Year: 1871

sen. This man9uver was repeated
several times. One, when the moon
shone out brightly, 1 found that the
latest arrival-the one / had set
down rs the arch-villian of the par
| ty-had taken up his position in
the rear, so that I was completely
surrounded, and, try as l might,
this order was preserved all the way.
| startled them at once by abruptly
leaving them and jumping upon a
bench at the roadside, under pre-
tence of looking at the view. The
arch-villian Immediately took his
place beside me. l turned my gaze
apon him, and looked steadily into
his eyes, and he returned the look.
For a moment we stood regarding
each other fixed, vainly endeayor-
ing to read one another. A wicked
face, | felt sure, but there could be
no doubt the mans strength. My
eyes still fivited on his, l put my
hand into my breast as if to grasp
the revolver I did not carry, but
which 1 devoutly wished 1 had, and
1 thought the time had come. But
no; he stepped to the ground, and
turned as if expecting me to follow.
Still keeping my hand in my breast
got down, and we walked on-al
ways in the same order-one on
either side, and one behind.


AS we went on, the path seemed
very dismal. Great black shadows
fell across our track. Sometimes it
was quite dark; again the silver
moonlight made brightness in vivid
contrast with the surrounding OBJ
scurity. at will be here," thought,
and there could be no better place
for an attack. No chance that a
cry for help would be heard" Still
we hurried on; l could hear the
quick breathing of my companions,
but no one proposed to retard our
steps-on through the woods till the
tower rose before US, and thought
that would be the spot chosen for
the murder. A body thrown from
there would be dashed upon the
rocks below, and the water would
swallow it up in an instant. The
tower reached, there was no choice
for me but to go up, for 1 had pro-
posed coming, had set this tower
as the aim of this wild night-walk,
and I must not appear to falter. At
the lower door, one of the men, l
could hardly distinguish which one
in the half-light, stopped.


"Aren't you going up?" L de-
manded.


"No," he replied, 4 have been up
so often that believe l will wait
for you here; have you cigar?


NO." 1 returned; but knew
that he only wanted me to..remove
my hand from my breast { (where l
had kept it without change all
through the walk), that 1 might
thus be attacked and more easily
overcome. l knew he declined to
go up, that lie might stay below to
watch the door and prevent any one
else from ascending till the diaboli-
cal work was accomplished. l hes
itated for a moment, so did the 9th
ers; but felt hesitation was useless
and stepped in. Once on the dark
stairway l went up as quickly as /
could, determined that l would not
be seized and murdered there. Quite
out of breath,'I gained the top and
walked out on the balcony that en-
circles the tower. l listened, but
heard no approaching footsteps, and
1 knew the three villains were still
in consultation below. l was de-
termined to make fight for my life
and to die struggling. Ihad even a
penknife, having lost mine in my
mornings ramble. I stood with my
hand concealed in my breast, await
ing the coming of my enemies.
They came at last; the man we had
overtaken on the bridge came first.
Looking intently at me, they made
no pretence of noticing the view. /
stood perfectly still, giving them
look for look. The wind was blow
ing furiously, and presently one Of
the two proposed that we should go
down. I dreaded going down the
long, dark stairway, and I almost
wished that we might stand gazing
at one another till daybreak; but l
followed them down. "When they
attack me-" 1 thought, 81 will en-
deavor to push them down the steep
stairs" trusting to thus disable
them. went down slowly, listen
ing to their footsteps in advance of
me. 1 heard them stumble, for they
went quickly. At the door heard
their voices as they spoke to the
watcher posted below. When /
joined them they were not speaking,
and almost in silence We began our
way toward tho home I feared 1
should not reach. The dark wood
was to see my fate decided. /
understood that my air of determi-
nation, the weapon was believed to
carry, and, perhaps, other reasons
that did not know of, had com
bined in my favor to postpone the
moment of my murder; but was
sure that it was only deferred. l had
heard their hasty consultation,
though not their words, and l be-
lieved that some new plan had been
arranged by which / was to be de-
prived of life.


Again wepushed our way through
the brush. Several times l fancied
that saw relief coming, but the OBJ
ject turned out to be bush or de-
cayed stump, that, in the moonlight,
cheated me with it's resemblance to
a human figure. The spoken words
were very few; they appeared to be
at small pains to disguise their vii
lainy by keeping up the form OF
conversation.


At last Goat Island was crossed,
the bridge passed over, and we stood
on the piazza of the Cataract House.
l could not understand what unseen
power had interposed to prevent the
execution of their purpose.


Suddenly the man / had settled
upon as the villain of the party sat
abruptly down upon the steps, and
without warning, burst into peals of
laughter. He shook, he rolled, he
almost sobbed in the ecstacy of his
mirth. 1t proved contagious, and as