Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-02-20

us; we felt the train quicken Its speed,
and in moment or two we were over
powered by a suffocating smoke. We
closed the windows, and found that the
forest on each side OF us was IN flames.
Long tongues of fire darted out here and
there and scorched the carriages. If l
were an adept at word painting, | would
attempt to describe the scene, but 1t was
far beyond anything | could make you
| feel or understand. A quarter of mile
or so of this, and we left the fire behind
US, only too thankful to have escaped SO
easily.
And now we began to make our prepa-
rations for going to sleep. My two fell
low-travelers W ere evidently old hands at
this sort of thing. They took Oft their
coats and folded them into pillows; their
collars and ties were neatly pinned to the
wall of the carriage; slippers replaced
their boots; and after spreading a large
silk handkerchief over their coats by, way
of pillow cases, and getting out their
travelling rugs, they were ready for bed.
In the netting over my head was placed
a small carpet bag belonging to the latter
man of the two. whom | will call Douglas.
He and Brookes, his companion, lay
down on the seat opposite to me, thus
| leaving me the other seat all to myself;
| Brooks with his head next to the win
| dow, and his face turned toward me, and
| with my face turned toward him, so
| close that | could almost have touched
| him. Douglas lay on the opposite seat,
| with his head next the other window, and
also facing me. This prolix statement is
necessary to make you understand my
story. Under my head was an overcoat,
in the pocket of which reposed six bar
relied revolver, an old travelling compan-
ion, SO that by merely putting my hand
under my head, l could place my finger
on the trigger. However, scarcely feel
ing of suspicion crossed my mind. Doug
las asked me if l objected to having the
curtain drawn over the lamp. "Of
course not This done, we could just
see one another, but very indistinctly.
Then he lay down again; there was dead
silence.
The train went on and on, and not a
house to be seen through the thick for
ests. Suddenly a thought flashed upon
me: "What would be easier than to rob
man and throw him out of the window?
He would lie in the forest, and soon the
wolves would find him out, and dispersc
all traces of him, eating his sealskin
waistcoat with as much relish as his car
cass." l laughed to myself. Glow alb
surd this is" said |. 81 have no reason
for suspecting these men. True, they
have been whispering together, and their
rings are rather too numerous. But what
fool | am. l will go to sleep; at any
rate am tired enough"
had scarcely closed my eyes, when, in
the stiffness | heard a sharp, quick
sound-"click" l held my breath and
listened, every nerve strained to the ut
most. THAT sounds to me very much
like the sound of a pistol being cooked.
Absurd; no one carries pistols now.
Americans, especially, always carry re-
volvers." Again, click. "This is the
second time" l thought. Still not a
trace of any movement. The rug under
which Douglas was sleeping, at the other
end of the carriage, and from which the
sound came, did not move. noiselessly
passed my hand under my head and felt
for my six-shooter. Thank God, it was
there. Igrasped it and laid my finger on
the trigger; and thinking of the favorite
plan OF shooting man through ones
pocket, | turned the muZZle Of my trusty
friend towards Douglas. AL this with
out speaking word.
"He will have the first shot, at any
rate" thought; ''but shall be able to
return it before he has fired the second.
But alone with two men who are doubt
less armed, [ shall stand poor chance"
| cannot tell you the rapidity with which
the thoughts went through my mind
thoughts of sin unabsolved, strangely in
termingled with others of calm, Implying
hate toward my enemy. But remained
silent. Once more sharp click I
nearly fired-thank God | did not-and
then again, click, click, click, in quick
succession. 'Ah, my friend, thought l,
II see what you are about; you are turn
ing your revolver around in order to
place the caps on the nipples" And
again, click, click. | could not help it.
| strung myself up to thetask, and asked,
with a cold calmness which makes me
shudder to think of it: "What the devil
is that noise?"
81 am only winding up my watch"
What an idiot | am, and doubtless you
will all concur in the statement. Very
well; wait little. I Immediately wound
up my own watch, which had been for
gotten, and determined to 90 to sleep.
"What is the use Of all these absurd sus-
picions?' reasoned.
At last, with my hand on my revolver,
went to sleep. | slept well, but awoke
L T.,
as possible, stood Douglas by my side
The hammer of my revolver was raised
within hairs breadth of the point at
which it would fall and strike the cap
Should | fire or not?
In the dead Of night, to be reused sud-
denly from ones sleep is startling, but to
see man stopping over you when you
are awake, is decidedly very startling, in
deed, especially if you have reason to
suspect him of bad Intentions
And now, with my finger pressed firm
ly upon the trigger, but without any at
tempt to leap to my feet, as had at first
thought Of doing, | watched him. He
looked hard at me. [ did not move, and
then | saw him take out something which
glittered in the moonlight; it was key.
And then he leaned over me- Then said
I with a feeling of rage at my heart:
"What on earth are you doing?"
He was so startled that he almost fell
backwards. This sudden movement
nearly made me fire; and then he an
swered 81 am only going to take some
thing out of my bag"
This bag, as told you, was in the net
ting over my head; hence he was obliged
to lean over me to reach it. I said, very
bad-temperedly, Take it down then"
He muttered TO himself, and got the bag
down. He little thought there was only a
hairs breadth between him and death.
If he could have looked through the rug,
he would have seen the muzzle of my re-
volver pointed to his heart.
He turned aside, keeping an eye on me