The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-06-18
IOWA THURSDAY, JUNE slS, 1857.

huge bowie knife in 1t; 4 could sec the blade
Eleem in the pale moonlight, and Isaw Karl run
his thumb along the eJge, and then feel the point
MY heart beat fearfully, and my breathing was
hard. II was with the utmost exertion that
could continue my snoring, but managed to
DO 1t without interruption. Slowly and noises
lessly the foul wretch approached e--oh! his
stepwould not have awakened hound aud his
long cleaning knife was half raised. could
hear his breathing plainly and Icould bear the
grating Of his teeth as he nerved himself for the
stroke. s Al.
The villain was by my side and he measured
the distance from his hand to my heart with his
eye. In his left hand he held thick handkes-
chief all watded up. That was to stop my
mouth With Every nerve in nv, body was
ncw strung, and my heart stood still as death.
OF course my snoring ceased, and at that instant
the huge knife was raised above my bosoml
Quick as though. I brought my pistol up--the
muzzie was within foot Of the robbers heart
-he uttered a quick cry--I saw the bright
blade quiver in the moonlight but 1t came not
upon me. IpulIed The trigger. and the last fear
was past. had thought that the weapon might
miss ire, but it did not. There was sharp
report, and as sprang up and back heard a
fierce yell, and at the same moment the robber
fell forward, his head striking my knee as it
came down.
Weak and faint sank back, but sudden
tipping of the canoe brought me to my senses,
and Invent aft and took The paddle. As soop as
the boats head was once more right, / turned
my eyes upon the form in the bottom Of the
canoe, saw it quiyer--only aspasmodic move
lnent--and then all was still. ssf&oa sai 5e 4
Allthat night sat there at my watch and
steered my little bark. Ihad nv second pistol
ready; for knew not surely that the wretch
was dead. He might be waiting to catch me of
my guard and then shoot me. But the night
passed slowly andidrearily away and when the
morning broke the form had not moved. Then
| stepped forward and found that Gusitis Karl
was dead He had fallen with his knife true to
its aim, for it had struck very near the spot
where my heart must have been, and the point
was driven so far into the solid wood that had
towork hard to- pull it out, and harder still to
unclasp the marble fins ers that were closed with
the dying madness about the handle =
Swiftly flowed the tide, and ere the sun again
sunk to rest had dreached Logansport. The
authorities knew the face of Gus Karl at once,
and when Ihad told them my story, they pour
ed out Thousand thanks upoi. my head. A
purse was raised, end the offered reward put
with it and rendered to me. ! took the simple
reward from the generous, = zens; whiIe the re
mainder I directed should be distributed among
robbers depredatiors. ass3s
found. poor Kemp sick aud miserable. lie
was burning with fever. and the doctors had
shut him up in room where well man must
soon have ,utfocated. -
"Water. Water. In Gods name give me
waterr'
Haven't you had any ?'' asked .-.. !
He told me no. Threw open the Windows
sent for pail of ice-waer and was on the point
of administering it when the old doctor came in.
He held up his hands in horror, and told Inc it
would kill the sick man. But forced him back
and Kemp drank the grateful beverage He
drank deeply and then slept. The perspiration
poured from him like rain, and when he awoke
again his skin was moist, and his fever turned
Ia eight days from that time he sat in hisAaddle
by my side, and together we started for Little
River. AT waltolfssettlement found my horse
wholly recovered and when | offered to pay
for his keeping the host would take nothing.
The story of my adventure on the river had
reached there ahead Of me, and this was the
landlords gratitude.