The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-10-14
Mlanitowof pilot.
THURSDAY. OCTOBER IA, 1886.
SURPRISING A LANDLORD.

The trip was In the saddle, with my
light baggage strapped on behind me.
The trial as far as Mill Greek, New
Mexico, was well defined and although
making steady and continuous des
cent the way wound along the side of
mountain, and only here and there
so steep as to make it uncomfortable
or dangerous. Twelve miles of this
brought me well down The mountain
into wooded country, through which
wound tiny silver stream, easily
forded in places where it seemed to
pause in its tortuous course, preparing
to take leap over dead fail that
turned its water in spray. Mill Greek
camp was passed, and six miles beyond
brought darkness and necessity for a
nights halt
A cabin showed itself beside the way
and the hospitality Of the ranchero
was extended IF the capitano wish
ed to stay all night" Now the CAPT
tano did wish to stay all night, but
Notwithstanding our codified direc-
tons feeling of mistrust took hold
of Us at the first sight of the Mexican
who SO kindly offered refreshments for
man and beast The broncho was
staked out and supper served Of the
delicious temaro that only a Mexican
knows how to prepare
A hard bed brought sound sleep
for while, but at length fitting fan
cies disturbed my repose, the pictures
Of Mexican banditti leering at me
from behind rocks and trees, snakes
dropping lassoes from overhanging
branches, road agents suggesting a
division of Doodle, etc, etc, wrought
me up TO such state of nerve that it
only required a grizzly to roll down
from an overhanging cliff to make
my happiness complete, and l stood
in the middle of the floor peering
into the darkness, while each particular
hair needed no electrical machine to
separate it from its neighbor, and per-
SEPARATION oozed from every pore.
1t was only a dream, but it left sits
weight upon my waking hours" So
much did the feeling of an over hang
ing calamity impress me that l lay
momentarily waiting the visitation,
And it came. 1t must have been a
bout IL o'clock and | was lying per
fectly still, listening to my own heavy
breathing, when [ heard a scraping,
sliding sound, as if some one were
working to move a sliding door.
My presence of mind returned, and,
dismissing idle fancies, 1 took the
present for what it was worth. Slid
ing noiselessly from the bed with
good grip on my Colt Irolled as quiet
ly under the bed had not disrob
ed when l RETIRED l was equipped
with pocket fuse, which l put into
position to light if needed. Soon |
became aware of a presence in the room
and, lying as [ was, the proximity of
fleet quite close to gave me notice that
somebody was standing by the side of
the bed.
Aiiash from the dark lantern thrown
full ON the bed informed the operator
that his victim had left without set
Ting He must have stood for a mo-
ment dazed, for reflection of the
light discovered short knife
III the hand of the would be assassin.
He was confused and gave me a sec
ond in which to act [ seized him by
| the lower eXtremities and drawing his
| feet from under him threw him at
full length upon the floor of the cabin.
As he turned on his face to recover
himself by the use of his hands, | was
| upon him with a death grip on his
| neck, crushing his face against the
floor His knife had slipped from his
grasp when he fell, and turning
to get the use of speech, he cried pite
ously for mercy The dark lantern
was sitting upright shining full on
him.
[ sprang away from him, covering
him with revolver, and, thus having
him at odds, dictated terms Follow
ing my orders, he took down a lariat
from a peg on the wall, and passing
a moose over his head pinioned his own
arms This done, | lowered the per-
suader and drew the moose tightly,
then finished the job by tying him SO
thoroughly that nothing short of a
| dark cabinet seance could release him.
| then waited the dawn, while he
lay on the floor praying and cursing
| by turns. l called the roll early and
| marched him out to where the broncho
was tethered. Throwing another rope
over his neck, l tied him to my saddle
| and ordered a retreat on Mill Greek,
where [ delivered him up to the officer
with the proper evidence sufficient
to convict in mining-camp court of
justice.
[ never inquired what became of
him but have no doubt that he was
cared for. He had been suspected of
many dark piece of business, but
never before had been freed Men
had mysterously disappeared after
having struck the trial leading by his
cabin, no traces of them ever having
been discovered. But men are soon
forgotten in a mining camp, and an
occasional discovery of new lead
somewhere is sufficient to blot any lit
tie affair of this kind from a miners