Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-05-12
IKE GREAT HESPER.
by A BARRETT

That sound warned me that the end
was near. Not content with taking the
diamond, the scoundrel intended to have
my life-to remove the possibility, if pos
sfbility existed, of being identified as the
thief by me.
He set about his work with devilish
circumspection. / heard the metal rings
Gink as he took up the fallen curtain
from the floor and folded it, and the bed
creaked rs he got upon it. AS he ap-
preached from behind, he steadied him
Self by setting one hand upon my shout
der. Then he laid the folded curtain over
my other shoulder, and his bony knuckles
touched my chest as he arranged the
stuff over my breast. / knew what that
meant: it was to prevent the betraying
blood from squirting upon his arm.
In the pause that followed, / fancied
he must be turning up his sleeve, as n
butcher does who has a beast TO slaughter.
A thousand thoughts whirled through
my mind in that brief space; but a great
awe came upon me as | felt his hand
firmly grasp my left shoulder, for then /
realized that was on the very brink of
eternity.
A feeling Of regret for the i'll use l had
made of many days-for theloss Of Edith,
and the world which she had filled with
Joy and hope; a deep and tender wish for
her happiness, and the welfare of the
Companions who had toiled with me to
win the Hesper, took the place of terror,
and it was with something like resigna-
ton hat awaited death.
As he grasped my left shoulder, l felt
him lean over nay right, and the next
omen he stabbed me.
lie had not used sufficient force, for
the knife-point stuck in one OF the ribs
Under my left breast, and went no furth.
e.
He pulled the knife out and tried again,
butthis time the blade scarcely punctured
my skin.
Then seeing that the thickness of the
doubled curtain was toe great an imped-
iment, he unfolded and rearranged it..
passing his hand over my breast and
pressing his fingers here and there to as
Certain whether he had got it right for
His purpose. 1t was then that, my ma
ture revolving against this barbarous re-
finement of cruelty, | prayed like Samson
for strength, and made one more effort
to break my bonds.
The twisted sheets and firm knots with
stood the strain, but the effort saved my
life. The calculating villain knew that |
must exhaust my strength III u few min
tites, and would not risk breaking his
knife, or getting smeareI with my blood
as | writlied.
And presently my force gave out, and,
all hope leaving me, ! ceased TO struggle,
and was callous to his touch, when he
once more touched my shoulder.
But in that moment Of dread silence,
when his knife must have been raised to
strike the final blow, the ~door-handle
turned. and / felt his grasp relax-nay,
lis fingers tremble AZ they lay on my
shoulder.
There was an interval Of n minute, and
the door-handle turned again; then a
voice, that | recognized as LOla's, spoke
In a low tone outside.
"Are you there-you9' A moments
pause, and she added, "You amt sick,
are your
She had come to my .door and heard
me writhing against the post.
What would the rascdl do now? His
hand still trembled. Itgave me courage,
for it showed that he feared discovery,
and 1 knew he would not risk his own
neck for the mere pleasure of killing me.
lput out my strength again, making the
bed-post snap under my strain.
"Shall ] sing out?" Lola asked, a little
louder and with an accent of alarm.
The hand slipped from my shoulder
and down my arm as the villain stepped
from the bed. His position was getting
more p%erilous. If Lola "sung out there
would be- little chance of his making off
with the diamond.
| had loosened the towel that bound
my head and gagged me. | wriggled
about ~furiously, worked the fold out of
my mouth, and got my chin above it,
breathing freely for the first time since [
had been tied up. At the same moment
Iheard the key in the door, and | knew
that the murderer intended to let Lola in
and silence her.
take care, take care!" / shouted, as
face would permit. =
Another wriggle, and / felt that the
upper part of my face was uncovered.
Moreover, l distinguished a long gray
patch before me. The curtain of the
oriel had been drawn back; the light had
.sensibly increased during the time occu-
pied by the events | have narrated.
almost fancied | saw the silhouette Of
"A mans figure against the grayness. 1t
moved, and | was sure that my eyes
were not deceived; it disappeared, and
almost Immediately afterward | heard a
fall upon the terrace below. The man
had dropped down a distance of fifteen
feet from the Window drop OF not
more than six feet for an ordinary man
hanging from the ledge.
The feeling of relief, combined with
exhaustion caused by my frantic efforts.
was too much for me. | was giddy and
sick. my eyes closed, the sweat stood cold
upon my face, every muscle gave way
and quivered, only the bonds upon my
body kept me from falling.
"Y'ain't hurt, are you, dear?' were the
sirst words l heard. 1t was Lola's voice,
very gentle and tremulous.
mo: you have saved me-" said I.
She gave a little moan of delight, and
her hands, which had been busily tug
ging at the knots, stopped in their work
She threw her arms about my neck,
and, pressing her face against my breast,
sobbed.
CHAPTER XII.
Braces door was unlocked. He to all
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