The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-11-26


seconds we had gained the opposite
bank of the river. We were safe, but
the opportunity of ridding m yself of
my companion was rendered, by the
emergency Of the case, unavailable
Know not how it was, 5nt | sud
denly became actuated by new i'm
pulse. Wretch though he was, he
had Entrusted his safety. his life, into
my hands. There was, perhaps, still
some good in the man; by enabling
him to escape, | might be the instru
menI of his eternal salvation. He
had done me no injury, and at some
pariod of his life he might have rem
dered good offices to others. | pitied
his sitnatio", and determined to ren
der him what assistance | could. |
! applied the whip to the mare. In
moment she seemed TO be endowed
with super natural energy and swift
ness. Though he was a murderer
though he was henceforth to be driven
from society as an Outcast, he should
not he deserted in his emergency. On
on we sped; hedges, trees, houses
were passed in rapid succession. Moth
ing lmpeded our way. We had task
to perform-a duty to fulfill; dangers
and difficulties fed before us A hu
man life depended upon our exertions,
and every nerve required to be strain
ed for its preservation. On, on We
hurried. My enthusiasm assumed
the appearance of madness. shouted
to the mare till | was hoarse, and
broke the whip in several places. Al
though we comparatively flew over
the ground, L fancied we did not go
fast enough. NV body was in con
stant motion, as though it would give
an impetus to our movements. Ny
| companion appeared conscious of my
inter rtions, and, for the first time,
evinced an interest in our progress
He drew ont his handkerchief, and
used 1t necessarily as an incentive to
sYiftnass. Onward we fled. We were
all actuated by the same motive.
This concentration of energy gave
force and vitality to our actions.
The night had hitherto been calm.
but the rain now began to descend
in torrents, and at intervals we heard
distant peals of thunder. Still we
progressed; F.; we were not to be baffied,
not o be deferred; we could yet defy
pT1l5tsiit. Large tracts of country
were passed over with amazing rap
idity. Objects that at one mo,
ment were at great distance, in an
other were reached, and in the next
left far behind. Thus we sped forward
thus we seemed to annihilate space
altogether We were endowed with
superhuman energies hurried on by
an impulse, involuntary and iIresist-
ible. My companion became violent,
and appeared to think we did not
travel fast enough. He rose once or
twice from his seat, and attempted to
take the remnant of the whip from
my hand, but resisted, and prevailed
upon him to remain quiet.
How long we were occupid in this
mad and daring flight, | cannot even
conjecture. We reached, at length,
our destination; but, alas! we had no
sooner done so, than THE invaluable
animal that had conveyed Us thither
dropped down dead.
My companion and L alighted. l
walked upto where the poor animal
lay, and was busy deploring her fate,
when [ heard struggle ata short dis
tance. [ turned quickly round, and
beheld the mysterious being with
whom | had ridden so fatal journey,
inthe custody of two powerful looking
men.
''Ha, ha. thought he would make
for this here place." said one of them.
He still has hankering after his
mothers grave. When he got away
before, we nabbed him here"
The mystery was soon cleared up.
The gentleman had escaped from a
lunatic asylum, and was both deaf and
dumb. The death of his mother, a
few years before, and caused the men
tai alteration.
The horrors of the night are impress
ed as wildly upon my memory as
though they had just occurred The
expenses of the journey were all de
frayed and | was presented with a
handsome gratuity. l never ceased,
however, to regret the loss of the favor
tie mare.