Little Falls transcript., 1885-01-23

1t was a dark night, and when once
had LETT the lights of Tarrangowe1
behind me, the blackness seemed
to close around me- with a
sense of discomfort. After all. had
I been wise to carry all that money on
my person, aid to take my way, alone
and unarmed-for an unloaded pistol
was mere tov.-through district sc
familiar in those adventurous days
with deeds OF violence? Several men
saw the money at the bank, and Others
knew that meant to draw out my in
vestments that day. Why had I not
told Gurney and let him come home
with me? Why had I not?
But, pshaw! What was the good o1
shrinking like child before dark
night? There was no danger-none in
the world; the men who had seen the
money were as honest as I was, and
once had reach my hut would load
my revolver and be ready for attack.
To keep up my heart I fell to hum
ming one Of Janie's old songs, while ]
strove to concentrate all my attention
on the path before me. I had proceed
ed thus half way home, and my first
terrors were fading away, when, just
where the uncertain roadway dipped in
to thicket of eucalyptus, a hand was
laid on my shoulder, and vibrant
voice said TREMENDOUSLY:
"Your money or your life!'
"Ha, it is you, scoundrel, whom ]
helped" said, wheeling round sud
denly on my unseen assailant. "Dog
Of an italian, would you dare"
1t was furious indignation and scorn
OF such base return for my kindness
that animated mo at the moment. Bat
tling for existence or for my treasure
had not occurred to me yet.
"1es I would dare, because I an,
mad" the man painted forth. "You
must give mo the gold; you are young,
you can gain more. You have hope, ]
have nothing-give it mel"
"Yes, I shall give you-that, I said
striking in the direction Of the voice,
and then wo closed with each other.
After that neither OF us spoke, but we
wrestled like giants, while each clutchel
the other by the throat.
My money was safe still, secured by a
flap and button over the pocket, accord
ing to fashion prevailing in the colony
ut the time, and my chance of life lay
in the endurance Of my thews and sinews,
for knew l was confronted by des-
perate man.
Round and round, backwards and for
wards, circling restlessly, and graphing
each other turiously, we went, while
the sense Of strangulation due to his
grip on my throat increased rs he strove
to throw me.
"Ten seconds more and I shall be
choked," I thought; and then I loos-
ened one hand from it's hold of him,
and struck ont with my clenched fist
towards the regions Of the heart.
The blow told he fell like log, be.
ing apparently paralyzed for the mo-
ment; but in falling he dragged me
with him, and his grasp Of my throat
never relaxed.
II am d,ing,' I thought, striving
with all my remaining strength to loos-
en- his hold OF mo, and then my thoughts
wandered confuscdly towards my moth
er and jamie, and the home I had
meant to make for my darling; and
then I remember no more. had eth
er tainted or been suffocated into insen-
sibility.
How long 7 remained thus I cannot
tell. When + recovered consciousness
the murderous pressure had fallen off,
but my assailant still lay beneath me,
breathing heavily.
simultaneously we seemed to recover
consciousness, and in unsion we rose to
our feet. l was trembling in every
nerve; my aching eyeballs seemed start
ing from my head, my parched throat
refused to utter a sound, and my assail-
ant seemed in no better case.
For an instant we stood apart, glar-
ing at each other through the darkness
then, as though at given signal,
We closed with each other again
instinctively, neither knowing why.
I believe he had no more thought
of taking the money than had of de-
Tending it. There seemed nothing
awake in US but mere animal fury brute
force opposed brute force, demanding
victory at any cost.
Again we wrestled and strove, white
face close to white face in the gloom,
and again the contest was so equal that
no spectator would have known on
which side to promise victory. For man y
MINUTES we wrestled silently, AMI
then we fell again, aud at this
time I was undermost. And then
ensued struggle such as [ had no
idea men were capable Of. We rolled
over each other, we strained every
nerve, each to kill the other, we dealt
each other desperate blows at random.
and then, when exhaustion forbade an
other movement mechanically we de-
sisted, and, and as mechanically rose
and drew few labored, gasping
breaths, and rushed to the contest
again.
Whether or not MY opponent was
armed, I know not; at any rate he made
no attempt to draw any weapon. As
for me, I carried my useless pistol bnt
even had it been loaded, I question if |
would have used it after the first five
minutes; the contest was so terribly
close and equal that q thought Of any
extraneous aid did not occur to me-
Our action was wonderfully concert
cd !; as though governed by a double
mechanism we struggled, fell, rose, and
resumed the fight, and that after each
had grown so weak that child could
have vauquished either.
And through all my terrible craving
for his life there crept, by-and-by, 8
slow consciousness OF respect for him.
He was tough as leather, and he fought
well, taking his punishment with en- en-
durance that hitherto I had deemed
exclusively British.
When I look back on that incident