Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-04-10

our way as to the health OF the
supposed injured man, the lone
lily house and neighborhood all
combined to make me suspect
foul play.
I ] stepped..to the door only to
find it locked from the outside
to the window only to find es-
cape impossible there. 1t was
many feet from the ground.
My suspicious were now GER
tainties. / was trapped. None
Of my friends, not even my wife,
knew where / was. / might be
murdered in this den and my
murder remain mystery.
/ ] Isuppose ] waited an hour be-
fore l heard the key turn in the
door. Then, tony dismay, half
a dozen men entered.
! When nature made the jail
bird that led me into this trap,
she did not break the mold.
These gentlemen were Of the
same pattern. All wore the
same hang-dog murderous look.
One of them raised the light in
the room, which had been burn
ing low. With hardly glance
at me, they took seats upon the
floor and began to play cards.
! Soon the door again opened,
and another man entered. l
hardly had a hope as | looked at
him, for saw the exulting face
of my enemy-Dick Somers.
At a glance he saw | recog-
; nized him. With a malicious
: leer he stepped forward and quo
ting his own words of two years
before, said:
"Yo on have ruined my love and
my life. Remember that, and
fear mep
"Somersv' / said-for my life
could not have called him Mr..
Somers-"I know that you have
trapped me here for the purpose
of revenging yourself upon me.
But remember, sir, that | have
friendsi Remember law and
justicep'
81 fear nothing" he answered.
''Revenge on you is dearer to me
than life; and though for me the
bottomless pit were yawning, L
would have it!'
AT his command the ruffians
searched me. One of them, who
appeared to be kind of treasu-
rer for the gang, secured my
watch and pocket-book. Then
they tied me with.stout ropes to
: a chair,
Somers did not notice me a.
gain, but sat upon the floor and
began gambling with the rest.
Presently he rose, and saying
he would return by daybreak,
left the room. lie evidently felt
that l was in his power, and
seemed in. 10 hurry to complete
his revenge.
When he had gone the card
playing was kept up for a couple
of hours. Then they all stretch
ed themselves on the floor and
slept. The door opened inward,
and across it was the burly form
of the treasurer. In spite of the
apparent hopelessness of a trial,
j set about devising some plan
of escape. sBsoa azTa8o#
The first thing was to free my
SELF / have large wrists and
small hands. In tying ne they
had not taken this into consider
alton. Without much difficulty
| / liberated my hands; then, OF
course, it was the work of but a
few seconds to entirely free my
self of my bords.
; Taking the precautien to place
the ropes in such a position that,
should anyi.of The gang Naken,
l / would still appear to be bound,
1 thought upon my chances Of
) escape. They certainly appear
ed very few and small. The fact
of the men upon the floor asleep
: seemed but little in my favor.
/. could not move the ruffian from
the door without waking him.
t As I have before stated escape
by the window was impossible.
{. Livery plan that suggested itself
: had insurmountable objections
to it. | had almost given up
2 scherning in despair, and conclu-
: ded to adopt some hopelessly des-
$ perate measure when / thought
of the contents of a bottle ! had
, in my pocket.
In searching me the ruffians
, had not disturbed it, thinking it
of no importance. 1t was chic
roform. / also had a sponge in
: my pocket. In a moment | had
resolved what to do. Drawing
the bottle from my pocket, |
soaked the sponge thoroughly
} with its contents.
Slowly, painfully, 4 could hear
my heart beat), with all the eau
tion that a man uses when his
, life may depend on the slightest
noise, ] stepped to the side Of
the nearest ruffian.
! / placed the saturated sponge