The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-08-23

] side of the door. The small circle O
Q light created by the candle on the foo
I only served to render the darkness in
Z the cellar more intense With strength
4 born of despair | struggled to free
| myself; struggled till every nerve anC
muscle in my body was strained to its
utmost tension. The sweat ran dowr
4 my face like rain, and only desisted
when compelled to do so from sheer ex-
haustion. My efforts had accomplished
, nothing save to weaken myself-and
| was no nearer freedom than before.
| looked at the candle. 1t was visi
/ bly, shorter than when | last observed
it. A horrible idea now suddenly
, drove the blood in torrents upon my
heart. Suppose a draught of air should
strike the candle and blow the flame
down onto the fuse The next moment
smiled at my folly. What mattered
it, anyway! 1t was question of only a
few minutes at best
Line by linc-with a descent only
appreciable at intervals that seemed
ages down and still down it burned !
And now new feeling took posses
sion of me. ! prayed wearied hea-
ven with my prayers for its more speedy
descent, that | might be spared the
horrible agony of mind which | felt
was slowly but surely driving me mad !.
There now remained scarcely an
inch of the candle left. Suddenly !
was startled by strange sound which
came apparently from the floor above.
| listened intently endeavoring to as
certain the cause of the noise, which
sounded like escaping steam. The
next moment realized what had hap
pened. The water had been turned on
and was evidently rushing out through
the faucet which had probably been
left open by the man called Mac"
after his unsuccessful attempt to OBJ
| tain water earlier in the night
A first paid but little attention to
the matter, but at length | found my
self trying to estimate the amount of
damage the water would cause-with
SO trivial thing will the mind occupy
! itself al supreme moment in life!
| The water now began to soak through
the ceiling, and occasionally a drop
would fall upon my face. At little
distance from me they were coming
down with monotOnous drip, drip,
drip, and | fell to counting them as
they struck The candle was nearly
burnt out only a narrow strip separ
atrd the fame from the fuse But
what was that which now came creep
ing slowly into the ring of light at my
feet!
1t was a tiny stream of water no
wider than my finger but my heart
gave ii great bound as | saw that if it !
kept the course ii was now pursuing it
must eventually cross the fuse-but
would il reach it in time:
Steadily onward it crept now rushing
forward for few inches now almost
stationary. | held my breath in sus
pensc. 1t was a race between fire and |
water-and for life or death
Now il was almost there. Only five |
inches more three inches two inches |
one inch but there it stopped In !
another moment the fame would touch |
the fuse. Suddenly ii dartcd forward |
and at the same time the powder in |
the fuse became ignited and tiny |
spark begun 10 glide quickly toward |
the bomb under my feet. 1t had coy
cred half the distance when il sudden
ly stopped. glowcd for moment, and
with a faint hiss expired. At the
same moment the candle tlirkered and
went out. Then | tainted dead away.
When | regaincd consciousness it
was broad daylight. Water stood in
pools all over the floor The blanket
was gone from the window and a few
feet from the open door stood couple
of laborers regarding me in open
mouthed establishment. Seeing that |
showed signs of returning life, one of
them approached, and removing the
gag from my mouth, explained
"Wot's wrong, guy'uor? oh the
ell did you get ere, anyo'wY'
Never mind about that, now" |
gasped, but cut these ropes. Don't
you see I'm half dead alrcady?'
Yer do look tuckercd bout. for "A
fact, =" replied the man. Ere Bill,
chuck me yer knife an wei soon ave
the gent hout o. this.
A few slashos with the knife and
was free once more but SO weak and
faint that could hardly stand. {
just take nip out'n this ere bot {
tie, an you'll be Strengthened hout in !
no time won't e, Bill?' Bill re-
piled that there WASH the slightest
loubt of it.
The fiery liquor sent the blood ting
ling over my cramped and benumbcd
body, and with stalwart man on
either side to lean upon, | slowly and
assembled the stairs. We =,
gained the street at last, and tearing 2
eaf from my note book | wrote a few !
ines which i gave the men who had
me. Il cannot reward you
rs | wish this morning, y said |, but |
come to this address any time after I
our O'Clock next Sunday afternoon. In
he meantime here are couple of
with which to drink my
health. - q
| was obliged to walk as far as Al !
zion Place before | could get cab
md it was nine o'clock when | reached
ny lodgings in Duke street a bath, =
change of clothes and good break
asst refreshed me greatly, but before
aking the rest | was so much in need
f, | concluded TO call at st. Bartholo-
news and see Alice Gale as | had :
romised.
The surgeon was in his office busily /
;riting. He looked up as | entered
nd motioned toward chair
'No, | can't stop this morning"
aid l. How is the patient l called
n yesterday"
The surgeon placed the blotting pad
yer the closely written sheet before
i'm and rubbed his hand slowly over
t as he replied: Poor girl! She
led last night. Would you like to go 81
p?' NJ
"Yes''
AS we assembled the stairs the sur
con took out his pocket book, remark
ng: Il have something here which
-as fpun1 in thp uirl'S dress and