The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1873-04-04

come. tried to think he had abandoned |
the design, and SUNK off discouraged but
knew it was not SOL knew he was
crouchiBg in some corner, on the watch to
spring on me when passed.
Could stay there all night? No GER |
tainly not An hour more, and Harry
Leigh (my young wifes brother) would
come to seek me--coms unconscious Of the
danger, until bloodhound at his throat
would choke the brave young life down
there forever.
listened, ia the intervals Of the now fit
ful storm, to hear ifahe was breathing near
me. waited for the next lull. Il came
that deep hush that follows the gusty wind.
put my soulin the sense of hearing, but
no human shadowof sound greeted it.
When she storm swelled again, | drew
the bolt, and looked into the night; black
pail hung over the earth and sky. had as
good chance to pass him in the obscurty
as he to catch me. With my knife in my
teeth, and the passive thigh bone Of a negro
to fell him with if ! must, drew off my
shoes, aud stepped ont into the darkness.
A sudden whirl Of the tempest almost took
mo off my feet, and blick, dislodged from
one Of the chimneys, grazed my head in its
passage, and broke in half on the pavement
With bated breath, and step like
the tread of panther scentiug his prey,
| parted the thick darkness and turned
my face towards the hospital. He might
be either here--at any step along the pas
sage or hid in the angle Of the wall at the
door through which must enter, This
seemed most probable; but there was an
other door known onlyto the doctors.
| thought would eIude him. With infa-
lie caution began to scale the high wall,
dreading horribly lest some sudden break
in the SKY might reveal me to the wild eyes
that watched for but no.
| Safely passing the summit, threw my
/ leg over Ior the descent, ana felt my foot
seized 1t was but the climbing tendri Of
wild vine, skirting the wall Graspiug
my knife in my right hand, | crapt along
the bushes for fifty yards, then struck across
the lawn for the side entrance. The dark
ness perplexed me, but l thought l was
steering straight. suddenly my foot struck
bricks What 1as this? tried to recol-
lect. There was no pavement round that
part Of the hospital.
pushed on uncertainty; and feeling q
weightn the air, put out my hand to grope
some clue to my whereabouts. was in an
alley fanked with stone walls far above
my head. ! gave a sudden turn. In an
instant knew was 10 the subterranean
passages OF tie asylum. Turning to re.
trace my steps, lie Opaque density Of some
heavy body erouched between me and the
outer air. | heard its stiled breathing
its stealthy tread approaching me. Just
> heavens A struggle for life with mad
man in these narrow, gloomy vaults-to lic
:, in pool Of ones own hearts blood in thii
i undiscovered tomb and my young wife
!, Constance was maddtning
). For an instant my brain was on fire. Ther
. ! thought there might be an exit-other de
h yious windings in which could elude m
deadly pursuer. Going deity backwards
!. | turned the angle in the wall, and the
lie plunged at the utmost speed of a youn
and active man along the back passage. Ii
: stantly | knew | was pursued. Meetin
,r another crossed path, struck into it in til
opposite direction. The maniac iustantl
followed me. What race through thos
h cavernous depths of the madhousel VIII,
n. tragic pitfalls might lurk at every step :
IA What black and stagnant pools lie waltin
I'd to engulf me what deeper depths Of il
"a blackness into which to fall--and fall 70
ID ever.
ct The passage grew narrower. We wer
ed perhaps under the very centre Of the bull
a ! ing, aud farthest from the outer air. hi
tried to breathe noislessly the effort 9
Mt hausted me. knew nothing Of the laby
inths could only guess at our position
nv the distance from the entrance / b
by counted the turnings we had made. thu
rst i could retrace them. My strength "
lrt. failing, was aeetest, but he was nc
an. enduring.
ain Presently he would run me down.
would be terrible venture, but the nee
It'll sity was imminent. Iwould try. Gath
bis ing all my force, | darted like an an arr
elf, on into the darkness. The suddenness
my increased speed baffied him. l 81
ard ceeded in putting fifty yards between
the gained and turned the next angle; th
md drawing myself against the wall, with ev
ice. nerve and muscle strained into preterna
my raj teption, with the mighty heaying of
,ad, spent chest crushed into silence BY an