The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-08-11
A STRANGE OCCURRENCE.
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Continued from First PageD
lowed me at last from Richmond To this
place, where | came on business Tor
Uncle Sam The surrender OF the
Spanish government found me here,
and | could not escape Immediately
without exciting suspicion. | started
on the 10th of sept to reach you and
home, shall | say? but your messenger
was on my track. Did you think was
running from you? You ought 10 know
me better. All my sins, even against
YOU, lead me in an opposite direction.
lie followed me on horse back, and we
met on the lonely road which crosses
this marsh where | now lie. ! could
have killed him, but | remem bered
you when | felt the cold muZzle of his
pistol against my forehead, and spared
him to give you that consolation |
new r could, if ne had fallen instead of
me. A bail from his pistol shattered
my right arm fist, and another entered
my right temple above the corner #
the ey Is your vengeance satisfied?
81 have used no names in this that
can he identified. There is nothing to
betray or annoy you, If IL should fall
into other hands than yours. | shall
address 1t to the fictitious name you
agreed on, and for once you will allow
that | have done something to crafty
ycu, and have the happiness of know
ing that YOU Will receive one letter from
me with unalloyed delight. Alive, we
could not part, but Ponsonby has re-
deemed GU. Has he told you yet? Ask
him some time when you are together,
to look at the palmetto trees by the
shore and describe the spot to you
where he tlung-but it does not matter!
| have kept my promise as far as |
could. would not make liar of the
man who loved YOU more than those
who have stunned against you less. Are
you happy and at peace? | hope so; |
believe IL. | Sm at peace. You would
not let me live for you, and without
you could not live. Ponsonby' has set
tied it for us both. Is your vengeance
Statistic d? fervently hope so; | he.
lieve it.
Farewell, z. S. M.
address it to Miss Martha Constance
Auchester, Charleston, South Caro-
llna," he said, as | folded it up in the
form of letter and turned it over. |
did so.
Now" said he, smiling family,
"your act of kindness is not finished
yet. You must take charge of the let
ter for me, and promise to write to
Nemesis first, and find whether she is
still in Charleston. When you receive
an answer from her, you can send
her my letter. Will you do SOP"
| promised him solemnly that
would fulfill his wishes. He appeared
very much exhausted when we got
through, and the light began to fade
| from his eyes rapidly. The muscles of
his face began to sink and stltfen
| again, and picked up his hat and ran
toward the ditch to get some water, as
well as to see If | could discern any.
thing of Juan III the distance. Pity,
fear, and horror added wings to my
feet, and encased me in a coat of mail
that was proof against briers and BRAN
bic, and as | heard the roll OF wheels
dashing along the road, and the loud
voice of Juan crying, Here, in here"
as he approached the spot, | jumped
over Stumps, and splashed through
pools, eXclaiming, so Juan, hurry,
hurry, for Gods sake he is dyingw
Juan dashed into the swamp accom-
panied by man carrying basket, al d
l followed them. When we reacht d
the stump where | had left him, he
was not there, but, glancing toward the
acacia tree, we found him Lying at the
bottom Of it. He was lying on his face J.,
with his face and breast in the water,
one arm under him, and the other ex-
tended toward the root of the tree,
j uan and the farmer raised him up and
turned him over. He was not only
| dead, but there was an awful change in
his appearance. The farmer recoiled in
| horror and disgust, and declared that
he must have been dead two weeks
Juan aVowed that he was living and
breathing but "A few minutes before !;
and | protested that he had spoken to
me but few minutes before they came
up. But it would not do. The farmer
pointed to the decOmposed body and
shook his head; and, truly, if it had not
| been for the letter and his portfolio,
which | still held in hand, | would have
doubted the truth of my own memory,
and the accuracy of my brothers. Juan
and his assistant procured some large
| branches and arranged them as we'll
as they could, so as to keep the horses
and cattle away until the body could be
removed. The coroner visited it next
day, and verdict was rendered in ac-
cordance with appearances: death
from unknown hand"
Unknown? Yes, surely, for evident.
ly Ponsonby was fictitious name as
| the rest.
That Carolinian was noble generous,
| and faithful character, whatever his
other sins were. My opinion Is that
"Nemises" was the greater criminal of
the two. According to promise, wrote
| to "Miss Ancb ester" Immediately. |
he" the letter | had in trust for her.
She wrote agatha strange letter, so
strange that I can hardly describe it
almost illegible from agitation, and full
of incOherences aud unintelligible pro
tesla tions, and begging me passionate
ly to write her at length, and tell her all
knew about the Captain. | did so,
and told her also that l had written to
his relatives from information found in
his pocket book, and that his body was
about to be taken home to Carolina for
| interment.
have not heard from her since, but
do not doubt that / shall do so if her
eye falls on this. | have a clue to her
identity, and could know her by the
me rest effort; but feel convinced that
he who entrusted me to be his mes
senger, wished me to respect the veil of
mystery he cast about her, and nothi n g
shall tempt me to remove it,
ROBBED THE GRAVE.
A startling incident of which Mr..
John oliver, of Philadelphia, was the