The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-09-12
Without speaking I went to my saddle

Without speaking I went to my saddle
bags and got out my pistols-a superb
pair of long double rifles, that knew to
be accurate anywhere anywhere under
half hundred yards.
s'Dar! denis what I like to see!" ex-
claimed Bose, as he dived down into his
bag and fished an old horse pistol that
belonged to my grandfather, and which
I knew was loaded to the muzzle with
No. l buckshot. It was terrible
weapon at close quarters.
The stables in which our horses were
feeding could be watched, and by events
transpiring in that locality we would
shape out actions. I found the door
could be locked from the inside, and, in
addition to this, improvised bar by
means of a chair leg wrenched off and
thrust through heavy iron staple that
had been driven into the wall. Its
fellow on the opposite side was missing.
We then lifted the clothes press before
the window, leaving just room enough
on one side to clearly see, and, if neces
sary, fire through; dragged the bureau
against the door with as little noise as
possible, and felt that everything tha
was possible had been done.
A deathlike stiffness reigned over the
place, broken only by the voice of the
colored girl singing as she crossed the
| stable yard.
had fallen into half doze, seated in
chair near the window facing the sta
bles, where Bose was on the watch,
when suddenly felt slight touch upon
my arm, and the voice of the faithful
sentinel in my ear.
"Wake up, Mars Ralph; dey's foolin'
bout the stable doc arter de horses,
shuah," brought me wide awake to my
feet.
Cautiously peeping out, I saw at a
glance that Bose was right in his coniec-
| ture-there were two of them = one
standing out in the clear moonlight,
evidently watching my window, while
| the other-and fancied it was the land
| lord-was in the shadow near the door,
| which at that moment slowly swung
open.
AS the man disappeared within the
| building, low, keen whistle cut the
air, and at the same instant heard the
knob of my door cautiously tried.
A low hiss from Bose brought me to
his side from the door where I had been
| listening.
'.Dey' s got the hosses out in the yard, :"
| he whispered, as he drew aside to let me
LOOK Oub GIrOuSu Tile UEOhou pane.
sTake the door," / said, "and fire
through if they attack. I am going to
shoot that fellow holding the horses"
''Lordy, Mars Ralph, it's de tavern
keeper. He amt no count. Drop de
big man. was the sensible advice, which
I determined to adopt.
Noiselessly drawing aside the. curtain,
rested the muzzle of my pistol on the
sash where the light had been broken
away, and drew bead on the tallest of
the two men who stood holding the three
horses, out in the bright moonlight.
The sharp crack of the weapon was in
stantly followed by yell of pain, and
saw the rufian reel backward and meas
ure his length upon the earth, and then
from the main building there rang out:
Murder! murder! Oh, helpp'
Like lightning it flashed across my
mind. There were three horses out in
the open lot! There was, then, another
traveller besides ourselves.
Aheavy blow descended upon the door,
and voice roared:
"Quick! Burst the Internal thing open.
and let me get in. The scoundrel has
killed Daver'
"Let them have it, Bose, I whispered,
rapidly reloading my pistol; "there, Sec
ond panel"
With a steady hand the plucky fellow
levelled the huge weapon and pulled the
trigger.
A deafening report followed, and
again shrill cry of mortal anguish
told me that the shot had not been
wasted.
''Sabe us how it do kickr' exclaimed
Bose under his breath.
The blow had fallen like an unexpect-
ed thunderbolt upon the bandits, and
moment later we heard their retreating
footsteps down the corridor.
''Daru be more of 'em heah fore long,
Mars Ralph" said Bose, with an ominous
shake of the head ST 'spect desc b long
to band, and if dey comes and we still
heah, we gone coons for shuah.'
This view of the case was new to me;
but felt the force of it. know that
such bands do exist in these mountains.
Stunned for a moment, turned round
and stared hopelessly at Bose; but he,
brave fellow that he was, never lost his
head for an instant.
'Bound to leab here, Mars Ralph" he
said, quite confidently. ssAn' dar amt no
way gwine, 'cept tro dat window" and
he pointed to the one overlooking the
cliff.
merely shook my head, and turned to
watch again, hoping to get shot at the
rascal on guard.
Bose, left to his own devices, at once
went to work. I heard him fussing
around the bed for some time, but never
looked to see what he was after until he
spoke.
'sNow den for de rope" heard him
say, and in an instant I caught his mean
ing.
He had stripped the bed of its cover
ing, dragged off the heavy tick and the
stout hempen rope with which it was
corded"
In five minutes he had drawn the rope
through its many turnings, and then,
gathering the coil in his hands, he drew
up the sash and prepared to take sound
ings.
1t failed to touch the bottom: but no.
wise disheartenen, he seized tie cotton
coverlet and spliced on. This succeed
ed, and the cord was drawn up, prepara-
tory to knotting it in place of cross
pieces.
In the meanwhile, the s1lence without
had been broken once. A shrill, keen
whistle, such as we had heard before.
was given by the man on the watch, and |
replied to by some one seemingly little |
way off. Then I heard footsteps--soft,
catlike ones-on the verandah outside, |
showing that robbers were on the alert |