Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-10-23
CHAPTER XII

Inc Qay IOr INC venture CdIne Hau
previously instructed my wife to send
word she was indisposed and to remain
at the hotel. She had very bravely Of
fered to be on hand and with me up to
the moment l disappeared through the
door, but fearing that in the excitement
some of the soldiers might say OF do
something insulting I forbade her being
on the scene. l had had an unusually
large number Of visitors during the day.
felt but little anxiety over the result,
save only on the side Of Captain Cur
tin. had sort Of suspicion or presen-
timent that, once fairly outside Of the
barracks, would run against him. The
day passed rapidly away, and O'Clock
came, and all the civil officials, with
the horde of hangers on, departed, leav'
ing the usual evening solitude in the
barracks. Soon Num- came with my
supper and cautiously produced a re-
volver and belt. l strapped the belt
around me under my vest and braces,
placing the revolver under a pile of
clothing. Num- reported everything all
right He had seen Curtin that day as
usual around the hotel and apparently
unsuspicious Of anything unusual going
on.
The window / was to jump out OF
opened on the public street, and the
street would be jammed full Of people
at the hour was going. Of course there
were good many chances of failure,
chiefly so because all the police from
top to bottom knew me by sight, and If
one of them happened to be one of the
half hundred witnesses Of my jump he
might have wit enough to seize me.
Num- and my friend were to be un-
der the window ready to act according
to circumstances, above all to be ready
to seize hold of any one who manifested
any intention to detain me. Num- was
full of courage and hope. At O'Clock
he went away, not to see me until we
met outside the barracks. / called the
guard and three or four idle soldiers
into my room and served them out lib
eral doses of brandy. Unluckily enough,
however, the one on duty would drink
but lightly. Soon after 8 Consul Cen
eral Torbert came in to smoke cigar
and have d chat He remained until
nearly 10 and then departed. Then l
felt the hour had indeed come. thrust
the revolver inside my shirt and rolled
up cap and put it in the same place;
then, calling the sentry, gave him
drink and a cigar, and stepping out into
the hall began my usual march around
through the upper rooms Of the bar
racks. was to 60 out of the window at
precisely 10. 1t wanted ten minutes OF
that time. 1t was long ten minutes to
me, but I marched around putting my
cigar unconcernedly, with my eye on
the door was to slip through At the
hour had my watch in my hand and
was in the room farthest from the dool
of exit into the room opening on the
street. l walked swiftly through the
two intervening rooms, and 80 was for
brief four or five seconds out of sight
of the slow following sentinel. l reach
ed the door, opened it, stepped through
and instantly locked it. In moment
was through the open window into the
little iron balcony outside. One swift
glance showed me the street thronged
with people, but hesitation meant fail
ure and death
I climbed lightly over the railing and
hung suspended for an instant from the
bottom. The crowd below made circle