, 1885-03-06

fbAtnr. AhM YVES uuuo Win q cool oeuDurH
tim that excited my utmost admiration, FOL
WIS at that molnent the most frightened
man In the three kingdoms, Ididn't so much
mind being killed, as being killed Ia d der
like that / knew the verdict OF certain
Kind friends OF mine would be, Served him
right No business going to such a place,
/ felt a serene certainty that the worst con
struction would DO put on my presencs
there, and ! had a great yearninz to be left
30 that l might explain.
MADAM" ! said, @kindly allow me to go
ihave no money except soms small change.
which under the circumstances you airs vel
come tor
She shrisksd an incrsdulous laugh AMI
sworn that II l did not at once plank dow Al
least five guinsas and my watch she ~ ID
dissect me.
IL this moment the door showed open ae IA
aud two moro women came squeezing in
One was young and tall. Her face had noi
the depravity Of the first, but it was bad
enough, and gave me little hope of the mend
ing OF matters. The other was a short hsg.
and was, 1 imagined. the one who had
oped the door. She was simplya living hor-
ror. Some terrible, cancer-lks disease had
eaten her nose entirely away, and had also
destroyed much of the upper and lower lips,
SO that the loft half OF her mouth was one
psTFstual and CHASTITY grin.
u AANNA lin 1AAA aA4 ~ AALAnk EnI
rying it on in a loud voice, which illustrated
the truth OF what she said-that l might
shout my lungs out and no help would
come.
eNow, look here l said, ave only a few
shnlings In my pocket. II / carried my
usual wealth l wouldn't be here. I'll shell
out these ON the table IL you let me out
peaceably."
emptied my pockets on the table. That
ItlwF& ~.tN sL.-. ILL.,. r-rf-a-I -. a..
watch, and although / said the watch had
been given me by a very dear friend dt had
u bought 1t MYSELF, that seemed to make
no difference. So l scooped back the cash
into my pockets and said II there had 10 be a
fight, why q fight there would have to be.
The first woman took her hand from con-
cealnient and showed an ugly looking dirk.
She took a step forward. l backed up against
the wall. l was moro afraid OF a PREACHER
GUS attack from some concealed confederate,
hut l imagine my own fright at the time
rather exaggerated the danger Of the situn-
ton
@Stand back, l cried, "or I'll massacre
you" and l hourished the blackthorn. She
stood back, swearing like a trooper.
"Now. for the last time, win you lot me
outF'
"Divil an out" was the reply. 1 swung
my cane and smashed to pieces the Hamlet
picture. The head Of tho cane went clear
through the glass and the play scene in the
center. The broken glass ratified dow on
the floor and one of the cords snapped, leav-
ing the shattered picture dangling ON the
other: then that broke and tie heavy frame
and ruined engraving fell with a crash to the
floor. The three women shrieked at the I'M
expected disaster just as ordinary women
would have done. The grinning bag was the
most disturbed She was evidently tho pro
prietress OF the den. She shook her fist, and
as near as I could understand her mumbling
talk, said my body would DO found In the
Lffy.
@Dcn't talk TO me-" l said. get your
women away from that door and open II. II
l amt call the police l viii ring up the fire
department. The next thing l smash Is that
lamp and the moment after this room will be
on fire. Open that door"
The woman would nave done so, but the
one with the knife prevented her.
l raised the cane and struck the lamp.
The pieces of the shade and the lamp glass
were scattered all over the room. The lamp
it-elf swung too and fro unbroken, but IL
yellow. chimneyiesh smoky light throw a
CHASTITY uncertain glare over the whole
scene.
The second woman now spoke:
@Fo' Gods sake, MS- Duffy. let him
out"
She drew the fair dirklst aside and whis,
Pered something to her, to which the Other
nodded;
"Get to the further end Of the m
too, Mrs. Duffy"
They did SO, and for a moment l stood
with the open door and the dark hall before
me. knew the street door was locked, and
that while l fumbled at 1t the three would
have me at a worse disadvantage than l was
then in But l noticed the key Of the room
was on the outside Of the door. and / saw my
way Of escape. moved slowly towards the
open door-then made a bolt-drew Il shut,
and tnrned tho key, locking in my fair host
ees add her ~sylphlike companions
The next instant | was throttled by un
seen hands.
"Force the doors, force the doorela cried
the voice Of my late cowardly comrade. as
we struggled in the dark. He had me
against the banistsrs, his two hands on my
throat and his knee pressed against me. 1
flung handbag and coat to the foot of the
stairs and tried to hit him with the black
thorn, but No were at too close quarters. /
bent back over the banistera, shortened
the cane by grasplng it near the end with
both hands, the numerous thorns ON the
stick giving me an excellent grip on It, and
with all my rapidly vanishing strength har-
pooned him in the face with the point of 1t.
nAlh u yen VI pam hc looocnou J., uOiu una
graspei the stick. l followed up my ad-
vantage by forcing him backwards down
the stairway half way down he fell aud put.
ting my foot on him 1 swore TO
brain him il he stirred. This
took place very rapidly, and A.
the woman inside were shaking vigorously a.
the door l expected a crash every instant 1
felt along the inside OF the street door FOR
the key and handle while one foot remained
on the fallen man. l opened the door anu
let In the light from the street lamp.
"Roll off my coat, will your He rolled.
l picked up coat and handbag. The cane |
still held. As Isprang into the street |
heard the upper door crash. The ladies OF
the house had evidently got free. l mus
confess that l ran for the next few blocks
just about as fast as / was able. hailed a
passing car and asked to be token to tho
North Wall A few uiinutes later l was on
board the boat for Hoiyhead- The old
woman's blessing seemsl to have put a good
deal Of usefulness in that cane. l have 1t
yet. but whether or not the blessing still
1 liz A. "a II - I.-