Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-02-13

was my true name. Why should These
asSasSics know it2 II / revealed it,
they might SET 3 watch upon me. anu
at any moment their safety demand
ed it might share the tate OF him wla
lay within a few feet Of my chair. 50
gave fictitious name, but everything
else told them was true.
Al the while was speaking | heard
that distgeSs.ne sound nj the other end
OF the room. Il drove mo nearly mad.
| believe. eoul have male sure OF
reaching through my darkness and
catching enc of those men by the
throat. with the certainty of crushing
lie out of Inn, shoaid have done 81.
even had such m Al sealed my Own
fate.
When my explanation WAS over
another whispered consultation too,>
place. Then the spokesman demanded
the key which had - nearly eo>J ne
my life. | sup roSe they tried It. aal
found Il acted As | said Il was not
returned to me, bus heard the voice
once more.
Fortunately jor you VIC have de-
cided 10 believe voUr tale. Stand up.
did so. and was led 70 anatAcr part ii
the room and again placed in u chair.
A.. after the manner o. the blind.
stretched ont my hands. found | was
in corner Of the room. my face tarEet
10 tie angie .. the walls
Iii YOU move or looA round said
the voice ''our belief in Nour Blindness
will vanish.
Ii was impossible u misunderstood
the grim threat coayeyoj II Tie last
words. roa,d only tqaiet ana E>,ea
with ali my ears,
Yes, they had much IL dc ihay
moved about busily aud rap liv /
! heard caphoardS AMI draw ~ apxnsl.
detected the sound 81 paIc,S he.p
torn and the smell i! papers burning.
| | heard them raise some dead Wriaht
from the iioel heart a sound rs ~
reut cloth and linen heard t&c iia1ts
Of money. even the tex 9. watch is
il was drawn forth Eram >omeN hers
and laid on tho table near mo, l'heu
felt breath OF air and kucw that ,,e
door had been opened, heart hr.NN
| footsteps on the stairs The steps Il
men bearing we'ghtN hurde;h ami
Shudiered rs thought what Ihat hur-
/ den must hc.
/ Before tho last task was completed
/ the woman'S moan had cyas Il
| For some lime Il had been growing
fainter and only sound ue ID recurring
intervals, Now heard il ms le,.nr
This cessation was 4 great relief TO MY
/ overwroughl nerves, hat my heart
grew sick rs | thought i may h ,hrea
We're two victims instead 81 enc
lst ST., II
borne tina: weight away, | knew VIZ
not left alone. | heard -ame in
throw himself into char with hail
weary sigh, and guessed Ec had bcln
left 10 guard me. was longing Is
make my escape longing to wake and
lind had been dreaming. The su>-
pense or the nightmare was CROWN
Undesirable said without turning
my head
How lony am to be kept amid
| these horrurs2
heard The man move IN h. rh1ir.
/ but he made no answer "AlaN | net
COP pleaded; Il have seen noJhj =
| Put me ont INTO the street anywhere
| shall go mad ii | SAY here leuecr.
Still no answer | aid no morc.
by and hr the absent men returned
/ 10 their companions | heard thc door
close after them. Then came more
whispers. and heard the draN M of Il
cork ard the jingle al glasses. They
were refreshing themselves after tha
night 5 dark work
! Presently euriou, odur chat If
some drag was perccptihlr 4 hand
was laid ON my shoulder and eIa )
full of some liquid was pla Cd between
my fingers.
Drink, said tnc voice :br auls
voice | heard
Il will not" cried sit may 10
poison.
! heard short harsh laugh and f,!t
u cold metallic ring laid against LAY
forehead
ut is not poison; il is IN opiate anil
will do you no harm. But this, and
as he spoke | felt the pressure Of the
little iron circlct, this is another az
fair Choose
! drained the glass and was clad 10
feel the pistol moved from my head
Now. said the spokesman, taking the
empty glass from my hand. ii YOU ere
n wise man, when YOU awake to-mor-
row You will say: i have been drunk OF
dreaming You have heard us but net
seen us, but remember we know You.
lie left me. and in Il short time, do
what | would 10 struggle against i.
heavy droWsincss came over ar.
Thoughts grew incohercnt and reason
seemed leaving me. My head fell first
on one side, then on the Other The
/ last thing can remember Is 4 strong
arm enciryling me and keeping me frots
tumbling out of my chair. Whatever
the drug wa, its action was strong ard
swift.
For hours and hours il held me sense
less, and when nj last its power faded
ana my mind, struggling back 10 II
clouded sort Of consciousness. made.
after many attempts. the fact apparent
to me that was lying on bed. and,
moreover, rs found hy stretching ont
nv arms and feclii around my own
bed. is il to lie wondered al that | said
to myself II have dreamed the most
frightful dream that ever came 10 u
tormcnted mind. After this eil'or Of
mind | sank back once more into q stmi-
conscious state, bat fully persuaded /
had never quilted my bed My relief ~
this discovery was immense.
TO Be CONTINUED.