Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-02-12


parent how be felt.
!. i went home and put together som
: papers to take with me, placing al
others of Importance carefully in m,
trunk. To tell the truth, was begin
ming to feel relieved at getting ava
from the town for day or two. A
Tom had intimated, my shooting ha,
always been done at wooden tar
gets, and 1 had a horrid, indescribabI,
sensation at the thought of bloodshed.
really hoped my adversary would grow
cool in my absence, and see the folly o
his ways. He was in q measure formid
able. He was tall and sinewy, quicl
OF sight and motion. In anger hi
face assumed an expression of malevo
lence far easier to remember than de
scribe. He was, however, o man O
certain responsibility, pcasessed of som,
little property and influence. I hac
heard so much of the ways of that coun
try, that 1 even imagined he might adj
minister good dose of cold lead to G
stranger like myself, deliver himseli
up to some friendly Justice of the
Peace, and be Instantly acquitted, on
grounds of self-defense. 1 lowered
the curtains of my windows, and, light
ing the lamp, arranged few articles
to take on my journey. 1 felt little
nervous and a good deal angry. / re-
membered that some of the people
over at the hotel had looked at me
with curious interest. Like as not
they were considering it possible they
should next meet with me at a Coron.
er's inquest-subject, myself. OF
course they had heard of the affair.
This might all be imagination on nv
part, but the chances were strong in
the other direction.
The more thought of it, the angrier
1 grew. A profane fool of braggart
to impose on me with unhealthy mules
and supplies more or less damaged;
and because objected, to tell me /
should eat my words or die.
"Confound himl" / said. yiciouslv.
L wouldn't mind discovering who's the
best man of the two, hand to hand, in
good civilized fashion. almost think
1 could thrash the nonsense out of him.
But to drag in those miserable pistols
and spill blood-it's too much, that's
all I"
The block in which we had our
rooms was o new one, and as vet but
partly occupied. Only one of the stores
beneath was rented. In this was a kind
OF apothecary shop, where all sorts of
up from ttestreet landed Che nianar.
row hall, on one side of which were our
apartments; on the other side, CORE
spending rooms still vacant. The hall
ran back to rear stairway. On either
side of the hall was small closet for
fuel and water. At night the hall was
lighted dimly by lamp in bracket
screwed to the wall.
1t was nearing 10 o'clock, and / was
ready to start to the station, when I
heard, or fancied I heard, a creakine
sound in the hall. / listened; but ali |
was still.
went to the door and looked ont
No one was in sight. 1 closed the door
and went back, provoked at nv own
reputation. Yet somehow hesitated
as to leaving the place.
turned down the light and went to
ook out of the window. The street
vas still enough. The light from the
CHEEKY. I put my head further out /
md looked up and down the road. No
me was in sight; no human-but
litched to post few yards distant 1
Jaw saddle horse which / had surely
'een before. 1t was Dawson's! 1 could
nave sworn to the horse; it was a
animal-white, with
abundant name and tail. by the aid of
he starlight and my own keen ewes I
rev positive. And where was Daw-
on? Skulking somewhere near, and
ager to do me harm. 1 had q strange.
ncanny suspicion it was so-a suspicion
7hich rapidly increased to certain
you shall eat your words or diel"
could hear him threatening me again.
nd the thought was a chilly sort of :
omfort, confess.
What he wanted the horse in waiting
'r, l could hardly comprehend, un-
ss it was to escape, when once he had
settled" me.
las drew il my s., head end claaeda gahA
ad come that creaking sound of :
tealthy footsteps.
1 went and got one of my pistols. a
NV that it was all right, and, holding Il
firmly, opened the door into the hall. I,
lis time quite suddenly.
No one in sight
L noticed, however, that the door of I,
ne of the little closets was slightly 4
Jar. 1t was the closet on the opposite Y
de OF the hall. Owing to the direc-
on in which the door opened, any
ne hiding in the closet could not see Z
% through the aperture, so that / was :.
Ife enough. y
1 closed my door softly, and pro- q
'eded, revolver in hand, to the closet
l my own side, but the door was shut
st, and 1 concluded not to turn nv 81
'ck to the possible locality of the en- a
ny. m
l paused to consider. Here was a In
mfortable prospect. ] should have al
postpone my departure from town
It'll the following morning. Iii
heard the accommodation thunder n,
'nderously into the town. / backed p
owly up to my own door, reached one Il,
nd behind for the knob, when sud- Nv
My 1 felt grand disgust at my own w,
reckless desire to investi- "
to that opposite closet.
l sprang forward with three long q,
tides, snatched tho door open, and
II against -Dawsonl
l was quick enough TO knock his =.
'apon out of his hand. =;
Then we grappled. -,
In the struggle that followed we y.
lied out and over and over on the s De
or Of the hall ,"
He was desperately vicious; I was IL -
IL. A