Amador weekly ledger., 1857-11-14
KsoN AMADoR COUNTY SATURDAY MORNING NOV H. 1857

lueie was ho nictnOu Oi senulng lOr
surgeon even had one been necessary; but
Waters in his service in the war had learned
much of treating wounds, and in this instance
his knowledge was of much service The in
juries were all on the head and had evidently
been inflicted with club thus stunning the
man and rendering him inscnsiblc for the time.
That night the two passed in watching by
the bedside of their patient. In the morning
Mr.. Stanford was yet unable to give an ac-
count of the assault upon him.
An early opportunity was offered by pas
ser-by to notify the neighbors Of the outrage,
and before the morning was gone, a dozen
had collected at Stanfords. A physician
was sent for, and a party of determined men
went in pursuit of the robbers. One of them
was found dead on the spot where he fell,
and two more, lileless, before they reached
the hills These were recognized as conyicts
who had recently escaped from the States
Prison and who had committed many depre-
I
an effort on the part of the prison auhori-
ties to capture them. The traces of blood
still continued, and during the day one of the
outlaws, wounded was oyertaken, but the
Others escaped.
The sun had retired to his refulgent bed
behind the wooded hills of the coast range
and his departing beams enameled the wes-
tern sky. Waters reined up his horse on the
slope of a hill commanding fine view of the
bay and valley beyond; not to drink in the
prospect, but to gaze on house in the dis
tance, which he expected contained the OBJ
ject of his long search Another house in
tervened but he gave it no heed, yet at that
moment she was its inmate Giving rein to
horse, he urged him to gallop; as he saw it
would be at least dark ere he could reach his
destination The shades Of evening were up
on him ere he had passed the first house, and
he spurred his jaded animal to faster pace
He had not gained more than half the dis
tance between the two houses when his quick
ear caught the sound of woman'S voice,
and that too in an agony Of distress. Had
Paradise itself been before him. he would
have turned from its gates at such a call
Hating but an instant to catch the direction
of the sound he dashed across the plain was
1 quickly upon a gang Of rufians who were
dragging forward a struggling woman, heed
less Of her cries; mocking her with laughter,
obscenity and horrid oaths. Not waiting
for an explanation, Waters drew pistol and
commenced firing at those he could aim at
without danger to the woman Two of them
fell, and the Others, taken by surprise, releas-
ed their hold, and acd into the darkness, fol-
lowed by the shots Of their assailant.
Springing to the ground he approached
the rescued woman who fell at his feet pour
ing out her thanks between her sobbings and
tears. He raised her to her feet and, dark
as it was, recognized in her features the Wis
age that had so long haunted his Dreams
And he had saved her from violence-the joy
he felt at that moment was beyond telling,
and for the first time in years his heart was
raised to his maker in gratitude
He supported Miss Eastield to the road,
and while they proceeded to her dwelling she
explained that she had been to visit a sick
neighbour and on her return, which had been
accidentally delayed, she had been met hy
those in whose power he had found her, and
violently seized and born towards the hills,
Notwithstanding her tears and entreaties,
when she was released so fortunately by him
As she elung TO his arm in confidence and
spoke her gratitude so sweetely, Water.
would not have exchanged situations will
an emperor.
When they arrived at the house all wa,
dark With difficulty Miss Eastfeld produe
ed light, and then a scene of disorder me
their gaze-furnitnre removed, clothing scat
tered upon the floor, and dishes broken They
both surmised the cause.-the villains had
been here too in their marauding She burst
into tears, and wringipg her hands, exclaimed,
:" My poor uncle, they have killed him" Wa
ters instantly procured another light and
commenced search Of the house. He found
Mr. Stanford on the ground at the back door,
weltering in his blood Seeing that life was
not extinct he conveyed the wounded man