Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-04-05

the gloomy ht'ic "p"r"e' S'''
down with no very agreeable scnsn-
ton.
az will sit down and write to Al
ice,' I thought; shat will soothe my
nerves and quiet me, perhaps"
+ descended the ladder; the fire
still glowed readily on the hearth be-
meath; my companion and the woman
sat beside it., talking in u low tone,
and third person sat Mt the table
eating, q short, stoutvil1ainous looking
man, in a red flannel shirt and muddy
trousers.
asked for writing materials, and
returned to my room to write to my
wife. ~ (
any dear Alicc--''
paused aud laid down my pen as
concluded the words, half smiling
to think what she would say, conld she
know ofmy strange quarters" ~ bs
Not till both sheets were covered
did ] lay aside my pen and prepare
for slumbcr. AS ! folded my paper |
happened to glance toward the couch.
Was it the CLEAN Of u human eye
observing me through the brood parti-
ton, or was II my own fancy? There
was a crack there, but only blank
darkness beyond, yet | could have
sworn that something had sparkled
ut me.
took out my watch lit was one
o'clock. 1t was scarcely worth while
for me to mdress for three hours
sleep. | would Tic down'in MY clothes
and snatch what slumbcrl could. So,
placing my valise ut the head of my
bed, and barricading the lockless door
with two chairs, cxtingl,ishcd the
light and lay down.
AT first | was very wakcfil, but
gradually a soft ,drowsiness seemed to.
steal over me like misty mantle,
until all Of a sudden, some startling
electric thrill coursed through my
veins and sat mp excited and trcm-
bling. ea.a
A luminous s0ftness seemed to glow
through the room--no light of the
moon or stars was ever SO penetrating
and by the, little window saw AL
ice, dressed in floating garments of
white, with her long, golden hair
kHotted back by q blue ribbon. APP
parently she was coming to me with
outstretched hands, and eyes full of
wild, anxious tenderness.
! sprang to my feet and rushed
toward her; but, as | reached the
window, the fair apparition seemed
to vanish in the stormy darkness, and
| was let alone. At the selfsame in
slant the sharp report Of pistol
sounded could see the jagged
stream of fire above the pillow,
straight through the very spot where,
ten minutes since, my head had lain.
With an instantaneous realization
Of my danger, | swung myself over
the edge Of the window, jumping
some eight or ten feet into tangled
bushes below, and as crouched there,
recovering my breath, | heard the
tramp of footsteps into my room. ;,
''ls he dead 2" cried voice up the
ladder-the smooth, deceitful voice of
woman with half closed eyes. 5
"Of-coursc he is,' growled voice
back shat charge would have killed
ten men. A light there, quick, and
tell Tom to be ready" 80.
A cold agonlzing shudder ran
through me. What den Of midnight
murderers had / fallen into! And
how fearfully narrow had been my
escape! IN as
With the speed that mortal terror
can give, / rushed through the wood,
now Illuminated by Il faint glimmer
of starlight. l knew not what i'm
pulse guided my footsteps. l shah
never know how many times | crossed
my own track, or how close stood to
the brink of the deadly ravine; but a
merciful Providence encompassed me
with q guiding and protecting care,
for when the morning dawned, with
faint, red bars of orient light against
the stormy eastern sky, was close to
the high road, some several miles
from, K e ssti5s -aIs 3IGA a 20. T.
sg- -. g aa AE7rs
: Once at the town, told my story
to the police, and a detachment was
sent with me to the spot.
After much searching and many