The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-04-14

slouched my hat and then settled dowr
tor my watch.
Fortunately for me the moon was up
and though the forest trees threw sha
dow upon me, yet the beams fell full upon
Karl, and l could see his every move
ment. We were well into the Wabash
having entered it about three o'clock.
"Yeu will call me at midnight l said
drowsily.
eyes," he returned.
"Good night"
GOOD highland pleasant Dreams
I'll have you further on your way than
you think ere you wake up again"
Perhaps SO" thought | to myself, as
| lowered my head, and pretended to
lower myself to sleep.
For half an hour my companio on steer
Ell the canoe very well, and seemed to
take but little notice of me; but ut the
end of that time | could see that he be-
came more uneasy. l commenced to
snore with long regularly drawn breath,
on the instant the villain started as starts
the hunter when he hears the tread of
game in the woods.
But hark Aha-there was before
one lingering fear in my mind that l
might shoot the wrong man; but that
was gone now. AS the fellow stopped
the motion of the paddle, [ distinctly
heard him utter:
soho, my dear shccp-you little
dreamed that Gus Karl was your com
pan;on. But he'll do you a good turn.
If your friend is dead you shall follow
him, and l take your traps to pay for
your passage to heaven" 5aa
I til nix that these were the very words.
At any rate they were the drift. As he
thus spoke, he noiselessly drew in the
paddle, then rose to his feet. saw him
reach up over his left shoulder, and when
he brought back his hand he had huge
bowie knife in it. [ could see the blade
giean in the pale moonlight, and I saw
Karl run his thumb along tie edge, and
then feel the point. My heart beat fear
fully, and my breathing was hard. 1t
was the utmost exertion that | could con
tinue my snoring, but managed to do it
without interruption. Slowly and noise
lcssly the foul wretch approached me.
Oh. his step would not have awoke 4
hound-and his long cleaning knife was
half raised. l could hear his breathing
plainly, and | could hear the grating of
lis teeth as he ncrved himself for the
stroke.
Tho 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 handkerchief all wadd ID
up. That was to stop my mouth with.
Every nerve in my body was now
strung, aud my heart stood as still as
death. Of course my snoring ceased; at
that instant the huge knife was raised
above my bosom! Quick as thought l
brought my pistol up-the muzzle was
within foot of the robbers heart-he
uttered quick cry saw the bright
blade CULVER in the moonlight, but came
not upon me. | pulled the trigger, and
the last fear was past. had thought
that the weapon might miss fire, but it
did not. There was sharp report, and
as l sprang up and backed, | heard a
fierce veil, and at the same moment the
robber fell forward, his head striking my
knees as it came down.
Weak and faint I sank back, but sud
den tip Of the canoe brought me to my
senses, and went aft and took the paddle.
AS soon as the boats head was once more
right, l turned my eyes upon the form IN
the bottom of the canoe, and l saw 1t
quiver-oiily a light spasmodic move
ment-and then all was still.
All that night | sat there on my watch
and steered my little bark. | had my
second pistol ready, for knew not that
the wretch was dead. He might be wait
ing to catch me off my guard, and then
shoot me. But the night passed drearily
and slowly away, and when morning
broke the form had not moved Then
stepped forward and found that Gustu:
Karl was dead! He had fallen with hi
knife true to his aim, for it had struck
very near to the spot where my hear
must have been, and the point was driver
so far into the solid wood that had hare
work to pull it out, and still harder TO I'M
clasp the marble fingers that were eloset
with diving madness about the handle.
Swiftly flowed the tide, and ere the SUI
had again sank To rest, ! had reaches
Loganport. The authorizes knew tn
face Of Gastus Karl at once, and when