, 1882-02-17


| OF heaven artillery.
Silent rs a shadow I crossed the floor,
and, choosing moment when the thun-
der lulled little, quickly opened the
/ door.
The blinling rain drenchod me, but
extending my hand and cropping at the
side of the building, felt what |
sought, and, grasping it, / drew it safely
within-the axe. Then as quickly clos
ing the door, | stepped 20 the closet be-
tween the windows and hid the terrible
weapon there. As | turned l thought
the woman's oyclids Quiyered a little, but
moments Watchfulness drove that
idea from me, for she appeared to be
sleeping quietly, and I sought my own
couch. l was weary both with excite
ment and work, and as | rested my head
upon the settee, felt sure that deep
| sleep would overpower me. However,
| the instrument would wake me and, with
that for an excuse, l closed my dropping
eyes.
How long I lay there 1 know not.
! Some little time, while the fire burned
dim on the hearth and the fierce prairie
storm lashed and howled at the win.
dows; some little time, while the night
brooded dark and grim without, and
the fading candle within gathered to
itself ghostly winding sheet; some lit
tie time, until clear and sharp to my
trained ear as the knell of warning bell
came the sudden call of my instrument
then suddenly I awoke.
But was l awake?
My eyes were open, surely, for l could
discern everything, and yet the room
seemed to be in motion like the cabin Of
ship at sea, strange, tlickering light
played about me, horrible dread crept
in upon me; strove to rise, to move,
even, but could not!
A nameless fear, a terror OF some
thing supernatural seized me, strange
odor crept into my nostrils, the wild
crash of the thunder burst upon my
affrighted ears like a peal of artillery;
and yet, beyond and behiud it all |
could hear clear and distinct the con-
stant call of my instrument.
Was dying?
With a mighty effort I turned my
head. There, as had left him, before
the fire, lay the man who had craved my
shelter; his bearded face turned upward,
and showing CHASTITY and white IN the
light from the fading embers. But the
bench was empty!
"And, as struggling with an oyerpow-
ing drowsiness, l slowly moved my eyes
about the room they fell upon the form
of the woman crouching close on the
side OF my table, her eyes blazing, her
face livid with the passion of maniac,
and her hands grasping the axe which l
had hidden in the closet.
AS o cat treads she was slowly advanc-
ing toward the silent figure before the
hearthl
In an instant OWNED all!
This woman was evidently mad, had
chloroformed the man and myself, and
was now about to kill US both!
How / struggled to move or speak! If
l could but move, could shout, could for
an instant break the bonds Of the subtle
drug that bound me, we would be res
cued-else we both must die
And as struggled in vain, the murder
ess, ,panther-like, crept nearer and nearer
to her victim.
Great Heaven! it was horrible. / closed
my eyes and tried to pray.
more terrific than any that had preceded
it, rent the air, binding flame swept
through the room and the house shook to
its foundation. 1t had been struck by
lightning!
For time knew no more =.
1t may be that the chloroform saved
US, or that Providence interposed di.
rectly in our behalf while the cleaning
axe attracted the deadly fluid, or it may
be otherwise. The end remains the same.
The tramp, for he was no better, no worse
than that, and wers unharmed; the wo-
man who had sought our lives had been
instantly slain!
And in the cold gray of the following
morning, as the little population OF Cen
terton crowded my office to hear the
tragic tale of the night and glance with
shudder upon the SCARED and horrid
face OF the dead, "A stranger thrust his way
quietly through the group that sur.
rounded the rough coffin, gazed quietly
upon its occupant Tor moment, and
then said:
at is as ! said. This woman was Mrs.
Moreland. She had been confined for
more than q year in the asylum for the
insane at Leavenworth. Three days ago
she escaped, and we had tracked her.
The unknown murder OF Calvin More
land and his three children is at large no
longer. She it was, this poor crazed
wifep
When the storm breaks now and the
vivid heavens CLEAN, smile securely.
The lightning has no terrors for me
since that night when my life vas saved
by the lightniug's stroke.