The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-05-16

lie NEVER THOUGHT THAT A DESPERATE
NAN WAS WITHIN A Few FEET OF HIN.
bar. At the first blow he yelped rs a
little cur does when YOU tread upon its
paw. At the second, down he fell with
groan upon the floor. Then seated
myself upon my bed. and waited re-.
signedly for whatever punishment my
ialer, might inflict upon me.
But minute passed and yet another,
with no sound save the heavy snoring,
breathing Of. the senscess wretch upon
the floor. Was it possible. then, that
amid the fury OF the storm his warning
erica had passed UNDECIDED? At first it
was but q tiny hope, an other minute
and II was probable. another and it was
certain. There was no sound in tho
corridor. none in the courtyard. l
wiped the cold sweat from my brow,
and asked myself what l should do
next.
One thing seemed certain, The man
on the floor must die. Il | left him l
could not tell how shor. time it might
be before he gave the alarm. dare not
strike light. 80 | felt about in the
darkness until my hand came upon
something wet, which knew to be his
head. l raised my iron bar, but there
was something, my friends, which pre-.
vented me from bringing it down. In
the heat OF fight have slain many men
men OF honor, too. who had done mo
no injury. Yet hero was this wretch, a
creature TOO foul to live, who had tried
to work mo so great mischief, and vet
could not bring myself to crush his
skull in. Such deeds arc very we'll for
q Spanish partida-or. for that m atter, a
aans-culot,e OF tho Foubourg St. An
toine-bu! not for soldier and q gentle
man like inc.
However, the heavy breathing OF the
fellow made mo hope that /. nigh. DO n
very'iong time before no recovered his
senses. gagged him. therefore, aad
bound him with strips Of blanket to the
bod, so that in his weakened condition
there was good reason to think that, in
any case, he might not get free before
tho next visit OF tho warder. But now
again was faced with new difficulties,
for you will remember that had relied
upon his height to hel p mo over tho
walls. l could have sat down ard shed
tears OF despair had no; tho thought OF
my mother and OF the emperor come 10
sustain me. Courage |" said I. at it
were anyone but Etienne Gerard no
would DO in bad fix now; that is n
young man who is not so easily caught"
| set to work. therefore, upon Boau-
monts sheet rs we'll as my own. and BY
tearing them into strips and then plac.
ing them together IN ado very excel
lont ropo. This l tied securely to the
centre OF my iron bar, which was little
over foot in length. Then l slipped
out into the yard. where the rain was
pouring aud tho wind screaming louder
than over. kept in tho shadow OF tho
prison wall, but it was rs black as tho
acc OF spades, aud | could not SEQ my
own hand in front OF me. Unlcss
Walked into tho sentinel l Ind nothing
to fear from him. Whom l had come
undor the wall throw up my bar, and
to my Joy it stuck tho very first time
between tho spikos at the top. l
climbed up my rope. pulled it after mo,
aud dropped down on the other aldo.
Then ] scaled tho second wall, and was
ai.ting astridc among tho spikes
upon the top, whom saw
something twinkle in tho darknoss be-
meath mo. 1t was tho bnyonet Of tho
sentinel below. and 40 close was it (the
second wall being rather lower tn an
tho lirst) That could easily. by leaning
ovor, have unscrowcd It from its socket.
There no was, humming tune to him
self, and cuddling UP against tho wall to
keep himself warm little thinking that
n desperate man within fow foot of
him was within m AGO OF stabbing him
to tho heart with his own weapon. |.
wa. already bracing myself for tho
spring. whom tho 10. low. with IN oath,
Bhouldorod his muskot. and l hoard his
Htcps squelchinG through tho mud 40 no
resumed his boat. l slipped down my
ropo. and, leaving 1t hanging, ran at
tho top Of my speed across tho moor.
lro he CoSrISurp.l