The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1892-06-04
THE GREAT RESPER,
TALE OF A BIG DIAMOND.
How an Immense Gem Was Lost,
Recovered, and Lost Again.
p XII.

the diamond, the scoundrel intended
to have my life,-to remove the pos
sibility, if possibility existed, OF being
identified rs the thief by me.
He set about his work with devilish
circumspettion. heard the
metal rings clink as he
took up the fallen curtain from the
floor, and folded it, and the bed creak
as he got upon it. AS he approached
from behind, he steadied himself by
setting one hand upon my shoulder.
Then lie laid the folded curtain over
my other shoulder, and his bony
knuckles touched my chest as he ar
ranged the stuff over my breast l
knew what that meant; it was to pre-
vent the b~etraying blood from squirt
ing upon his arm.
In the pause that followed, ! fan.
cied lie must be turning up his sleeve,
as a butcher does who has q beast to
slaughter.
A thousand thoughts whirled
through my mind in that brief space;
but a great awe came upon me as lfelt
his hand firmly grasp my left
shoulder, for then l realized that l
was on the very brink of eternity.
A feeling OF regret for the i'll use |
had made Of many days,-tor the loss
of Edith, and the world which she had
filled with Joy and hope; q deep and
tender wish former happiness, and the
welfare of the companions who had
toiled whine to win the Hesper, took
the place of terror, and it was with
something like resignation that ]
awaited death.
AS he grasped my left shoulder, I
felt him lean over my right, and the
next moment he stabbed me.
He had not used sufficient force, for
the knife point stuck in one Of the ribs
under my left breast: and went no
farther.
He pulled the knife out, and tried
again; but this time the blade carce-
ly punctured my skin.
Then, seeing that the thickness OF
the doubled curtain was too great an
impediment, he unfolded and rear
ranged it, passing his hand over my
breast, and pressing his fingers here
and there to ascertain whether he
had got it right for his purpose. 1t
was then that. my nature revolving
against this barbarOus refinement OF
cruelty, l prayed, like Samson, for
strength; and made one more effortt to
break my bonds.
The twisted sheets and firm knots
withstood the strain; but the effort
saved my life. The calculating william
knew that I must exhaust
my STRENGTH in a few min
utes, md would not risk
breaking his knife or getting smeared
with my blood as | writhed.
And presently my force gave out,
and, all hope leaving me, + ceased to
struggle, and was callous to his touch,
when lie once more touched my shout
der.
! But in that moment OF dread
silence, when his knife must have been
raised to strike the final blow, the
door handle turned, and l felt his
grasp relax,-nay, his fingers tre1i,ble,
rs they lay on my shoulder.
There was an interval OF a minute,
and thedoor handle turned again;then
n voice, that l recognized as Lola's
spoke in q low tone outside.
care you there,-you?" Amoment's
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 rascal do now? his
hand still trembled. 1t gave me cour-
age, for it showed that he feared dis
covery, and l knew he would not
risk his ownneck for the mere pleasure
OF killing me. I put out my strength
again. making the bed-post snap under
my strain.
"shall I 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 perilous. If Lola
''sang out" there would be little
chance of his making off with the
diamond.
had loosencd the towel that bound
my head and gagged ME. I wriggled
about furiously, worked the fold out
of my mouth, and got my chin above
it, breathing freely for the first time
since l had been tied up. At the same
moment I heard the key turn in the
door, and | knew that the murderer
intended to let. Lola in and silence
her.
"Take care, take care!" I shouted,
as loudly a. the towel that covered
my face would permit.
Another wriggle, and I felt that the
upper part OF my face a uncover
ed. Moreover, / distinguished a long
gray patch before me. The curtain of
the oriel had been drawn back; the
light had sensibly increased during The
time occupied by the events l have
I narrated.
Ialmost fancied I saw the sill,outte
Of q mans figure against the grayness.
1t moved, and / was sure that my
eyes were not deceived; it disappeared,
and almost immediutel ely aiterward I
heard a fall upon the, terrace below.
The man had dropped down q dis
lance of fifteen feet from the window
q 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 ef-
forts, was too much for me. l was
giddy and sick, my eyes closed, the
sweat stood cold upon my face, every
muscle gave away and %quivered, only
the bonds upon my body kept me
from falling.
"Y'aint hurt, are you. dear?" were
the first words | heard. 1t was Lola's
voice, very gentle and tremulous.
"No; you have saved me-" said !.
She gave a little moan OF delight,
aid her hands, which had been busily