The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-11-16

/ was dreaming; in fact, was just on
that mysterious frontier land between
the two states, which is not the least per-
picking among the phenomena Of NOR
tai existence-that is to say, thought
was dreaming-when saw the figure of
a man on all feurs crawling out of the
stream OF moonlight in the salon into
the shadow cast, as have said, by the
arch and heavy folds of the portiere.
But knew l was awake when, losing
sight of him for minute there, saw
him again emerging into the rays of
light which fell across the floor of the
alcove where lay. knew, say, that
I was awake now, for could 1 not dis
tinguish plainly as he came slowly and
stealthily toward the bed that his face
was hidden by a sort of Grape maskR
And yet still, for moment more, !
thought 1 must be dreaming. 1 had
never moved or raised my head from the
pillow; I had simply opened my eyes,
and 1 still sbstained from movement
while endeavoring to realize i'll what
condition was.
Suddenly. however, all doubt disap-
peared. took in on the instant the
fact that this was an attempt at robbery,
perhaps worse; for, approaching the lit
tie table, the fr;ure without rsising
from the floor lifted one of its bands as
if to reach the marble top. The man
was within arms length of me now, and
without giving him the slightest warn
ing by any preliminary movement en-
deavored to spring out of bed straight
upon him. For second had him by
the collar; but not being able to get
clear altogether from the bedclothes l
was checked, and he slipped out of my
grasp like an eel and disappeared in the
shadow.
Instantly. however, 1 was on my feet;
but thinking that the fellow probably
would be armed I did not attempt to
grope for him, but made straight
through the door of the salon going on
to the landing, intending to raise an
alarm and prevent an escape, but before
I could draw the bolt saw him at the
window opening on the balcony. His
figure came between me and the moon
light, and judging that, as the easement
was open, he must have entered that
way, and was now endeavoring to get
out by it, once more sprung toward
him, and had him in my arms just as he
stepped on to the balcony and was in
the act of climbing over it. He stfug
gled for moment or two desperately, of
course; but my hot temper was up now,
and thinking of nothing but the insolent
audacity of the intrusion and the az
tempted robbery, 1 tore him away with
great violent e-for he was but like a
child in his strength compared to me-
and saying, in my fury: Ho, ho, you
scoundrel! you want to get out this way,
10 you? then you shall go!" l flung
him, as if he had been a truss of straw,
over the balcony into 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. I had been sleeping in different
ones almost every night for the last six
weeks, and in the suddeness and rapid
ty with which the whole Ct the Incl
dents had happened 1 entirely forgot
that below the balcony rushed the i'm
petuous Rhine. lightning does not e1
press the swift keenness of the agony
which shot through my brain as, glaring
after the wretched man, l caught faint
glimpse of his falling figure, and heard
the taintest cry and splash rise for a
second above the rush Of the torrent.
Not being skilled in describing sensa-
tions l abstain entirely from attempting
to express what mine were now. l
pulled myself together 10 minute or
Two, ,ndeavoring to collect my thoughts,
and to settle what I ought to do. 1
al 10 l,n kol + hol 1afr
,vatch-it was gone; to the little stand
my packet OF notes was safe, but the
hand which had arrested, only jdst III
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 lying on the
door in streak OF moonlight; it was
piece Of folded Grape with an elastic
ban attached. In the first encounter
the thief's disguise had fallen off-here
it was land I remembered that for
second on the balcony I had met the
rascal's large dark eyes as they seemed
starting from his head with terror.
The balcony As put my hand on
the side of the balustrade, in the act of
looking over, it touched the top of
light ladder, the other end of which
on examination could now family dis
Germ in the moonlight rested not a dozen
feet down on long but less projecting
balcony than mine, for my rooms were
over low-pitched entresol, to which
this lower balcony belonged.
Clearly, then, it was some one en-
gagged about the house-a waiter proba-
bly, who had attempted to rob me one
of those who had seen me open my let
ter and examine the notes. bethought
me also then that my movements in my
room must have been watched, or that
stealthy hand would never have been
raised with such foreknowledge toward
the spot where 1 had placed the money.
My impulse now was to raise an
alarm but an instant's reflection
showed me that if I did 1 must bid
goodbye to all thoughts of reaching
Paris by the early train, and of saving
the limit of my leave. And was it worth
my while to do thisl l decided in
moment-most certainly not. Was 1 to
expose myself to vast personal incon-
venience and possible professional ruin,
through not meeting my engagements,
simply for the sake of explaining to the
cunDeI5omo IN" VI 1no ianu wnab uae
happened, and to run the risk of not
being able to do so to its satisfaction,
and consequently perhaps of being in
carcerated as murderer2 Not bit of
it 1 would see the law of Switzerland
at Jericho first As it was had lost
my watch, and my temper leaped up in
rebellion at the thought and easily per-
suaded me for the time that should be
little better than fool to risk the pros.
poets of my life by an act so quixotic.