened breath,essly.
All was silent.
Then | clinked my teaspoon in my
cup fe' erel a long yawn-under c1v-
er of the the yawn took down the
blunderbuss from the hook, and listen
ed again
Still all was silent-silent as death
save only the loud ticking of the
clock in the corner, and the heavy
beating of my heart.
Then, after few seconds that
dragged past like hours, distinctly
head a muflied tread stealing softly
across the floor overload, and another
very faint retreating creak or two on
the stairs.
To examine the blunderbuss, find
it loaded with heavy charge Of
slugs, test the dryness Of the powder,
cock it, and place it ready for use be
side the hachet on the table, was bat
the work ola moment.
And now my course was taken
My spirits rose with the possession of
certain means of defense, and | pre-
pared to sell my own life and the life
of the poor fellow beside me, as dear
ly as might be.
must turn the kitchen into a for
tress, and defend my fortress as long
rs defence was possible. If l could
hold i till daylight came to my aid,
bringing with it the chances of traffic.
of passers. by, of flrm-laborerS coming
to their daily work-then | felt we
should be comparativy safe. If how
ever, | could not keep the enemy out
so long then | had another resource.
But of this there was no time to think
at present First of all, must bami
cade my fortress.
The windows were already shutter
ed-up AMI barred on the inside. The
key of the house-door was in the lock,
and only needed turning. The heavy
iron bolt, in like manner, had only to
be shot into its place. To do this,
however, would make too much noise
just now. First and most important
was the door communicating with the
inner kitchen and the stairs. This,
above all, must be secure and this,
as found to my dismay had no bolts
or locks whatever on the inside-noth
ing but clumsy wooden latch.
TO pile against it every movable in
the room was my obvious course but
then it was one that, by the mere noise
it must make, woulI at once alarm the
enemy. No! | must secure that door
but secure it silently-at all events
for the next few minutes.
Insnired by dread necessity. | be