The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-10

dragged her into the yard for TIE purposes
as this are of too ordinary occurrence IN
Radcliffe Highway to excite any remark
from the passers by.
The assailant had fling his victim to the
ground, and crouching over her was not
aware of any approach from behind. | did
not dare to shoot for fear of arousing tho
eighborhood-a pistol shot would undoubt-
eddy summon policeman Though little
short of it would-ln Radcliffe Highway
aud my identity would be revealed, -
so | struck the cowardly ruffian a stun
ming blow with Smith & Wesson butt
on tle back of the head. He rolled over
without a groan-I think his skull was
smashed.
Without bestowing upon him another look
L turned my attention to the girl. She had
tainted, but was apparently at that moment
recovering consciousness.
The moon that was full that night ran
out from behind bank of clouds and
shone on as fair face as | ever saw. The
hair that framed it was of rich, ruddy
gold, and had escaped from its confine-
ment as the girls bonnet had fallen off
the eyes that opened and looked at me,
were large and soft, and appeared a deep
violet in the gloom, an exquisite little
mouth opened as | bent over her, appar-
emily to cry out once more, when l whisp-
cred:
''Be quiet; you are safe! Don't utter a
word-l'll see you safely where you want to
go. There's the man who seized you-lets
go out of here"
Casting frightened glance at the motion
less PROSTATE figure by her side, the girl
rose, and coming close to me she said in a
low tone:
"For Gods sake, don't you hurt me too.
You look like swell-don't let any of these
beasts touch me.n
/ treasured her to the best of my ability
as | led her down the massage to the street.
and the next moment we were striding rap
idly eastward along the highway.
where are we going to" | asked after
we had put hundred yards between US and
the scene of her late encounter.
"To Wrapping Old Stairs" she answered.
/ live across the river at Rotherhithe, with
my uncle. I've never been over here be-
fore, but uncle was taken i'll tonight, and
came over to find doctor who saw after
him when he was bad off once before. 7
found that he'd gone away from his old adj
dress and | was hurrying home when that
brute seized me as passed the entry to that
passage"
'But, my child p said l, ''you can't go back
to Rotherhithe alone at this time of the night.
How beautiful thing like you ever got here
safely at all, | can't make out Here! you're
safe with me anyhow-rll take you back to
Rotherhitbe.n
The girl drew closer to me and looked up
into my face:
"Ahp' said she, 81 thought you was a
SWELL Thank you kindly shant be afraid
if you come with me-"
And So arm in arm we reached Mapping
Old Stairs, she chattering about herself ali
the way.
She was II, but she looked 20; she had
lived all her life, she said, as long as she
could remember. with her uncle.
We reached the ferry landing and found
the ferryman making his last round trip for
the night
Last trip over" shouted the ferryman.
| looked from him to the girl-she laid her
hands on my arm and looked up into my
face.
won't you come and see uncle" she
repeated, you'll be able to get a ferryman
to scull you across-there's always lots
of em about, looking for corpses, she ex-
planned.
l shuddered little, but 1 couldn't resist
her appeal. went with her to her uncie's
cottage.
We found the old man sleeping peace
fully-from her description of his illness
| concluded that he had been suffering from
an unwonted combination Of annodomini
and alcohol. We decided that it was best
not to waken him, and after remaining
for a few minutes In conversation with
this Rotherhithe Venus, l rose to take my
departure.
She accompanied me to the gate. AS /
held out my hand to say Good night" she
put up her lips, saying:
aren't you going to kiss me?' There
was not shade of coquetrY in her voice
now-she was merely making simple in
quiry.
you'll come over again and see me,
won't you?" she said, as at last announced
my intention of really going away.
Certainly WILL" was my answer as |
held her hand over the garden gate, ''as soon
as l can-good night"
And retracing my steps along the way by
which we had come, l reached the ferry
stairs. 1t was long while now since the
ferry had madeits last trip, so, after looking
around disconsolately for few minutes,
hailed what think was the most repulsive
looking specimen of humanity that l ever
saw in my life, and after some haggling,
agreed that he should row me over to Wap-
ping in his dilapidated old wherry for the
sum of sixpence.