Year: 1877

Tile lelinW can help his appearance. j"
80 L ordered hot drink for him.


When it was brought, I took out my
bag OF money to pay for it. ] noticed
directly the eager look that passed over
the strangers face as he saw it.


One of the countrymen, noticing the
expression, said to him, ''Mate, you
seem to have taken Il fancy to that mon
ey! May be you'd like it %


He replied in sullen manner, 81
would like many things that I cannot
get"


However, I soon forgot the fellow in a
hearty laugh over well told tale. But
the time had quickly passed. SO ] rose
to put on my coat and wrapper, saying
as l did so, ''I fear it will be late before
[ reach n


1t was not much to say, but it gave the
clue to the direction / was going. + bid
them all "Good nighti" and was once
more in the darkness and the cold.


L had now to descend steep pathway
which led into an old quarry, through
which had to pass. Some parts of the
path were only about four feet wide. On
the one side was solid rock on the
other precipice, a fall down which
would end any mans troubles, as far as
this world is concerned.


Well. L was cropping my way down as
best l could, when suddenly [ felt some
thing spring upon my shoulders, follow
ed by horrible sensation of strangling.


For moment or SO was stupifed :;
but on raising my hand, L felt mans
arm pressed against my throat. 1 knew
[ had no time to lose so I leaned back
ward little. This threw my assailant
off his guard-no doubt he thought I
had tainted and then with the wild
strength Of despair, I bent suddenly
forward and threw the fellow over nv
head. But, before L had fairly recover
ed, he was upon me again, like a tiger,
and tins time it was hand, to-hand
struggle. We wrestled for some time.
till at last We fell, and my head was pro
jecting over the precipice.


[ felt the hot blood rush to nv head
q nIlnbuess seemed creeping over me,
but / shook it o4f, and determined to
have another struggle for my life,


As [ raised my head, the moon came
from behind a cloud, and I recognized
my would be assassin as the stranger
at the tavern


And at the same moment I saw some
thing g!isten in bis hand, and I knew he
meant to stab me.


] caught his hand us it descended, and
with my other hand ciutched his throat.
He snatched his right arm away, and
quickly drew the knife across my hand
that was at his throat. Though it cnt
me, my struggling prevented it being
deep wound. Again that fearful knife
was being brandished before my face,
and more than once / felt the cold steel
touch my neck; but each time / succeed
ed in beating it off 4; and all this time we
were close to the edge of the path.


How we kept on the pathway at all is
a mystery to me.


Once, il trying to stop blow, T seiz-
ed the keen blade in my hand, infictirg
a terrible wound F.; bu5 / succeeded Ia
getting the knife from him, and I threw
it away as far as I could. Then came
the real struggle for life-who should go
over the precipice


It was hard time. We we're very
equally matched, and both strong. Sew
eral times he kept me from going over,
because I held him SO tightly that he
would have gone ss well.


At last I got the better of him for an
instant; and throwing out my hand to
steady myself, I gripped large, sharp
stone.


With all the strength I could muster,
[ struck him upon the head with it.


He groaned, and fell back insensible.
must have tainted too, for I found my
self lying across him, with one hand still
at his throat. 4


As soon as my scattered senses return
ed, tied his hands fast together, behind
his back, with my scarf, and hurried
back to the tavern for assistance. [ di.
rected them where to go, for I was too
weak with loss of blood to accompany
them.


They found him just as I had stated,
and before two hours had elapsed he
was safe IL goal.


L did not spend Christmas with ny
friends, for I was put to bed ct the tav-
ern, where remained for several weeks
down with brain fever.


[ afterwards appeared against my
Noaidh be Innr.lerer. and had the satis-
faction of knowing that 1 was safe from
his attacks in the future. for lie was sen
fenced to state prison for life.


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