The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-23

hinged his mind in his solitude. What
should 1 do? Escape seemed impos-
sib1e, I glanced at the door and he
read my thoughts
Eyes, it is locked" he said, ''and
the key is IN my pocket You can
not escape me"
I crept backwards toward the fire.
place and made sudden dive down
wards for the poker. In an instant
he sprang on me like tiger. and got
one hand on nv throat. In the strug-
gle the poker was hurled across the
room and rolled out of sight under an
Did bureau Then we closed IN n ter
rible wresule for supremacy, and in
reeIing along the floor both stumbled
over a chair and fell heavily to the
ground.
We managed after a while to regain
our feet. and disengaging myself
from his grasp, 1 contrived to get the
table between u.s. We stood for
moment gaspin9 for breath and glar-
ing at each other
Then I saw he was fumbling with
his hand at the table drawer. He
suddenly drew out a long bladed
carving knife, and for some minutes
we lodged one another around the
table. But 1 was too alert for him,
and after several unsucce ssfu1 at-
tempts to close with me he savagely
hurled the terrible weapon at my
head The knife whizzed past my
ear, making a very slight cut, and
stuck quivering IN the wooden vain
scot.
A plan now occurred to me- Seiz-
ing a favorable opportunity. 1 threw
all my strength on the table, and,
pushing it along the floor. damned
him against the wall behind him.
Here / held him pinioned and groan-
ing with pain My shouts. mean
while, for help had been futile, for he
had taken the preeaution on my ar
rival, to send his only servant to the
village
1t was impossible to hold my position
long Ny strength was giving out,
and I saw that my assailant was grad
ually freeing himself I therefore had
recourse to a new stratagem.
waited until he was exerting con-
siderable force on the table, and then,
with a sudden jerk. drew it away
He fell forward and his head struck
the table viole ntly half stunning him.
In a moment I dashed to the win
dow, threw it open, and vaulted into
the garden. Jumping over the low
wall. L seized my bicycle But the
as I mounted my machine he dragged
a loose brick from the top Of the e-an
and threw it at me with such pre-
cision that if had not seen his move
ment and dipped my head in time, it
must infalHbly have dashed out my
brains As it was, it just grazed my
scalp.
Once mounted was soon whirling
down the lane at a high speed, with
the mailman chasing me as fast as his
legs would carry him. was just
congratulating myself on my esca pc,
when / saw to my dismay that
the lane ended a. short distance ahead,
with a closed gate. Putting on the
brake and slackening speed, man
aged, with great care, TO avoid a
smash-up and alight at the gate,
which led into wide meadow.
On the opposite side of the meadow
was gate leading into another field
rather smaller, and apparently sl1irted
by lane. This gate 1 vauited. but,
unluckily, in doing 50 I sprained my
left ankle. This was a terrible mis-
fortune, for every step / took caused
me excruciating pain, and could
barely limp along
The man behind had not failed to
notice my accident, and as he rapidly
gained on me, a short laugh or grunt
of delight reached my ears. saw
there was no hope, and that soon we
should be in the grip of death.
/ was within twenty yards of a stile
leading into the lane and shouted for
help as well as I was able with my
scant breath, but all was quiet and
deserted No help was at hand In
desperation and agony I struggled
y L, -1.-
! pursuer becoming mOmentarily more
audible He was now within a few
feet of me, and I was just preparing
TO turn and face his attack when
felt his hand strike my shoulder, and
heard him fall with q. groan and a
heavy thud on the grass He must
have caught his foot IN omething and
stumbled.
This gave me a temper airy advan-
tage, of which I did not fail to avail
myself, and I reached the stile in
safety On getting over it I looked
back and to my surprise saw the man
still lying tretched at full length
face downward on the grass. There
was no movement whatever Had he
tainted? 1t could not be a pretenss
to allure me back. for he could have
caught me with ease in the lane.
In nome ut I decided to make the
best of my opportunity and bind him
hand and foot before he recovered
consciousness ] rapidly tied his feet
+ together with my pocket handker-
chief, and took hold OF his hands
with the intention Of securing then
also But now discovered at q
glance that these precautions wa re
unnecessary The poor FELLOW was
quite dead