Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1886-08-28
ALMOST A TRAGEDY.
How Three Brave Men Escaped
Committing One.

"Back on the midnight train if can
make It, One chance in thousand
I'll try, though And don't YOU young
folks oversleep yourselves tomorrow,
or YOU Il lose u day fishing bound to
rain Thursday By-byw
The Colonel was half way across the
lawn as he shouted the warning TO the
little knot gathered ON the vcranda and
in the hallway The whistle of the loco
motive rounding the bend at Pottcr's
Point woke the echoes If Dan, the
Colonel reliable servant, reached the
station in time the down train would
stop for the solitary passenger, other
wise he would come back to us
grumb ing. But the train slowed
+ up MS soon as il came in sight, almost
stopped, then started again with a sud
denness and fury as if TO make up for
lost time, and the little group looked
blank ly at each other.
The Colonel's wife, meantime,
glanced over the tolegraphic message
that had torn the Colonel away from
us just as we were beginning to enjoy
ourselves. Her unruilled countcnance
reassured us, Nothing serious threat
encd.
"A matter of business serve a
friend, said Mrs. Potter, smiling, as
she rcioinGd us. at is annoying, but
it can't be helped, so we will just man
age to do without him.
Then all the gentlemen voted her n
paragon, and the ladies said there new
cr were two people so well matched,
We were Il merry party. just ten be-
fore the Colonel was called away: The
Colonel and Mrs. Potter and four
young couples there by express invita-
ton We had explored the mysteries
of Luker's Cave, "doneN the mountain
ridge, ten miles distant, on horseback
and on the morrow would go fishing
"lhe evening has not been so dreary
after all, said the Coloncl's wife
archly, turning to Fred Blythe.
Fred, who vas pretending to turn the
music for Miss llaldanc, looked at his
watch and exclaimed:
"lIalf past one, by Jovew
There was II loud protest, but when
five or six watches were covcrtly
glanced at, as many tongues averred
the thing was Incredible Time had
never sped so swiftly And as all
affected horror, and expressed contri-
tion, the Colonel's wife scarcely needed
TO remind us of the necessity of an
early start on the morrow. There was
a scurrying to bed that attested II dis
position TO make amends for the dis
sipation indulgcd.
Did YOU evcrrcmark how soundly one
sleeps after day and evening of rare
ENJOYMENT? The entire household was
enjoying the bounty of Natures sweet
restorcr balmy sleep, when a hand
was laid on mine, and voice knew
well electrified me with the whisper:
There 5 man in the house, Alick. >
sat bolt upright in bed. The door
of the room was closed. Between the
door and my bed Fred Blythe stood in
his night clothes There was just
enough light to discern him.
"Yorl are sure?"
positive Mayberry is sleeping with
mo He heard him. Whoever it was,
Dick saws he was in our room. He is
dressing himself. Come to our room
quietly.
"Will we waken StOwbridge?'
whispered Maybcrry.
"Nor' | answered promptly. CAR
thur is heavy sleeper and would be
sure TO make mess of it. -
led the wav in the upper hall, in the
dark. had put out hand my left
to feel for the star rail thought
should be near, when door opposite
TO me, ON the right. opened. held
my breath, and reaching back, grasped
Mayberry's arm with my right hand.
Die, grasPcd my hand, and pressed it