The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-01-26


gers at your leisure. In case it's rider, or
foot passenger, you can deal with him
easily enough. But then you've got to have
quick land on the trigger, and you haven't
got the pluck you know
Haven't [ cried with kind of
reckless daring. IF was armed I'd show
you before tomorrow. / don't owe the
world much gratitude, and, had as well do
something desperate. and get hanged, and
done with ALL
ooh, as for arms, / could let you have
mine, said Ranald, not looking at me at all,
but back towards the city But don't like
much to do it. You'd never use them
Il need not go on to tell you, boys, how it
all came about, but in less than half an hour
r nald was on his way back to the the city,
while with his pistols in my pocket was
striding along the green lanes that led far
ther and farther out into the country. was
desperate,o course. and burning fever was
bounding in my pulses, confusing all that
did. 1t must certainly have been that, COM
bined with Ranalds influence. that set me,
Kenneth Lane, behind hedge, with pistol
in my hand and murderous intent in my
heart; while the moon shone Whitley over
the broad fields, and the long ribbons Of
roads that lay between them.
"The first that passed was a man whose
face could not see. had my finger On the
trigger l was just ready to spring out up
on him, when suddenly--well, Graham, he
commenced whisting that same little fool.
ish love tune you used to be always whist
ling, singing and playing. at college. That
made me grow very weak, and I couldn't
move. 1t brought back all you fellows so
distinctly. By the way, wonder if he will
ever know how near that little love tune
saved his life' Talk about the value of
little things, the stars might all have fallen
from their spheres, and never have affected
me as did the few simple bars whistied 10y
that traveller along the moonlit road.
II recovered myself after a little--or
rather lost myself again-and began to won
der at my weakness ; and then, just as had
Strengthened myself up and taken new hold
on my resolution to do something desperate
heard the rattle of carriage wheels fat
away on the moonlit, white ribhol road
Instantly | was on the alert, with every
faculty quickened raised my pistol anc
examined the lock, wondering at the SAINT
time whether my sentence would be hang
ing or transportation, or imprisonment fo
life, with hard labor Before | had settleC
the matter in my own mind, the carriag
had come nearer. The wheels were rattlinI
furiously. Who could it be, driving Mt sucl
. breakneck speed? Then suddenly it cam
in sight, and at the same moment | hear
the terrified screams of women, saw that tn
| driver was missing from his place, and tina
the horses were running away.
| 'In an instant. forgetting everythn
else at those cries of distress, dropped m
r pistol and sprang into the road. Just for
# moment the startled horses paused, and i
that moment seized the bits. Then CON
:. menced a fierce battle with the frantic
plunging steeds. ] was thrown down, tran
l. pied upon. but clung to them with despair
ing energy. Ten minutes ago, my onl
o thought had been to take life; now, my OF
h ly desire was to savcit. So it was, | clun
% to the horses and kept them there, until
v felt stronger hands assisting mine, and the
:. the wild struggle, the broad fields, and Il
& whiteroad all faded away and lett nthir
n but darkness aud silence.
o "When | awoke-wel, boys, thong
I Aladdin's lamp had certainly come bat
g. upon the earth, aud somebody had. be,
at using it for my benefit. If had came ba'
" to life in our room, Ranald's and mine,
v might have concluded that the whole ati
7 had been horrible dream, and so said not
l. ing more about it. Butt it certainly was su
III prising to find myself in a strange room,
" strange bed, with rosy old gentlem
of leaning over me on one side, and rosy &
to lady on the other, their faces expressing t
most lively solicitude, while grave me'
:, cal gentleman first felt my pulse, and til
y rubbed the palms of his hands togetf
with great satisfaction. Nor was my astc
T.. ishment decreased, when the rosy old g
,o tlemau said:
" "rbe dear boy has come through. All
me to take your hand doctor. We owe
w. much to YOU
w "Whereuuou he shook hands very heart
III with the doctor, and then with the old Ia
ny and they al seemed extravaganty glad
- my recovery.
f., in ha i.ys 4
OF followed, while Mas lying there too W
to move, to see how WAS waited on
ell made much of by the whole family. Il
nE. told me after awhile how | had saved
lives of the rosy old lady and her daugl
"t who were in tEe carriage that night, and
he ( WAS dragged ont from under the no
va feet, bruised aud bleeding and with nay
hat arm broken how | was brought there,
u!d never recovered consciousness at ali,
II went OF into raging fever, aud lay ue,
IN, death door for weeks. They told me
i | talked in my wild delirium-now arrs
ald lug Mr.. Laclede for base ingrsttude,
iancyipg that Ranald was upon my t
Dice wherever ] went al that he was goil
and make me commit murder. Then was
,ere ing behind the hedge With my finger
lace the trigger of the pistol, listening to the
his tie of carriage wheels far away upon
me road, and the next moment ! was CT
, be- that there were women inside, and t
must save them; and | would strive to
an,e and would fall back exhausted only to
all over again.
eve "Do you picture boys, how had 4
ipbt upon Paradise? After all there is "A
n old ty that shapes our ends, rough hew tn
we may They had gathered the whole
nv from my rawlings. There was nothing
NJ, tell. They knew what had been in my
, had that night beside the hedge, and ye
ybon could be kind and tender, They re
Won. strength and manhood in me. They
haze me feel that was worthy of being h,