The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-06-07

/ ..
Q was hubbub and confusion.
r Suddenly scream was heard
the tent. A rush was made for Il
Q door. Had one of the robbers co,
Q cealed himself within, and had Mr.
Wilder just discovered him? If s,
r Heaven help him!
No, there stood Mrs. Wilder. pa,
= ing with terrified mir at somethin
she had picked up near where the rer
! had beon made-and now, with
shudder, she let it fall again at he
feet.
'What is it? What's the matter?
was asked, and Tom Cook, followe,
by others, waived ceremony and en-
tered the tent, while George, with hi
ax, was without, answering tho hur
ried questions of new comers.
"Oh. Lord of Heaven" exclaime.
Mrs. Wider; "my murdered husban,
has been here this night! shall soor
go to him, isnow! 1t is q warning
Oh, Abraml Abram!"
Scarcely kno wing whether to thinl
the woman SAT- @ or not, Tom Cool
advanced and picked up the obiec,
that lay at her 1, ct.
1t was knife "A large pocket knife
with two blades, one of which was
h'e or six inches long. and open, and
the handle was of rough buck horn
was peculiar, old-fa shioned knife,
and there was small bass plate on
1t, containing the initials "a. W."
1T was my husbands .knifem said
Mrs. Wilder, while Il smor ran
through her frame.
The men started at each OF her.
Il saw him in dreamy es, and
saw him standing in the the tent
when l awoke-and heard that knife
fall !"
The first thought that went the
rounds was to the effect thai the
ghost of Abram Wilder had visit ed
the window, and left this article. tb 1t
she might recognize it; but that idea
was quickly dispelled by the assur.
ance OF one of the miners that he had
seen two Indians retreatine.
Then, Mrs. Wilder" said Tom
Cook, who did not like to give the
ghost up entirely, "your husband has
appeared TO warn you of your dan
ger"
This idea was received with cener.
nj favor, aud while a confusion of
voices discussed the matter. the moon
paied, aud the gray morning came
over the mountain.
Among the miners was one named
Iirrell, who had recently come from
another camp n few miles distant
known as Bear Gap. By-and.by he
examined the knife. When he did so
he started, scratched his head in an
intellectual way. opened his eyes too
wide, and uttered significant exela.
nation.
What now. Tirrell? What's up?"
"l-know-this-knife !" he said.
Is II he was not quite sure about it.
Are you surey Don't speak rash
y; Tirrcll."
lie scrutinized it more closely, and
lien said:
"lcs; I'd swear TO it. borrowed
hat very knife two weeks ago. and re.
~ W It's OWuer.
a pause ensued. The miners
ooked at each other moment. ~ If
iesita'ing to ask the momentous
question.
AT last Tom Cook asked it:
"Who 2"
"a man at Bear Gap. But, mind.
don't say he's been here at any bad ,,
ricks. His names-MaIlity." J
"Whatm exclaimed Mrs. Wilder
tarting as though she had trodden /,
pom a serpent; "Mallity? Where !
where is he?"
"At Bear Gap" t
"Do you know him, ma'am 2" asked t
'om Cook.
"He is one of the very men I told o
on OF last evening, Mr.. Cook-one U
nat L always thought murdered INV &
usband! l knop it now, and this =
nIfe is his condemnation"
Thereupon she briefly related her G
'ory to Tirrell and others, who had @
OF heard it before. g.
"Can it be that this man has been com.
g all the way from Bear Gap, week
ter weekto rob us? asked Tom Cook.
"But how about the Indians ?" h,
'ked another. !,
They may have been disguised n
no could the other be, Tirrell?" Il
Don't know, unless it is his bunky.
mother man and he live together in
cabin at Bear Gap" S,
"Who is the other ?" asked Mrs. ar
Vilder. III
Sears, his name is" eo
"Oh, Heavenr exclaimed Mrs.
ilder, "the very names They are az
two men who murdered and rob- fit
d my poor husband on the Plains,
d that is the way this knife came tn
re; Oh, shall they escape unpun- at
led ?" 3 wi
mo! MOI not by a jug-fulll Not ca
they're in Bear Gap or in Califor-
)" was shouted on all sides. "Let's stl
lck them home--hunt them down no
hos ready?" qu
The widest excitement prevailed. fol
Shortly after sunrise comittee of TO
started for Bear Gap, and at mid pr
= they retured with .wo prisoners, ma
om they brought face to face with rig
g. Wilder. She knew them in
'ment, and they sank down upon TO
ground, half dead with remorse
terror, as they recognized her. M .or
Yes, yesp she exclaimed, wildly. vml '.,;l
know you, Sears -Mallity-you WI
led my husband! You know it! n
y you meet with the mercy he re. D. D.
we'd at vaur bondst y, H. I've