Year: 1861

just left Col. Latouf, whose quarters were
very near mine, when all at once, as was
turning the corner of street, two unknown
individuals threw thick mantle over my
head and shoulders, which efFectually sti-
led my cries, although yelped like whip
ped dog, and transported me with rapid
dexterity to carriage which was standing
close by. As soon as the vehicle was in
motion, the mantle was removed from my
head, and female voice whispered in my
ear, in very Indifferent French


If you cry out or make the slightest
sign or attempt to escape, the individual
before you will thrust a poinard into your
heart Keep quiet therefore, and / will
tell you the reason of your abduction.


"Stretch out your hand toward me, and
you will feel between US your box of in
struments which we got from your lodgings
on the rretense that you had sentfor them;
you viii require them, as you are about to
assist lady who is about to be confined
without her husbands knowledge for al
though he is passonately attached to her,
and seldom leaves her, she has been able to
conceal from him the fact that she is to be-
come mother, and he imagines that she is
simply anwell, The dangers of attending
her at this critical moment do not affect
you; only obey us, otherwise our friend,
who sits opposite to you, and who does not
understand a word of French, will stab you
on the slightest indiscretion."


"And who are your / asked, feeling fer
her hand


'f am Madam's maid, and we will cheer
fully reward you if you assist us at this
trying moment"


"Willingly," answered, finding that I
was embarked in dangerous adventure.


We continued our conversation until we
arrived at the door of a garden, when the
woman bound her handkerchief around my
eyes, and l heard key turn gently in a
lock. Holding me by the hand, the maid
led me to the house, where she paused an in
slant to say, "Be silent, and look we'll after
your own safety! Don't forget one of my
signs, for shall not be able to speak to
you without danger to both of US, and it is
at this moment a question of saving your
life. The Signora is in chamber on the
ground floor, and to reach it, will be neces.
sary to pass through her husbands bed
room and beside the bed on which he is ly-
ling, therefore, step lightly, and do not
make the slightest sound"


Here the lover interrupted her directions
by a low growl, as if impatient at the delay
The maid was silent; heard door open.
and the warm air striking my face told me
that l had entered room and creeping
cautiously along without the least noise
for it seems the maid had arranged car
pet to walk upcn--I was suddenly stopped,
the bandage was removed from my eyes,
and l saw that | was in a large room dimly
lighted by smoky lamp. The window was
open, but | could not see the bars of iron
which the jealous husband had caused to
be placed across the opening, and as l
looked about me, felt very much as if l
had been shot out of a sack.


My attention was instantly directed to a
woman lying on rug, evidently in great
suffering but who prevented herself from
uttering the slightest sound by holding a
handkerchief rolled up in ball between
her teeth. Her face was covered with a
vail, and l then noticed that both the man
and woman who had brought me there we're
masked. The sufferings Of the lady were
fearful, and but for my assistance she must
have died Eventually, however, she was
delivered of a child, which was dead. Ga
hearing from the woman that this was the
case, the man with the mask shuddered
from head to foot


While he was endeavering to Judge of
the condition of his mistress-for such
presume her to have been-the maid direc-
ted my attention to two glasses of lemon
ade which stood on the table, and made a
sign to me not to touch them from which ]
inferred that they were poisoned. l was
still engaged in my professional labors,
when my patient suddenly raised her hand
and pointed to the other room; of us four
she alone, notwithstanding the pain she
was suffering, had heard her husband move
in his bed We were spell-bound for an
instant, but so expressive were the glances
which the man and woman directed toward
each o, her, that could read the question,
"Shal we kill him? in their eyes as plain.
ly as if they had uttered the words.


was SO excited that my mouth was
parched with thirst, and stretched outmy
nand toward the lemonade, torgettul at the
moment of the warning had received
but the man laid his dagger, which he had
Just drawn, across the glasses, and made a
sign to me to drink from his glass. The
movement was SO evidently dictated by a
sentiment Of gratitude, that l pardoned
him for the atrocious design he had formed
of poisoning me, and thus preventing me
from revealing their secret


When all was over, the maid assisted me
in laying her mistress in bed. The body
of the infant was eRyeloped in towels, and
the unknown, who it seems had prepared
for flight by packing up psome jewels, thrust
the parcel which contained them into my
pocket. l whispered to the maid instruc-
lions necessary TO enable her to pay proper
attention to her mistress, and then prepar-
ed to decamp. The maid remained beside
her mistress, which disquieted me some
what, but l kept myself on guard against


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