Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-11-23


Of bed straight upon him. For Sec
ond | had him by the collar ; but not
being able to get clear altogether
from ;.e bed clothes | was checked,
and he slipped out of my grasp like
an eel and disappeared in the shadow.
Instantly, however, | was on my
feet; but thinking that the fellow
probably would be armed | did net
attempt to grope for him, but made
straight through to the door of the So
lon getting on the landing, intending
to raise an alarm and prevent an es-
cape; bat before | could push the
bolt / saw him at the window open
ing on to the balcony. His figure
came dark between me and the moon
light, and judging that, as the case
ment was open, be must have entered
that way, and was now endeavoring
to get out by it, | once more sprang
towards him, and had him in my
arms Just as he stepped onto the ball
cony, and was in the act of climbing
over it. He struggled for moment
or two desperately, of course; but
my hot temper was fairly up now,
and thinking of nothing but the inso-
lent audacity of the intrusion and at
tempted robbery, | tore him away
with great violence for he was out
like child in his strength compared
to me and saying in my fury, clio,
no, you scoundrel you want to get
out this way, do you? then by George
you shall 60 !" | flung him, as if he
had been a truss of straw, over the
balcony into-good God the rushing
river below
Then and then only, for the first
time, as my hands quilted hold of him
did remember the situation Of my
rooms. had been sleeping in diff
ferent ones almost every night for the
last six weeks, and in the sudden
ness and rapidity with which the
whole of the incidents had happened
[ entirely forgot that below the bal
cony rushed the impetuous Rhine.
Lightning does not express the swift
keenness Of the agony which shot
through my brain as, glazing after
the wretched man, caught faint
glimpse of his falling figure, and
heard the faintest cry and splash rise
for a second above the rush of the
torrent.
Not being skilled in describing sem
sations, abstain entirely from at
tempting TO express what mine were
now. | pulled myself together in a
minute or two, endeavoring to collect
my thoughts, and to settle what I
ought to do. | walked to ahe tab g
where | had lief: my watch-it was
gone to the little stand at the bed
head my packet Of notes was safe,
but the hand which / had arrested,
Just in time, as it rose toward them,
belonged to some one who knew that
they were there, that was evident.
Then my eye fell upon black object
living upon the floor in a streak of
moonlight; il was q piece OF folded
Grape with an elastic band attached
In the first encounter the thiefs dis
ulse had fallen off here it W as =
and remembered that for second
on the balcony | had met the rascal s
large dark eyes IS they seemed start
inc from his head with terror.
The balcony as | put my hand on
the side Of the balustrade, in the act
oflooking over. it touched the top Of
ladder, the other end which or ex-
animation | could now family discern
in the moonlight rested not a dozen
feet down on long but less project
inc balcony than mine, for my rooms
were over a low pitched entres0l, to
which this lower balcony belonged.
Clearly, then, it was some one en-
gagged about the house--a waiter
probably-who had attempted to rob
me: one of those who had seen me
open my letters and examine my notes
| bethought me then that my move
ments in my room must have been
watched, or that stealthy hand would
never have been raised with such
foreknowledge towards the spot
where ! had placed the money.
\ long acquaintance with foreign
habits had taught me that an amiable
custom prevailed among this rascally
scum of walters of boring gmblet
holes in the corners of the door pan
nels, through which they might be
come acquainted with the private pro
ceedngs of the occupants of the
rooms, male or female. | was not
surprised therefore, on rekindling my
candle and examining the door, to
find several of these trOus JUDAS, as
they are playfully called one in par
ticular so large and so directed that
anybody in the outer passage could
easily observe all that was going on
in the room.
Ny impulse now was to raise an
alarm; but an instant's reflection
showed me that if I did | must bid
good bye to all thoughts of reaching
Paris by the early train, and Of say
ing the limit of my leave. And was
it worth my while to do this ? de-
cided in a moment most certainly
not. Was to expose myself to vast
personal inconvenience and possibly
professional ruin, through not meeting
my engagements, simply for the sake
of explaining to the cumbersome law
of the land what had happened, and
to run the risk of not being able to do
SO to its satisfaction, and consequently
perhaps Of my being incarcerated as a
murderer Not a bit Of It'll | would
see the law of Switzerland in Jericho
first As it was | had lost my watch,
and my temper leaped up in rebellion
at the thought and easily persuaded
me for the time | should be little bet
/ ter than fool to risk the prospects of
my life by an act SO Quixotic. If he
was dead twas his own fault, and there
should be an end of it as far as l was
concerned So, at least, | thought
then. No; | would be off As | pro-
posed; and with this determination |
began deliberately to dress and pack
my knapsack, for sleep was gone for
- =