Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-09-10

color that the rays OF the setting
sun produced as theyshone through
the mass of dark-green leaves ant
seemed to kindle their edges int
J flame.
, Suddenly L was startled out o
my revere by slight noise which
appeared to come from the under
growth on either side of the rood
Turning sharply round. l graspet
my revolver, but in the same
moment | received a stunning
blow on the back of nv head
which knocked me senseless from
nv saddle. Once more l recol'ect
opening my eyes, ,and thinking that
| could see indIstinctly one of the
escaped criminals bending over
me, and theu all became blank.
1T must have been late In the
night when consciousness again
returne to me. Slowly opening
my ewes, | saw tar above me the
dark blue vault of the sky, and
the full moon shining brightly. a
dnll. painfuI sensation at the back
of nv head prompted me to place
nv hand there, and then l dis.
covered that l was bound hand
and foot. Gradually | collected my
thoughts; / remembered now the
murderOus attack in the forest,
aud a fearful fOreboding flashed
through my mind which almost
caused my heart TO stand still. |
felt that l was lad across two
sharp parallel projections, which
cut into my shoulders and the back
of my legs causing me intense pain
and far below me could hear the
gentle FLASHING of water.
'Heavens there could no longer
be any don6t: was lying stretch
ed across Cayugs Bridge, bound.
incapable of mOyng an Inch, With
the hldeous and absolutely certain
prospect of beng cut literally 10
pieces by the next train that pass
ed. For the second time that night
I almost swoOned as | realized my
situation; but by a powerful effOI t
of will | recovered myself, and
tugged desperately at the rOpC 8
that bound me until they cut al
most into my muscles; shTieked,
aud wept finally like a CHILD. l
male endeayors to roll myself into
another position, and then recollec
ted that careless movement
might precipitate me into the Hood
below-bound hand and foot, to
sink like a stone.
"A shudder ran through my
frame, aud l lay mOtlonless agaln;
but not for long for the light OF
the great-almost fearfully bright
moon overhead, the ripple OF the
water deep below me, the breeze
that came IN light puifs, aud then
died away agaiu, giving place TO
a death.like stiffness occasionally
broken oy the scream of some dis
tant nIght.bird-all was unbearable,
and caused me the anguish oil
death. Aud then the rails tht
rails. My thoughts were tOrturlng
me and yet l could not escape
them. The wooden beams of the
bridge yibrated perceptiblN
from the movement of the water
below, and l thought that l could
already feel the approaching of tue
train, aud my hair bristled with
the horror of it. Tue breeze now
hlew somewhat stronger, and ]
imagined that | could already
hear far away In the distance, the
pufing and painting of the locomo'
tive, and my heart stood still to
beat with redoubled force the next
moment.
There are certain things, gentle
men, which are absolutely Incom-
prehensibIe to mr.: one OF them is
the fact that 1 was to survive thar
might. One thought stood ever
clear in my mind: must endeavOr
by some means to shit my posi-
tion-if possible, to one between
rhe metals-if [ did not wish.
D sslbly even In The next moment
to become the arey of the most
awful death one could conceive
Aud | succeeded, | strained every
muscle every sinew, TIL I could
strain no more. / wound and
twisted myself aud painted until |
thought my head must burst, and
after superhumau exertiOns, which
appeared to last an eternity, and
perhaps lasted but minute,
found my self IN the hollow be
hind the rails.
'Was 1 sayedi had no tine Il
consider that, or to rejoice Ovel
| ,ha Feaah aho noa of Iifa which waj