Year: 1867




ed from the side of the bed next tn


wall. and threw itself upon me. A


the same instant the chamber was Ii


by another flash, which revealed to M


the innkeeper. l saw large knife il


the air above me, and then it descend


ed with almost a hiss.


Had not my pillow been my shield


the weapon, would have sunk to the


hilt of my breast but as it was, tn,
pillow saved me. The knife sanI


through it and tonched my body, in


flicting a slight flesh wound, but moth


ing more.


Course youw cried the innkeeper


in a hoarse voice. "YOu have wit, bu
I have knife"


As he uttered the last words, he es


sayed to withdraw the weapon, at tn,


same time grasping my pillow to wrench
\ it aside. But had miscalculated hi:


man. In my former pictures of imagi


nation, had thought of Just what


would do under such circumstances


in this case did it exactly.


The moment the knife touched MI


breast my right hand was on the arn


of the innkeeper, and gliding rapidly
/ down, was on his wrist ere he could


snatch away the blades. Ny grippe wa.
usually strong sand now tine nerve o.
suddenly awakened fear and anger
rendered it temporary vice.


1t was not the innkeeper who sue
ceeded in wrenching aside the pillow,
Out myself. As be stroVe to wrench il
one way, l did the other; and by a sud.
den twitch snatched it from his grasp
and pushed it with my left hand into
his face, towards which his heavy
breathing served as a guide. heard
stiAed curse, and could feel that he
sngrily clutched at this strange iustru-
ment Of attack, not only with his left
hand, but with the right, on which
had my hold.


Ny eyes were becoming accustomed
to the dark-as 1 knew his long had
and could see plainly enough to take
instant advantage of the position
When he clutched with his right at
pillow l suddenly withdrew my left
hand from the pillow, and concentra-
ting the strength of both hands on his
which held the knife, wrenched away
the weapon ere he could well under
stand my intention. 1 had seen that 1
was dealing with q strong man. and
knew that the knife was not the only
weapon about such a villain; l also
fancied that another assailant, more
furious in her strength than this man,
would soon be upon me, though could
neither see or hear her.


'Hangye !" muttered the man; take
the knife, but TIl-


He interrupted his own speech to
thrust his hand into his breast, having
hurled the treacherous pillow far into
the darkness. Another friendly fash
lit up the scene, and saw the butt of
pistsl, as he was plucking it forth
from his breast. At the same moment
1 caught the rapid glimpse of tall
figure creeping up from the lower end
of the chamber beyond the foot of my
bed.


| saw that what was done by me
must be done quickly. The pistol was
half released from its place of conceal
ment, when ! leaped upon the inn
keeper. threw myself boldly against
the hand which held the pistol, and
with my left hand l grasped at this
throat while with my right hand l |
sttuck with all my force at his breast. |
Ny blow took effect, but not as intend |
ed. He had thrown up his arm when
| leaped at him, and it was throug his |
arm, that the knife went, passing |
through the flesh and wringing from |
him cry of pain.


Ralph !" broke in a voice, close to |
US. "YOu sniffis like coward Give
way to a surer hand"


This was uttered in a voice subdued /
but charged with fury; and for an in-
slant l experienced that feeling of
despair, which seizes one when all hope
Of deliverence from immediate death
mas fed. This was only for a moment
however, for in the intensity of my
emotions, seconds seemed as minutes,
ind could act as rapidly in proper.
ion. The man essayed to return an
answer, and had already uttered the
words ''Pm awake ~ when l withdrew
ny knife from his arm and wrenching
he limb aside, drove the steel into his
'reast. He sank back with a groan,
nd | turned in time to confront the
Tag whose peculiar eyes shone in the
larkness like those Of an enraged pan
her.
The appearance Of those eyes was
ppalling; and had not been nerved
y my success in the struggle with the
lnkeeper, l think they would have
truck me with fear. They were bright
nth magic light, and | could see that
be yellow ring was the brightest of
a. For an instant was motionless,
as was by this remarkable
aze, and IN that instant q third flash
lightning lit up her savage counte-
ance. As she stood where she halted
hen | turned upon her, the lightning
ashed through the window full into
er face. IL was horrible.
Suddenly, as the light leapt back, as
were, through tha window, she rose
} her full hight and darted upon me.
he lightning had not entirely gone
ut, before ! saw she carried in her
and, not q coarse knife, but a long
ender dagger, which threw back the I.
rightness from a surface of the high
st polish. In the darkness that fol- ..
wed saw this weapon glesm over
er head, and her eyes riyalled in their
the flash that had shown us
, each other.
To my astonishment, Just as I was =
for the attack for it was i'm
osslble for me TO be the attacking par
in this case she dropped her arm,
nd subduing her voice TO savage per-
exclaimed, stranger, We
, bold mani Live here, and we'll
It rid of the old one!"
As l looked back on the strange scene,
am convinced that her singular &C !
on was the result of one of those sud
IN changes which come over women l
her stamp, as they do over the saw
ye race, she having seen much of me


that brief illumination as many
ould in lifetime. Her companion d
crime was nothing more to her, and p
the reaction of her feelings the man \
no slew him, was to her of greater a
over. There was no love between e
lem, and was the one left, whose ac-
on, if not APPEARANCE, was satisfactory a
her fearless nature. e.