The Opelousas courier., 1892-10-08

world. ri one could find a really sin
cere woman-rather pretty, too-wnat o
satisfaction it would be to marry ner!
But where in the wide world Is one tel
look for suchf
While gazing intently out OF the win
dow with al interest beyond the ordin-
sry-shall / confess it9-in the fair pedes-
triaD, I thought I saw a man moving
among the shrub5ery 9 my gate, but
on closer inspection concluded that I had
been deceived. I watched the stately
lady out of sight, laughing at my own
folly the while, and was about to turn
nv attention to the old attic when felt
something touch me. The touch was at
first SO faint that l thought it might be
fancy, or that / might have come in on
tact with the wall. In order to see the
street plainly, I had been forced to pro-
trude my shoulders through the aperture,
which is too small to permit ONE to turn
round. Before I had time to withdraw
my head, the touch became a grip, aud
two stout arms were about my waist.
was held as in a wise!
Picture to yourself my position. Night
was falling, / was alone, and q prisoner
in my own house. A prisoner of WHAT
of whom9 might call; but who would
hear mea' I knew the house wa empty.
My old housekeeper had gone out, and
might not return for hours. So long as
she attended to. my wants and got my
meals regularly, l seldom inquired where
she went or how long she stayed.
"Who are youf" / gasped.
No reply.
"Let me CO." I shrieked; ~ shall
alarm the neighbors." Not a sound but
the echo of my own voice among the
~rafters.
"Helpl helpr" l screamed.
The grip of the villain frightened.
One HAND slowly moved up toward my
neck, making its murderous purpose
more apparent; the other was very near
faithful old gold time-piece, ana
heirloom that numbered more years than
myself. Was I to be murdered for its
possessionf
In a frenzy partly made up of fear,
partly OF rage. I struggled to get my
head and shoulders out of the ori6ce in
order to be on more equal terms with
my dastardly assah6nt; but. I seemed
like a babe in his grasp. My blood
chilled at the idea of being SO powerless.
Did the cut throat intend to throttle me,
or throw me from the window Of my
own attic2 As yet he had not Uttered
& sound. I could hear the uARfled
movement of his feet on the floor but
not q word, not a breath. A cold sweat
broke out all over me; my sight grew
dim. The silence of my mysterious as
wat worse than any uproar. Why
did he not speak7
"Helpl help!n 1 screamed, my strength
fast failing.
I feIt a powerful leg twisting about
my own; he was about TO throw me
bodily from the window.
Frenzy nerved me with a strength not
my own. I squirmed, twisted, bit,
screamed, and kicked like a madman.
The extreme violence of my strength
shall never cease to assonish me-. / sue
ceeded in getting my head and shoulders
out of the aperture, broke loose from the
grasp, and sent him s~prawling
on the floor. / rolled over and over him
In my frenzy. Every man has more or less
Of the savage in him. and for the time
being every savage instinct in my nature
uppermost. 1t was a fight for life.
The attic had grown dark, and the floor
SO strewn with boxes and bundles
that 1t was impossible to avoid them.
We fell over them. repeatedly in our
struggles. Precious though the old I'M
paintings were. Itrod them I'M
ierfoot; much as | priced my %violins, |
hurled them at the villain with all my
strength. / be ;an to have some advan-
over him; he did not know the attic
Is well as I. He stumbled against the
tipped Y cases that | knew the
of, bumped against the sloping
Ny courage began to rise once
more.
aBegone, or I shall shooti" I cried.
For the first time there came a sound
from the villain. He ehuckledi Well
be knew / had no weapon, and we'll for
him I had notl
HYou are at my mercy; surrender
| called, in a voice loud and shrill
to rouse the neigaborhood.
Again the bastard chuckledi What
was ne plotting3
evil you surrender" | demanded.
nWell, hardlyrn
The voice startled me. These were
lis first words. / had not expected a
.eply, and the words had a strange and
lncanny ring. / confess I trenbled.
s.You are my prisoner" said in a
over key and with less c~onfidencs.
tam n"
The efrontery of the villain astoundsd;
md exasperated me. / caught up the
irst thing I could reach and hurled it
1t him. It crashed loudly against the
vail. Shortly after there came a
scratching sound, aud q light 6ekered in
he darkness. LIE had coolly struck q
/ looked at him in araaze nent. One
glance was enough. As ] have said,
svery man has more or less Of the savage
him, and my savage again assumed
mastery. ! have been angry many
times in my life; but never quite so angry
then.
Whose features did the light make
apparent to met A dark-facei, snail
eyed, short haired ~villain7 a low browed
Not at ALL Il was the Sc
rene ana smiling c~ountenance of my
nephew, Mr.. Percy F. Jenkins, the only
one of my kin ! had ever takon any in
&awn.kssr @ TT~-- -@as1 8z