Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-12-16

WaYu eeats ana as bOm6bO0y swung q
lantern backward and forward discerned
that save very old gentleman, Who
seemed 10 be DOING in the back, th.t
] was the only passenger.
The driver cracked his whip and with
q terrific jolting we started at furious
rate of speed. We had, perhaps, ac-
complished FIVE or SAX miles in this way,
when the rickety old affair gave sud-
den lurch befor coming to full stop
and the driver appeared at the window
dripping with rain. - -ass.g :
Wen have to tumble here for the
nIght,.1 reckon, forfhe storm last night
has blown tree right square across the
road, and the leader has got rock in
his foot and can't 60 on ANYWAY
Peasant prospect, truly! There's
old Job Silvers' cabin, yonder; we can
put up with him, I guess, until morn
in
As the driver had already began to
unhitch, there was nothing to do but
beg the hospitality Of Mrs. Silvers,
aud the old gentleman and myself
scrambled out, the former growing
when be found the road ankle-deep in
a sticky mire, and the rain pouring in
torrents.
Il should like to throttle that villain,
ard shoot that accursed leader on the
spot, said the old gentleman, making
off toward the miserable shanty, to the
right some thirty rods. After sup
per of frizzled bacon, fried eggs aud
excellent coffee, which was not so bad o
supper, eaten before a spanking fire of
birch logs, the host, a tall, grim old
man, with the face Of one of Napoleon
j. soldiers, albeit with a certain look
of simplicity impossible to a soldier,
conducted me up a rude pair Of stairs
to a sleeping apartment. The room
slolod low in the ceiling on two sides,
being just under the roof, and was fur
nished with two narrow beds and two
chairs.
Itook off nv coat and waistcoat and
flung myself into bed, putting my pis-
tol and watch under my head.
The grim old man excused his pover-
ty and took away the candle, his cow
hide shoes creaking on the stairs as
he descended. On second thought
took nv watch from under the pillow
and placed it between the mattresses
on the further side of the bed, next to
the wall. and soon fell asleep. lulled by
the dreaming voices underneath and the
rain that fell on the. -shinslsd roof, n
sound / used to love in my boy hood.
was awakened by the creaking of
the board floor under stockinged foot.
The room undoubtedly owned another
occupant than myself. whether legiti-
mately so remained to be discover
ed.
What money l had with me carried
in the right pocket Of my trousers, the
safest place, bv all mears l also car
ried large and clumsy jack knife, such
as sailors cut tobacco with. / don't
know why ] should have remembered
the knife. hut | did The walking had
ceased. hut fancied | heard stified
hr.athiug in the room; this might have
been only fancy. However, I gently
drew myself To the side next the wall,
Letween which and the bed there was
just room enough for human BODY, and
slipped TO the floor. | think | smiled
at this impulse, but at that moment
the crsaking recommended, followed by
a sm"thercd cath, and knew that some
one was softly approaching the bed
| had ceased to smile. / did not ad-
mire the idea of struggle in the dark.
and unfortunately my tapers were in
INV wais,coat, which / had thrown on n
chair before retiring. Nevertheless. 1
had no action of being a quiescent
party to murder, and l hegan to work
my way to the foot Of the bed. which
had succeeded in doing very quietly.
thought of the knife and opened it,
stuck it in NY wais,hard, a thing would
not Dc agan under the cumstances.
Ii had only removed the pistol.
AS the novelist would say, all this
occurred in much less time than il takes
to write it. or read it either. and only
a few minutes had elapsed since INV
first waking
My next move was rather singular.
l had noticed a light print spread on
the led. u laudy Ii-ce of calico Ike on,
attic window curtains at home. !
snatched tlisfrcmthe bed and sprang to
the side whence the noise proceeded.
I A man leaned over the bed; he turn
ed with growl Of rage. but being 1.-THE
as cat. l enveloled his head with the
calico, NV hands at bis throat in an
instant. He was a powerful wretch
and threw me easily. although | had
grarpted him like a vice. Then becan
dreadful struggle as We rolled on the
aoor together. My assailant dragged
me nearer the bed, and it flashed upon
me in an instant that the recovery oi
the knife was in his mind. / felt now
with my left hand for mine; it was gone
1t had slipped out during the scuft,e
aud was thankful l had not been
thrown ON its sharp point.
/ The burlv ruffian had torn the muf.
fer from his head, and was altogether
fixing me in short order. The dominau,
idea in both of US now was to seize b.
knife by the bed. Ny chance was moi
worth the flip Of . penny vet il any
thing would be calculated to lend 4
man supernatural strength it was con
ditions like these, and astonished my
self. With superhuman effort ! 60
on top and planted my right knee o'
his breast and again seizing his throa
with desperation, soon had the satisfae
ton Of feeling his clutch relax, until b,
Was as powerless as a child.
NV own strer 9Th tegan to fail row
and cold, sticky sweat broke out G
INV hoSv NJ svsrx nara Nv wonl1