, 1874-09-20

| decllyity toward tho village. AS Wa hav
seon. tho public mind WAS not unprc
tected his approach it would bo difficult to say
but llo had not gone far down the hill when th
alarm was spread in the village that the young
crazy man was coming. and without the pfope
complement OF clothing upon him. Many per
Sons closed their windows and shuttera al il ,
battle were about to take place. Others sough
advice of their neighbors aud small groups
noislly-lebatiug women wera soon assembled il
various kitcLen-precincts. a troop OF idle boys
got wind OF the adventure, and prepared 10 SCI
upon tho 1eos of tha disordeIed wanlercl
with appropriate Aootings. Above all, Hank
ford found himself triumphant. elevated tc
the dignity OF prophet. lie left bis anviI, and
declared that nothing should nov deter him from
hunting the young athlete, With his dog, as lie
would savage creature Of the forest.
Poor Archibald, meanwhile, approached with
lusty and sprngins step, pressing the grassy
field beneath '1s his his thin slippers. Or plant,
rock, moving proudly always, and always toward
tho rivor aud the village. Crossing tha bridge,
he drew within the scope OF some among tho
nearer houses. All at once he was startled By o
shrill cry:
I "Go back!"
II WAS the voice OF epinstcr lady, resident in
! house by tho road, who had determined to
sacrifice her convenience to tho Public good IN
this one eudeavor to turn the possessed youth
from his path. Size had kept watch from be-
A!Iu EuE+lo1. uutA LIZ C4tuU Hltl!1 lChEu Vi
| voice, when she at oncc shrioked, and Withdrew
| into an inner room. Cromer paused, looked,
listened, and then, with . smile. moved on.
He met no ono on tho street, and wont
forward unmolested. But. when he came
to the corner Of tho public eIua.c-Liberty
llace-he suddenly heard the Erowl Of vi
cious bulldog, aud tha next moment beheld
Hankfords brute rushing furously upon him.
All his presence OF mind vas required to meet
tho emergency. He Was clothed in almost moth
hal -iv,,1,
to get the better of his british adversary. and
know that, if once tho animals taisls should be
fixed in his flesh. ho would be powericss from
pain to apply his great muscular forco in his
own defense. lie ti1cd hls eyes keenly, tlerceiy
upon the dos-st was but few yards dlsteat-
and resolved upon his Plan OF action.
11o waited where Lo w.s until tLe bull
dog had come within sprirgirs distance, hi.
II.cn, when another leap would enable the AMI
NAL to clutch him With his teeth,- in fact.
81 the dog WAS making that lcap,-uo darte1
aside. AMI sheltered himself for an instant be-
hind the post of wooden awning projecting in
front of the building before which tie encounter
took place. The impetus Of the excited brute'a
career carried him forward beyond the posi- He
gavo q growl Of rage, simultaneous with tho
fierce snap Of lis disappointed jaws. With
scarcely seconds delay, Cromcr whisked out
again from his shelter.
1t vas useless to run in either direction. The
dog would hare caught him in an instant. Gro
mer saw approaching. from the other sldo Of the
square, party OF boys and young men, with
Han1tord as their head. and armed with sticlse
and stoncs- But, II their intention waa 20 assist
him, they we're not alert enough, he sav at once.
AS lie swept his eyes about over ca surrounding |
objects he observed within two feet OF him stone
just large enough to give it power as weapon,
but email enough to permit good hold upon it. |
aud rroyidentiallx pointed at ona end. SO quick |
u were these observations mado that the dog
had not yet had time to turn himself, and was !
but few feet away.
Cromer's plan had been to graap tho dog from
behind, and, with I'LL the forca of rhich he vas
capable, to gripa him by the throat. and SO choke
him, or else il ho could, tear him to pieces,
rather than allow himself to be bitten He now I
modified it by possessing himself Ct the stone.
With 1I Que bound he had seized IL and seized the
dog. Then began sharp and bitter stru2.a
between the brute and tho man. With his left
baud Cromcr fastened the bulldog by tue |
throat, so that he cocld not turn his head,
nor move his javs; with the other, ho
welded the elarr-1,ointcd stone. The dog
would not relax hts hold for an instant. Within
three minutes tho animal, what with this re-
strant and the effect of tho sharp stone, was re-
!ucel to state OF inability for further combat.
:oi to 8 standing posture. ami turned the brute
,yer with Ills toot. lie was ready for tao
ol@udits OF the crowd.
But, instead OF e!,p.arae, he became a77afo
/
lin. Hankford, furious ut tho fate OF li3
oar- r-footcd ally, WAS almost upon him. vital J
Grating, ard calling upon the troop OF 1oater !
Joys to join in Furnishing the offender. At !,
HIS -june!ure, The lnconsrnity Of tho whole
Gene ard circumstances with Es own ideal place
t feeling sfnoto in upon Croulcrs mind abrupt :
=, and iilled him with dismay. Tor the tirs.
inie, his scheme presented itself to him in all
bsurd light. and its folly WAS overwhelming to I
i'm. i single impetuous impulse seized him ]
f1a lnnpTl1SA to at from hi4 ll11- ! :
a;iiatng position. Ills NEUROLOGICAL costume
;ould favor tlls at any rate. It was light and I
:lt, aud would assist Linn in running. He ]
ii rot lose any time, bat, throwing himself J
nward, khot away like All arrow before Lis =
ursuers in the direction lie had come from. 4
brought to staad-stiEl by mere bundle i
canine muscl os, ard now hunted by : rabbio J
hooting village boys, cromer's fight vas I
udily danger Was added. Hankford, freshly III
snsed to see the young man escaping, sent his !
lick through the cir after the runner. Il
hiZZed over his Ecad narrowly m:ssn: him,
nd fell OH the ground in advance OF HIM. 4 I
gnt vollev OF stones then Lurtlcd aronnd tho !
:urry;nE hero. One OF them grazel his thigh,
nc spur!ed him on. I
.Try for lis legs!-his lcss!" shouted tho ,
fackb1nitL. II
But by tE;s timo Crorer had reached tho /
,arco Of a lan,ing by p!uagias into tho water. =
s ho did 30. pair of round stones, we'll aimed, +;
,w through the SPACE where his body had been J.
before. He knew tho river we'll, aud Il
1t himself in the arms Of friend. As tho
tie crowd came painting Up to tho bridge, he L
we'd again, and swam away under the surface. .
ley stood OIL the bridge wondering, and had !.
NC to cool the mad ardor of their attack Il
the wealthy young Grrco-manac; So that !,
hen lie rose to the surface. some rods down. "
rear, and within easy reach OF the farther A
nk they did not !5iyo chase. \ few struck L
ead again, in the hope OF stopping him OF -
ncwllcls, Dut, seeing Archibald at distance, $;
inning evenly aud apparently in good wind y y
ward . corntield, they deEisted. At about tho Z
ntre Of the cornteld VAS q scare crow, mud
ward this tho young deni-god vas making lis
~. 4
An extraordinary sight now offered itself to
.nkfo1u and his posse. They sax Cromer ad-
nee to the scar-scrow, and disappear behind
Presently, TO tl1eir utter astoaishment. the c.
aro-crow seoned to move. and in another l..
o1neut it pegan, beyond mistake, to recedo 81
I'm its place. Then tho whole traas- bl
lion became clear to tho gazers. They N
sed derisive, jeering chorus, and turning, Ee
as, tool! tie direction Of the village. seeming OF
well satisfied. The young aspirant for super til
man Loaors had, in full view OF his vulgar or
pouents, transformed himself from tho 10
,ina r,erann m h;s y;sinn4 io+o a con,-uo,, | "a