The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-04-18

at the third word you don't Gene for
u ard. I'll fire.
Il told you ! could not SEQ the man 5
head, 20 aimed at where | thought it
ought to bc, and counted slowly, One,
two, threen
AT the word three fired four shots
in quick succession, for | thought that
in the almost total darkness my aim
might not be very good; but they seemed
to have taken effect for when the smoke
cleared away, looked in vain for my
midnight visitor | could net summon
courage to get up and look for his body
not that | was exactly afraid, but | had
a horrible feeling Of having shed hui
man beings blood. which | had never
done before, and l firmly believe l would
almost rather have been shot by the rob
| Der than have the fearful thought on my
mind that had killed him.
Never did spend such night.
could not get rid Of the one thought of
having deprived fellow creature 81 life,
especially while he was in the act of rob-
bing, and perhaps intending murder; but
more horrible than all was tie idea that
might possibly have been the means of
sending him 20 a fearful eternity. In
vain tried to persuade myself that 1t
was to save my o"a life had done il;
this seemed To me poor excuse. How
ever, fell into disturbed sleep, which
lasted till morning; but the moment |
awoke the dreadful night REQUIRED to my
mind. although felt rather more calm.
| thought had had horrible dream, but
on examining my revolver | found four
ochambers discharged. | rose and looked
about the room, but in vain | sought the
body of the intruder. This, however, re-
lcved nae greatly, us | thought he could
not have been killed, but only wounded,
and had escaped out of the hut while l
was asleep; but on going to the door |
was more perplcxed than ever, for the
door had evidently not been opened, as it
was securely fastened on the inside.
That day | could not bear to do any
thing but sit a my fire and think over
my adventure, and try to solve the mys-
terry, for mystery | concluded there GER
tainy was; but could come to no salts
factory conclusion with regard to it.
The next day my brother came back,
but thought it better not to say any
thing about my visitor to bim-at all
events not until | found out ho or what
the intruder was.
That evening | returned to the hut
after my days worI. I had found my
first nugget, which, however, was a very
small one, and WAS entering the door,
when saw my brother sitting on stool,
with a coat across his knees, which seemed
to perplex him very much. When he saw
me he called me, and asked me if could
sccount for two holes which were in the
back of the coat be was examining. OF
course | knew nothing about them. lie
said be had left the coat hanging in the
corner, and had just found it down behind
the chest, and with those two holes, which
he thought very like pistol shots, through
the back.
"The explanation flashed across my
mind Immediately: my midnight robber
was nothing else than my brothers coat
hanging on the wall! On examining it
further found the loop by which it hung
was cut, evidently by one of the shots,
and this accounted for its falling.
Il need scarcely say what laughter it
caused when told my brother this; but,
small adventure as it seems. shall never
forget my night with the gold robber.'
F.v.o.