Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-02-23


Antonio early in the evening. With
the late completion of the railroad the
stage company has found its occupation
gone.
1t would have been more pleasant to
me had another twenty-four hours been
at my command, but was not that which
caused so much uneasiness as the con.
viction that amounted to an absolute
certainty that two men were following
me. How in the namo of the seven
wonders they learned or even suspected
that | had such valuable property in
my custody passes my comprehension.
The utmost secrecy was used in New
YORK, and the fiery carbon points were
carefully wrapped up in piece of
chamois skin, which was as securely
fastened to a small belt passing around
my waist, beneath my clothing, and
which was not to be removed until the
end of my journey was reached. A
person in my situation is naturally sus.
picious, but am sure conducted my
self like the majority of my fellow pas
sengers who were not supposed to be
in the possession OF as much wealth as
myself kept close watch on them,
but observed nothing to cause alarm
until after leaving st. Louis over the
Iron Mountain road. / then became
so we'll satisfied that two sinister-look.
ing and well-dressed men we're shadow
ing me that declined to retire to my
berth and sat up smoking most of the
time and wide-awake all the way to
Texarkana. At that dilapidated town
l made the best effort / could originate
to throw the hounds off my trail.
thought 1 had succeeded for a time,
but they turned up at Dallas, and when
l registered at the Commercial hotel
their names appeared under mine.
Long before this had fully concluded
that they had fixed on the road between
Austin and San Antonio as the one
where l should part company with my
diamoLds and most probably with my
life. The chances were so favorable on
that lonely route that they merely kept
on my trail or rather in my company
from st. Louis to the capital. The sit
uRtion then was that / was due at a
certain point fifty miles away and with.
in twenty-four hours, and that two men
were determined that my property
should never reach there.
After strongly securing the door OF
my room that night st the hotel 1 sat
down to decide what should be done,
for there could be no mistaking the
fact that the crisis was at hand. In
stead of being mentally tired and worn
out from the continual strain to which
l had been subjected, never was more
prepared for intense thought in all nv
life. I tipped my chair against the
door, sitting with my hand on my
loaded revolver, in which position
knew it would be impossible to sur
prise me. and still thinking and turn
ing over all sorts of plans, l finally
dropped asleep and did not open my
eyes until daylight. However, when
reused up and looked around me had
fixed upon a line OF action. Whether
it would take me through or not re-
mainei to be seen, but did not hesi.
tate to follow out the line l had laid
out for myself.
The next morning when the stage
with the four vigorous horses halted in
front of the hotel, the landlord went
out and told the driver that who
had engaged seat on the outside
was so i'll would not be able TO
go with them for several days. I was
stealthily watching proceedings from
the upper window, and when the heavy
vehicle numbered off 1t took with it
the two men who were following me
for the purpose Of robbery. My belief
was that they would leave the stage at
some point on the road and wait until
it brought me along, when the robbery
would take place. There we're quite a
number of passengers and had med.
itated taking several OF them into my
confidence, but as they we're strangers,
perhaps il was we'll that refrained.
An hour later sAuntered down Aus.
tin avenue and came upon an open
wagon, in which q farmer was climbing,
as II about to start homeward. As he
gathered the lines in hand asked him
where he lived.
cat New Braunfels--a long ways
from here" he answered In a decided
German accent, while he politely paused
to see whether l had any more ques-
tions TO ask.
New Braunfels is German settle