The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-01-31
THE SHADOW OF FATE.
BIZ JUDGE JARVIS.

BIZ JUDGE JARVIS.
rider was threading his way over a road
which lay along the hills at the base of the
Blue Ridge mountains in the region known as
the Piedmont Of Virginia, about the sources
of the Rappahanrock river.
The man himself might be described in the
same language as far as it would apply. Be
| yond this his age was about %, his hair brown
and full in lock, his eye of grayish blue.
| His way quickly brought the traveller to a
| stream now running over it's banks. Slipping
easily from his saddle, he frightened the girths
siackened the crupper, and, gently patting his
animal, addressed few affectionate words to
him. Remounting, he fixed himself firmly in
| the saddle, gathered his bride in a manner to
| lmpart to his companion his own energy and
determination, and moved into the creek
| Turning up the stream, he proceeded for
about a hundred yards along the bank and
| then struck boldly across in direct line, with
the horses head slanted up current. The
depth of the water did not sensibly increase in
the course of eighty yards, and the stranger
was congratulating himself upon the probable
ity of getting over without wetting, when
until he could no longer hold his footing, and
sprung boldly into the middle of deep, rush
ing channel. In an instant the rider had seized
the name of the horse in his left hand, and
slipped smoothly out of the saddle to the lower
| side, where he fioated along.
Man and beast battled bravely with the food
| for moment, when the former was startled to
feel the horse finch and turn with a terrified
| snort down the current. quick jerk upon the
! left rein served to procure but an instant 8
pause in the precipitate course of the beast, but
| in that instant the stranger became aware of
| another presence by the touch of q clammy OBJ
| ject against his hand.
Raising his head above the neck Of the
charger, he saw dimly outlined upon the way
ing and shimmering surfs CO dark and unde-
| Unable object. The next moment the desperate
plunge5 of the beast had obstructed his vision,
when, with the self command of one accus-
toned and nerved to the hardship of athletic
sports and a soldiers danger, he swung his leg
| over the back of his animal and gathered him
self into his saddle.
Reaching ont hand, he WAS about to seize
the object of his horror, when it exposed the
CHASTITY features Of woman.
For an instant only he hesitated then, re-
covering from the thrill, he grasped the head
firmly by the loose, flowing, tangled mass of
| raven tresses, and raised it above the water
| upon the pommel of his saddle.
Turning his head again up stream, he re-
newed the combat with the tide. Twice it
must all succumb and twice the noble strug-
giles of the animal cheated the turgid grave of
its victims.
Finally, the boofs once more crunched the
| firm bottom OF the stream, and ten PAGES
brought the part, safely. to the shore.
Feeling the forehead, ne found it cold the
hands were also chilled, but he thought he
felt slight fiutter of the pulse. Tearing open
the dress, he pressed his hand against the
| heart and found it still warm.
His efforts to resuscitate her were soon re.
warded, and. after a few moments, the woman
made attempt to speak, which resulted,
| however, only i'll a moaning cry.
At this point he began to look for other as
sistance, when he observed light upon the
hill above the creek. Once more raising the
| body to the ponlmel Of bis saddle and mount
ing behind 1t, he sought the road.
One stepped around to receive the woman.
and another entered the house to procure the
stimulant.
"Whats this ?" said the one who was assisting
the traveller in dismounting the woman.
"Send for the nearest physician at once"
They lifted the motionless, but reviving,
form into the house. and deposited it upon
sofa.
The stinulant was soon brought, and, upon
a small portion of it being administered, the
woman indicated an increased vitality by q
broken gurgle This, after a while, gave way
| to clearer articulation, in which, however, only
syllables were emitted. These were in turn
succeeded by one or two sharp cries OF pain,
which gradually subsidized into a moaning chat
ter Of Wailing, incoh orant sentences.
| AT this point the stranger, in raising his hand
! to her head to brush the tangled hair from her
brow noticed q clot of blood upon the wet skin
Of his finger; rubbing it off, he found no trace
of wound.
"She must be bleeding ~ he calculated ;
"see if there is a cut anywhere"
An examination soon revealed CHASTITY
wound, an ugly, gaping abrasion upon the
left side Of the head, above the ear. and just
behind the temple. The locks were matted
over it. and the blood still oozed slowly from
its mouth.
Pending the arrival of doctor, the stranger
clipped the hair from around the wound, and,
after bathing it with feminine tenderness. he
gave the patient over to the charge of the ladies
of the house who were IN attendance.
al presume you are the host SIR" said he
at once. addressing the elder of the two. "If
you will be kind enough to let me have bed,
until can rest for an hour so and dry nv
clothing, shall resume my Journey under great
obligation to you. Matters of importance urge
me to lose no time, and shall only delay until
| my horse can recruit for the balance of my
ride. In fact, but for the incident of finding
the unfortunate lady in the creek. 1 should
have continued on the road without consulting
my comfort SO far"
VIII you tell me how you happened upon
the adventure, and how you account for the
lady's wound and present condition."
|
events. without, however, throwing any light
upon his own identity or business.
| MAY / ask your name, sir ?" inquired the
! host, whom we will introduce to the reader es
Mr.. Thornton, or Squire Thornton, as he was
dubbed by his neighbors in honor Of his being
Justice of the Peace.
81 leg pardon for the misconstruction. NV
| name is Gaspard Durer, short while since a
| soldier in the French service. Do you SEQ any
! thing in my appearance or anything else about
| this case which justifes you il interrogating
me otficially?"
| Until one who is found with a body that
| has been murdered dangerously assaulted
| has accounted satisfactorily for his presence
there, there is a legal suspicion fixed upon
| him."
"If must be detained to satisfy the law. L
yield to the annoyance with as little impotence
! as possible, where the officer e. Tic law e1er-
cses his duties SO courteously."
| After few more remarks were passed. the
| Squire babe his Eddie conduct the gentle
man to bis room and see him well provided for
the night.
After the traveller had left, the vagrant still
! fingered. Shifting his hat restlessly but me-
chemically, he seemed to resume conversation
which had probably been interrupted by the
Strangers exit from the stable.
! Pears to me Dow'-an expression which
| indicated the result of some mighty reflection
| for his cahber-" Pears to me he amt teln'
| the truth. He amt named Casper Deray be-
! cause he'd said SO fust. Pears to me he looks
| ike old Raoul Dupuy, and CASTOR afore him ;
and, if I amt mistaken, he's been in these
| parts afore.'
| "Whos the woman. Randy
| 81 have been 1ookin' at her, but pears - me
1 never seen her afore-leastways she don't
come from about here
! The resemblance OF OuTer to the Dupuys
| is striking, and thought at first he was the
| son of CASTOR. who has been absent long.