The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-09-06
ANAaIsow ESCAPE.


".cone ,.lpc,, tell ns, wlgtmade yon turn
pale awant 40 whtrh JACK said tii9t he Ind
seen Q grave, and asked whose IL was"
HSth'lhdss ltimmpale, dlddfg phercnre
circumstances III the lives of most men who
live on the frontiersybeh 20 have them re-
called, win make them turn pnle. And
mentioning that grave and asking whose
II was, recalled q fcatf1l event in my cX-
pcrlence. But as Tie night Il young yet |
II VIII tell you abont its and perhaps it will
be a warning to you never to trust too
much to strauger, 1or throw temptation
III his WayHbIIlI NNTTFftI
Thus spoke your humble servant some
months ago 70 party Of prospectors, of
whom he was one. The following is the
story TO which alluded above
Several years ago was mit with party
prospecting for silver highIup IN the Gala
river. We had been SOME time without
meeting win any SUCCESS, and We're return
Ing To Fort Yuma disglsted with the
lcountry. We had left the pimos village n
days journey behind us, when we fell I'm
with man travelling the same way that we
were. lie was without grub or blankets,
and said he was going % Caiifbrnia. As
we had some spare mules. we tol,l him, thai
If he could ride pack saddle he could 20
with as far as Fort Yuma. None of us
liked the looks of the fellow He had
such a thoroughly yillnihous expression.
But rs he seemed so badly. used nWp We
took pity ON him. and made him the offer
that wendid. lie accepted withput any
| hesitation, We found linn taciturn, never
speaking unless he was spoken 10. When
we campcd, he would take the saddle0Ir
his mule and go of by himself never
helping to get the grub ready md when
10 was ready he would come and pltcl, i'm
with the rest of u.s. uldowevcr, though we
did not like him or his notions. we said
nothing, thinking he might have sninn
secret s0rrOw that we had no ri glIt TO pi,y
into. We had Travelled two days, when
what .aIn about to tell you occurred
we hpd camped. at noon, and rs thc
weather was warm, some one proposed thar
We should take a bath All had felt that it
would bn a daliciously cool amusement.
bathing IN the shade Of the cottonwood
trees which hung over the banks of The
river. We stripped ilstantcr and wrrt
soon enjoying ourselves glorionsly | had
u belt round mewith several twentics IN il,
and took 1t OIL TO give me free play in the
water, laid IL down OH my clothes care
lessly, never thinking of hiding itfrom anv
OF the company, ~ they all know that |
hadt money, and had no idea that the
stranger would pc tempted TO take it, A.
came out OF the water | noticed the
stranger looking very lovingly at my belt
but thought no indre aboutit.l That night
from some cause couldnot sleep we'll and
when would fall into a state nf uncon
sciousncss, was troubled With such wild
like dreams that Would rather i had re-
manned broail awake. AT last, about mid
night went tofleep ,Soupdly; how long
lay ! do not Know, but wakened suddenly
to find some one knceline oN or mo and v,isv
carefully cutting my SHIRT opcu. Now
have always had the power, (call il pres-
epce Of mind or anything clse,) of com
pretending IN an Instant all that Is goiug
on around me, no matter from how sound =
sleep may bcwnkcd. ltis anything but
pleasant 70 wake and ilnd ones self In the
power Of a'desperfdO Who III have no hes
ltationim plungiIrga bnife into your heart.
felt myself many but au euviahle
situation, SHOWING that the slightest indi-
cation on my part Of Being awake wonld
cause the villHin 10 give iine between the
ribs the length of his howie or the can
Huts OF his pblol. For although | could
not see his pistol | felt sure that he had il
handy, TO secure my pistol without lctl
ting him know That was awake Iwas %
very delicate operation, and attentied To
accomplish IL IN the following manner: NV
pistol aud bowie Knife were both under ny
saddlc, which used for 4 pillow, threw
my rightarmup over my head, taking care
not 10 touch the robber, and yawncd az II
was halt awake, but ready with my LEFT
hand TO catch his arm In the event Of his
attempting to stab me. 4 had my eyes
partly shut so that be could not easily SEES
them glisten, but sufficiently open to see
his every move, which could easily do, as
II was clear starlight night. On the III
slant that moved, lac raised his arm 10
strike and lIvas nearly bctrnynp to him
my being awake by throwing up my left
hand, but some strong impulse prevented
me tromtloing 10, and lfe hellhis knlfr sIIs-
pended to give the blow had 4 made ian
ether move. .I.5...lt ....,f l,..fi.,... ,..,
When threw my haud over my head,
with the same movement | placed il under
tile saddle and on the bntt OF my pistoI,
which was cooked ready for use. 4 lay ia
that position for about halt q minute, but
IL seemed like an hour. by that time had
power overmy breathing, which on waking
came very thick. As soon as hc thought
that was fast asleep agaiit .he lowered his
head aud began operating on my shirt
clearing IL away fnom the belt Then /
thought my opportunity had come, aud
triedto jerk my siX-shooter, but II was ioul
some way, aud It would not come
my time had arrived, tor as
quick as thought he dTpw and struck with
his knife. He struck at my throat Ma
eyes were broad oyen chem and saw where
the knife was coming. liy "A quick iinVol-
nnnry movement ! threw myself aside
and lie must have ovorrcached himself. for
the knife stuck into the saddle, and so tight
hhttt. tNhih tAbA HNA ~ OnN4
In trying Ia ECt nay pistol. iay haIih
louched the cold silver hilt OF NV bowie.
lnstinctiyely took hold Of Il, abandoning
The pistol, aud was ncrsihg my arm for this
blow when l felt the cold miRzlea OF his
pistol agoinst my forehead. | struck out
plmdly, aud, Ne ! lid SO, there WIS tho
stunning report of his pistol. How I cs-,
,aped / do not know my face was Black
sned with the powder, and my whiskers
nearly burned OF hut that WnS All the
iamage done me, My hloW,thQpgh struck
lt random, had proved severe one. NV
knife had goiie into the ltit side of his
leck inside of the collar boiie, The kuite
must have reached his leart, for as drew
lut 70 strike again. lac fell on Ine7N Nilh his
whole weight aud his blood spirliug all
jver my face, He gave one tinhck and
stretched out his length aR,l llys beffeetly
itill--stOne dead -ls..I,l 'etIIranf.-
The whole transaction did not take over
OF a mlnutc. The report of
he pistol had aroused dc company every
nan sprang u his arms some were look
ng for the mnles while others We're ask
Bs who fired TIN. shat. and whore the
Indians We're. ] rallyd g. The boys bo take
he dead man on me, for was rs weak as "A
.hild. A'cotipld of them ala as l requested,