The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-25

LIS cAcSutiOH. me suspense was agOniZ- l
iEg. Finally the dread of what might
happen of more serious character he. |
came so intense that I resolved to shun
society altogether and have intercourse
only with those who were my most init
mate friends. One evening, however, I
was persuaded to forego my life of seclu-
sion long enough to attend a marriage re-
ception at the house of the brides father,
who was General Won Steinruck's chief of
stan. Matters went all right for time
and had just finished congratulating N.Y.
self on the good behavior of my arm when
an accident occurred which gave TO me
shock not unlike the one 1 had expert
enceds when 1 realized that 1 had been
guilty of forgery. There was a young
lady at the reception whom I had not
met before. She was tall, beautiful
and vivacious, and l was smitten at once
was introduced to her and we danced
a quadrilie. l was afraid to suggest a
waltz, for the lady wore valuable jewels,
ard knew not what the Internal arm
might do After the dance we went down
to lunch and then wandered into the lit
tie conservatory, where, seating ourselves
We engaged in brief but delightful con-
versation. But all the while / was un-
easy about my arm. The fingers witch
ed and the muscles quivered, a sign that
Should be on my guard. l knew that it
was up to some mischief and that ii
wanted only an opportunity to act Fl
nally we rose to return to the reception
room and / offered the young lady my
arm. She was about to accept my offer
when. like a flash, the arm clasped her
tightly around the waist and before I
could realize what was happening ii had
drawn her lovely form to my breast
Breaking loose from the lascivious arm
she sprang back, uttering a faint cry of
alarm. Her face. which had flushed
l.
as pale as death. Her whole frame trem-
bled with excitement and her eyes flashed
with anger. Ill-bred cur she Missed
through her beautiful teeth, you shall
pay dearly for this insult / wanted to
explain, to tell her all about Snyder's
arm, but she would not hear me. She
waved me off with her hand and swept
indignantly away from the place.
For a moment or so / was dazed: then
a cowardly feeling took possession of me-
] pictured to myself the fury of the young
lady's friends and the scene that would
follow. l fancied i heard their cries of
| 'Sbame!' and their lips curl with
scorn and contempt. I felt had not the
courage to await results, and skunk from
the house like whipped dog.
Reaching my hotel, went straight to
my room, where, for an hour / paced the
floor in agony. Then L thought of bed,
III ping tEldl Sletp WOuIu DiOt QUE, at least
| for the time being, all remembrance of
the miserable affair. But / could neither
sleep nor rest. i rolled and tossed and
srcaned until l heard the little clock on
the mantel strike two. AT length, howey-
er, when / was completely exhausted in
mind and body, sleep weighed down my
eyelids; but my slumber was not peace
full; it was broken and troubled, and ended
with an incident that well nigh cost me
my life.
| Il dreamed that travelling through a
dense forest, l suddenly came to a prec-
pice, which overlooked a dark valley
Weary and foot-sore, l threw myself up
on the ground close to the brink and be-
gan to doZe. The breaking of a branch
as if some one had stepped upon it, start
led me, and rising on my elbow, | saw a
blurred object moving in the darkness OF
the forest. At first l could not make out
what it was, but, presently, as it came
closer, it resolved itself into the figure of
a man. The man was Frederick Snyder
He came forward, not stealthily but bold
ly with long and rapid strides. His fea-
lures were frightfully convulsed with
rage, and his eyes, which were fixed
hercely upon me, seemed to emit sparks
of living fire. Savage growls issued from
his throat, and the fingers of his only
arm twitched and clutched furiously at
the air. Terror seized me, and sent an
icy chill through my body into the very
roots of my hair, while great drops OF
perspiration stood out upon my forehead
knew that he was seeking me, and
meant to do me violence. | tried to es-
cape from his fury, but it seemed as II
/ We're clad IN garments of lead which
held ME to the earth. / could not cry
out; my tongue was paralyzed. Reaching
the spot where was lying, he stood over
me for moment trembling violently with
rage; then, with a fiendish laugh, he
dropped heavily with both knees upon my
chest and seized me fiercely by the throat
His fingers closed like a vice, and a smile
of savage joy spread over his villanous
face His clutch frightened. He was slow.
ly strangling me to death. and / was
pcwerleSs to resist. AT last, however
sheer despair quickened my paralyzet
muscles. and with one mighty effort
managed to turn him under, and place
myself on top. He glared like a wilt
beast, but neither relinquished nor re
Taxed his hold. His fingers were lik,
bands of iron imbedded in my flesh.
vas frenzied with pain. Instinctively, il
my distress and despair, l glanced abou
me for some weapon of defense. My hail
stood upon end, while shiver rar
through my body. 1 saw through my
bursting eyeballs that we were on tn,
very edge of the precipice, and that TIL,
send us over. / tried to warn him of tn.
dohEer, but my swollen tongue was pow
erless, and only groan escaped from m,
lacerated throat. 1 was growing weaker
| ard weaker. My head was bursting, ant
! a strange dizziness was creeping over me
Seeing his advantage in my waning
strength, and oEce mere putting forth hi:
whole energy, he finally succeeded il
throwing me over upon my side. Th'
movement was fatal. For a moment o
50 our bodies poised on the verge of tn,
: pre- cipice, then slowly rolling off int
space, they shot like a meteor down int
the darkness of the valley below. Blu
} was not dashed to pieces as / had ex
} pected in my dream. ] found myself ly
ing upon my chamber floor. / had tum
: bled out of bed, and the shock of the fal
had awakened me. Yes. l was as wide
: awake 1 am now; yet, strange to re
| late. there was still the same exhauste'
5 feeling, the same pressure about tn
J; throat, the same sitting sensation which
l had experienced in my dream. What dix
e it mean? 1 tried to raise my right han'
e to my throat. / failed. The arm seemed
5 pow erless. In fact 1 felt as If / had ono
r more only a stump; as if Snyder's arm
I was no longer there. Could l hav
S had stroke? And was the right arm
t paralyzed? / tried my left arm. l wa
: undone. My fingers came in contact will