The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-03-13


me, but held it doubtfully in his hand
while be followed me with his eyes.
That fellow is desperate. | should have
said nothing to him, on the principal of let
ting sleeping dogs lie, Quincy remarked.
at is always well to do a kind action
when one has the chance" I said care
lessly. That may stave off suicide
another week and then Quincy and |
shook hands and parted, with some vague
hope of meeting somewhere. some time, if
we could.
1t was a dark night, and when once | had
left the lights of ~Tarrangower belli1d me,
with a sense of discomfort. After all, had
| been wise to carry all that money on my
person, and to take my way, alone aud I'M
armed-for an unloaded pistol was a mere
toy-through a district so 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 investments that day Why had | not
told Quincy and let him come home with
me? Why had / not?
But, pshaw What was the good of
shrinking like a child before a dark night?
There was no danger-none in the world
the men who seen the money were as hon
est as | was, and once | had reached my
hut / would load my revolver and be ready
for attack.
To keep up my heart | fell to humming
one Of Janie's old songs, while | sJrove TO
concentrate all my attention on the path
before me. had proceeded thus half way
home, and my first terrors We're fading
away, just where the uncertain roadway
shipped into a thicket of eucalyptus, a
hand was laid on my shoulder, and a
vibrant voice said TREMENDOUSLY
Your money or your life y
Tia, it is you, scoundrel, whom |
helped y l said. wheeling around suddenly
on my unseen assailant. Dog of an ltal-
ian, would you dare =
1t was furious Indignation and scorn of
such a base return for my kindness that
animated me at the moment. Battling for
existence or for my treasure had not oc-
CURED to me yet.
eyes. | would dare. because | am mad, !"
''Iou must give me the gold you are
young, you can gain more. You have
hope, | have nothing-give it me y
''Yes, I shall give you-that." | said,
striking in the direction of the voice, and
then we closed with each other.
After that neither of MS spoke, but we
wrestled like giants, while each clutched
the other by the throat.
My money was safe still. secured by a
flap and button over the pocket, according
to a fashion prevailing in the colony at the
time, and my chance of life lay in the en-
durance of my thews and sinews, for | was
confronted by a desperate man.
Round and round, backwards and for
wards, circling restlessly, and graphing
each other furiously, we went. while the
sense of strangulation due to his grip ON
my throat increased Us he strovc to throw
me.
Ten seconds more and | shall be
choked," thought l. and then | loosened
one hand from its hold of him, and struck
out with my clinched fist towards the re-
gions of the heart.
The blow told; he fell like a log, being
apparently paralyzed for the moment; but
in falling he dragged NE with him. and
his grasp of my throat never relaxed.
Il am dying" | thought, striving with
all my remaining strength to loosen his hold
oil me, and then my thoughts wandered
confusedly towards my mother and jamie,
and the home | had meant to make for my
darling; and then ] remember no more.
| had either tainted or been suffocated into
insensibility.
How long | remained thus | cannot tell.
When | recovered consciousness the muir
derous pressure had fallen of, but my as
sailant still lay beneath me, breathing
heavily.
simultaneously we seemed to recover
consciousness. and in unison sc rose to our
feet. was trembling in every nerve; my
eyeballs seemed starting from my head.
my parched throat refused TO utter a
sound. and my assailant seemed in no bet
ter case.
For an instant we stood apart, glazing at
each other through the darkness; then, as
though at a given signal, we closed with each
other again, %instinctively, neither knowing
why. | believe he had no more thought
then 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 strovc, 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 many min
utes we wrestled silently, and then We fell
again. and this time ! was undermost.
And then ensued a 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 another movement
mechanically we desisted, as mechanically
uro ,,asa ond ,lrau a fau lahnrp1 qaSpin0