The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-07-03

and slipped to the Goor. L think L
smiled at this Impulse, but at that mo-
ment the cracking recommended, fol-
lowed by a smothered oath, and / knew
that some one was softly approaching
the bed. L had ceased to smile. 1 did
not admire the idea of a struggle i'll the
dark, and unfortunately my tapers were
in my waistcoat, which had thrown on
a chair when retiring. Nevertheless, l
had 20 notion of being a quiescent
party to murder, aud began to work
my way to the foot of the bed, which l
had succeeded in doing very quietly.
L thought of the knife again, and
opening il, stuck it in my waistbapd,
thing [ would not do gain under the
same circum tances. If l had only
removed the pistol.
As the novelist would say, all this
occurred in much less time than it
takes to write it, or to read it either,
and only II very few moments had
ell psed since my first waking.
My next move was rather singular
had noticed light print spread on
the bed, n CANDY piece of calico like onr
attic window curtains ut home.
sua.ched this from the bed and sprang
to the side whence the noise proceeded.
\ man Icnued over the bed he
turned with growl of rsge, but being
1.-THE as a cat, enveloped his head
with the calico, my hands at his throat
in an instant. Then began dreadful
struggle. es we rolled on the floor
together, My assailant dragged me
nearer the he'd, and it flashed upon me
in an instant that the recovery OF the
knife was in his mind.
E.FN II my lnft
mine it was gone. 1t bad slipped out
during the scuffie, and | was thankful
that / hal not been thrown on its sharp
point.
The burly ruflisn had torn the muller
from his head, and was altogether fixing
me in sho rt order. The dominent idea
in both of us now was TO seize the knit"
by the bed. My chance was not worth
the flip of a penny, yet If anything
would be calculated to lend a man super
natural strength. it was conditions like
these, and 1 astonished myself. With
a superhuman effort, 1 got on top. snd
planting my right knee on his breast,
and again seiziIg his throat with des-
peration, soon had the satisfaction OF
feeling his clutch relax, until he was
powsrless as child.
NV own strength began to fail now,
and cold, sickly sweat broke out OF
Ii body at every pore.
My would be murderer lay very still /,
scarcely a tremor betraying that there
was life in him.
There was hurried trampiug of feet
below, and pale light glimmered on
the ceiling as the grim old man and two
or three others assembled the stairs, bring
ing candles.
We had aroused the household, al
though neither of ms bad cried out.
AS L am not fighting character. and
my courage nothing to boast of. think
may safely acknowledge that showed
the white feather when it was all over,
and dropped over from exhaustion and
excitement.
My man with the black beard, who
had followed me three DAYS with an in
tent to take my life, believing me to be
another person (this I afterward learn
ed, was held in charge until daylight
by the coach driver and Job Silvers,
and at last astoni>be these worthless
very much by knocking them both down
and making good his escape.
have this knife yet keen Italian
stiletto. a perfect beauty in temper and
carving, and keen as a rszor.
There are many pleasing adventures IL
the life of commercial traveller, OIL
drummer, as they are called, but there
are also drawbacks.