The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1872-08-15

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I had slept, r suppose, for 'b 'abou.
three lhiuutes. when I was aroused BY
a'choking, sufscstibg sensation in i ny
throat, and on opening my eyes; r saw
the bearded countenance Of the stran-:
ger within an inch of my face, his eyes
a'shing, his 'nostrils dilated, and his
whole frame quivering With. emotion !
90 that bis hand, although twisted,
tightly in my neekcloth, trembled vio.
lently. Surprise for . second numbed
my energies, but I soon reeolleoted the
practical teaehiug Of my old instructor,
tho Worosstershire Nobbler, and find.
Eiog l could free myself BY 10 other
means, dealt him blow with my lett
hand which sent him staggering to the
other end Of the carriage. He recov.
Eered himself inan instant, and rushed
At me sgain but this time L was on
my guard, aud - he advanced, I seized
bis hands by the wrists, and being
much the more powerful mao, forced
him into . seat, and. kept him there,
nsveE for an instant relaxing my grip.
'tLet me 60 r he Kissed between his
teeth, speaking 10 ., foreign accent,
"Let me gol Sooundrell coward !-re-
lease me u"
Had any third person been present
they could not have failed to be ANUS
ed at the matter Of fact tone Of my re-
marks in contrast to the high aovn
speech Of the stranger.
-. 8 =" =. nat na:i Inc g deuce 90 you mean, sir,
by attacking an inofensive man in this
wayr' said l, "wh.t's your motive :
You don't look like thief"
"No," he screamed, s"ti, you who
are the thief, you who would steal from
me all that I cherish IN the world I"
"Why, never set eyes on you be-
fore n I exclaimed. getting beviIdered
and not feeling 50 certain whether l
was awake or asleep.
"No, but I have heard of you," he
replied, "heard Of you too often.-
ITEMS! did not you just acknowledge
you were going to Bottoms p
"Well, what if I am 7" I asked.
"You shall never reach your desti.
nation," and with sudden twist he
shook my hand from his neck, sprang
| at my face and struck me With such
forcs that I fell on my back on the
floor Of the carriage. In falling, l
dragged my adversary With me, but be
was ninbler than I, and succeeded in
planting bis kaee on my throat while
he pinned my hands to my sides. See
ing me II hi, mercy he g.,1'es cry e,r,!s' Of
triumph, then STOPPING over me scan. "a;
ned ny face Will such wild and scar.
ing glance, that a glimmering Of the
! truth for the first time flashed across
me-tbe man was mad. I turned faiu,
sick at the idea, and closed my eyes.
@Ah, @hs !'7shrieked the lunatic, "you
pale, you stremble ! You, an English
man, change color like q girl! You
shsli bs yet another color before I leave
you, your checks shall be blue, your
eyes red, Eotends tn, miserable :" And
'as ho spoke hs knslt with such force
on m, throat that I felt my eyes were
starting from their sockets l struggled
convuIsive]y, but the more l writbed
the more tightly did he press me with
bis knee, until at length the anguish
grew insupportable, and I tainted.
How long I remained inseusible, I
know DOT; it can have been but for q
very few minutes, however, and when
II came to myself I found the fresh
ight air blowing over my face, saw
the door Of the carri.ge open, aud fel,
the madmsn endssvoring to drag me tt
the aperture with the evident inten'
t,on Of throwing me out upon the line
I And now l felt that the crisis ~,
at hand, and that it was but question
! Of time whether / could hold out unit
vs arrived at the station, or whether
should be murdered by the lanstic. W.
were both young men, and though, per
haps,7 I Was naturally the more power
!: full, yet his position gave him grea
j advantages, as Was still extended o,
my back, while he was STOPPING ove
me, and while my limbs we're cramped
he had free play for all bis energies
. On seeing me recovering from ,th'
swoou, hs uttered short, sharp ory
!, and, bendiag lower, twiued his hand
, in my cravat. Nov, was my opportu
nifty; his back vas towards tue door
Il his face 50 close to mine, that could
feel his breath upon my cheek. Gath
ering all my remaining strength togeth
! OF, seized him by the ancles, and lit
orally hurled him over my head on t
bis face. He fell heavily, striking hi
head against the opposite door, and la.
! stunned and bleeding. Ina second
vas on my feet ready; to gr.pple bin
but a. / rose the engine sbrieked on
approaching advent to the station, an'
| slmnef hofopn~1-~4non1l" ..:.o Gill;