Year: 1876

lHlS was not reassuring; and | made
another discovery shortly which alarmed
me still more. The table, found. formed
part Of the bed. The chair, as it seemed
at FIRST, was seat Initiating one let into the
wall. l might get out of it safely,"so i'm.
possible did it seem. For some time I was
stunned, and if Sturm had come up then 7
should have been an easy victim. seemed
IN imagination to die, and the shock nearly
deprived me of my senses.


But | kept awake, and gradually got
accustomed to the situation, awful as if
was. seemed resigned to the struggle
which felt must come sooner or later, and
my mind began to wander vaguely round
the subject. l can recall my thoughts
now, but | hardly know in what order tbev
succeeded each other then.


Sturm would be sure to be armed q.
moreover, he he'd evidently the strength of
giant, and was by no means strong. and
had nothing whatever with which to defend
myself, except (the absurdity struck me
even them syringel syringe and a
bottle of diluted acid. You smile ot tho
idea now, as, even in the horror of the
moment, | could smile at it then and os
the event proved, the two together made a
weapon not to be despised. The syringe
as have said before, worked perfectly we'll
and only wanted the ring handle fastening
ItWas very powerful instrument, and would
carry strong continuous douche of anv
nued within it a considerable distance
spreading as it went farther, lust as shot
spreads out of gun. AS for the acid. if
once man received any of that, or even =
spray IN his eyes he would certainly be
blinded Tor some hours, if not for life-tho
lattera contingency which, in my desperate
situation then, did not for a moment con.
slider.


do not know how the idea. which Won
VIII now have seized, flashed across INV
mind; but saw that if only could get an
opportunity of Swinging Mr.. Sturm's eyes
IN wholly professional way, had a
very good chance of escaping. The only
difficulty was how to get the chance Of
applying my novel charge when the attack
came; and though it seems simple enough
now, 1t cost me many minutes of agonizine
thought before could determine il ON that
night.


The stoI N had abated, and the moon was
shining out, flooding the room-for the
window had no blind-with stream of
silver. 1t beloved me in the first nloco
then, to make up some semblance of
myself and place it in the bed, and in the
second, to conceal myself where unseen |
could get near my assailant. coud not
get behind the door, for it opened right on
to the press; and, moreover, before NV
attack ! was bound to be sure of nv assail.
ants intention; for my host might come
to visit me in friendly way only, and I
must be cautious. You laugh, as | can
now, at such casuistry, but It is fact that
did through that process of reasoning
then, and acted upon it.


There was a little space between the
press and the bed. In that / crouched
down, having arranged the bolster and NV
coat under the clothes to resemble. as far
as could manage it, sleeping man.
Then | took my syringe, and tried it very
gently in the bottle of acid, and with n
beating heart, and pulses which seemed to
sound all over the room, waited the event,


My preparations had taken some time,
and ! was not kept long in suspense. Very
shortly | heard stealthy football on the
stairs; which step by step approached nv
door and then stopped. ! forced myself
Il don't know how now) to breathe heavily
and regularly, as if in sleep, and after a
few moments hesitation | felt, rather than
heard the door open. A slight Jar against
the press told me it was wide open. and
that the spring was to come.


l had no idea, you see, of the nature of
the attack Would Sturm fire on me
Would he spring upon the bed and
smother me2 Would he stab me. or beat
out my brains? heard or fancied I heard
a heavier and more decided step than any
which had been taken before, and knew
that the moment had came.


have seen performed most of the great.
est operations of the day, here and on the
Continent and l have more than once
witnessed a certain tremor and hesitation
on the part of the surgeon just before the
operation began. The moment the knife
touched the flesh his nerves were steel, and
the work was done as if by machinery.


do not talk boastingly when / say that,
whereas when listened to the footsteps and
felt the door open, it was only by super
human effort preserved myself from a |
dead faint, yet, when knew that second |
or two would end the affair one way or the |
other, my hand was firm as rock, and I |
held the syringe as coolly us now hold |
this cigar, or as should hold the knife at |
an operation.


Sturm was breathing heavily, but for a
moment l heard him catch his breath in,
and then with low growl; like wild
beast rushing at its food, he sprang for.
ward, and with a short crowbar dealt a
fearful blow at the place where, but for
Gods mercy, my head would have been