The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-01-21

the jewels year deyilish lock put you in
possession OF tonight. give you one
chance for your lifeAtheugh you ought
mot to be suffered to live. Give me The
casket. without moments delay-1II
only 8ant what is mine--snd will go
foutN the rear and escape them easily 1
though I shall have to leave New Or
leans forever, you whelp; and you can
lie here and sereech 10 your hearts con-
tent, until some one comes TO release
you. If you keep me in suspense an
instant longer. / will strapgle you 10
death, though those people without
should .Eill me an hour after Will yon
purchase your. life 80 easily! Speak at
once, or by the Lord you are dead
man."
struggled to lift myself, though ever
iso little, from my recam 5ent position:
but he held me down with madman's
strength against which / felt that I
would be inadequite to cope, even with
unshackled limbs-and glared at me
with the wild ferocity Of insanity. I
had done all-perhaps even more than
my manhood required; and ! grasped
eagerly, for the ifirst time. at the pros
pect of life. If continued obstinate,
clearly saw that ] had but few mo-
ments to live; and then the recovery Of
the jewels and the money had about
me would inevitably follow On the
other hand, had the considerable sum
Of, thirty-nine thousand dollars, in bard
cash, Upon my person; Of which it
seemed no part Of this singular mono
manic's design to gain possession; and
by giving up the diamonds / might be
I permitted to go unharmed, and likewise
retain the nice little fortune in money
that I had won.
"Hold!" / cried, as his hands were
again starting for my throat. s'If /
give you back. your accursed diamonds,
will You swear to leave me here un-
harmed ?"
"After have relieved you also of the
money the foul flend aided you to gain
this evening. Do you think it would DE
human nature, when / have you under
my foot to let you 60 with that"
$50 you mean to rob me of my mon
ley. too p could not help saying.
at is all miue You are mine. Yes.
You have the spell of an enchanter
about you; Where have you spirited
Them? III swear they are not on your
Iperson."
"There is side.pocket in my coat"
I answered. "Assist me to rise, and /
/ will point it out to you"
He dragged me into sitting posture,
with incredible speed.
! "Where ?" he cried. "Be quick. You
see they are trying to force the door,
A sickening terror caused my heart
to stand still ! had reopened lhe bo-
som of my coat, found the pocket, and
saw to my dismay, that it was empty.
81 have already been robbed" I fall
'ttered, Il put the casket and money in
that pocket; and all is gonen
| "You lie!' be howled with. tigrous
] ferccity. sYou are a wizard, and have
wrought some of your internal spells
to defraud me of my purpose. Now
say your prayers, for you are dead
man"
j He hurled me back upon the floor,
and brandished glittering blade above
my head. ] had closed my eyes in the
instant expectation of death, when a
loud, stunning report broke the quiet
of the moment, and dead weight fell
across my breast. ! saw st once that
the shot must have come from third,
invisible party. and I imagined that
Brakeman had crouched down thus sud
denly to escape the aim Of q bullet
Blu: q moment after realized the whole
truth. f
The warm life'e blood Of this terrible
desperate was gushing over me, and be
! lay writhing in the agonies of death.
| The wound from my still unseen de-
! liverer was effective and almost instan-
taneous, yet even with his expiring gasp
II felt his fingers clutching at me as
though he would rend the treasures be
! so worshipped from me, even then.
j Bnt a single groan escaped his lips.
His hands relaxed their hold, and he
rolled over upon the floor beside ne, a
|, corpse.
:. And what corpse!
j The face was turned toward me, and
| saw stamped upon it, by the inevita-
bic decree Of God. the vices into which
he had run riot in life, and which the
corruption Of the grave could alone re-
move.
| Was the soul to be q mirror in the
next world, to reflect them forever2
| Again | cried out with a nervous hor.
j ror, which | struggled in vain to re-
press:
, "Hclp! in the name Of Heaven, or ]
too shall be murdered. .
: AT that moment the door fell in with
a loud Crash, and a number of mcr
, rushed IN
r "Darrill Livingstone! In the name
, of God, how came you here:n
pI II was Eugene Maurice-bravc. true
t Eugene, who had brought the mer
around him-they were an informa
. posse of police-to my rescue.
' "How came you here2" ] gasped.--
How could you know y
II saw how You were leaving Mon
S talembert's,'' he answered, spurning tht
r now pnlseIess corpse at my side, '.anl
: knowing how many hundreds of les.
] desperate men than the one who lie'
y here would murder you for the treasur,
: you bore with you, ! followed you out
e ! saw Blakemam spring up with th,
y driver of your cab, and Instantly sus
d pecting some deyilish colusion, j jump
!, ed into another and followed you here
e As fate would have il, you were imme
q diately IN front of the key hole; ant
L looking through I saw the villain in tn
act OF making way with you, and tool
It the best aim at him ! could. And j
: was accurate enough, as we see, for
have SPARED the hangman job"
II "How shall I ever repay you p
}, cried.
by being the man heaven designe
it YOU to be- he answered solemnly.-
e eThe death of this -man may be the lii
d of your soul ). YOU will think OF it whe
i you grow ealmer. Come, we will MOI
take you back to your hotel9
, | felt like a person stunned by leay
Il blow as We weat out, and Indeed all dr
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