Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-07-01

i suspicious mduHcT, anu )eI luSIe WAS
nothing, when came To think it all
over. which really condemned her. /
won'L admit that | was bit alarmed,
but found myself trembling ut some
unseen and underlined danger. II was
Il curious position 10 be placed into
feel no fear, and yet bo shaking as II
some terror was upon you. | looked
out of the wiud0w, but the night was
so black that | made out nothing. i
lighted match and looked under the
bed, which had valance around it,
but there was not even a box or basket
hidden away.
Il think sat by the window a full
hour before deciding to go to bed, and
then | simply pulled off my coat and
boots aud lay down on the outside. full
ly determined to keep awake for a
couple of hours at least. L had trusty
revolver with me, and felt certain in
my own mind that anyone who attack.
ed me in an open manner would find
me "a tough customer. There was no
movement whatever from below. The
clock struck eleven soon after | got in
to bed. | WAS wide awake when it
struck twelve. [ meyer felt less inclin-
ed to sleep, but | had certainly dozed
off when n noise aJ the opel window a
reused me. | listened until sure that
some one or something was there, and
then l swung my legs off the bed to
face around. AS my feet touched the
floor a fash of fire and loud report,
and by the momantary light saw the
head and shoulders OF man outside of
the window. | had my revolver in my
hand and the flash of his weapon had
scarcely passed away when gave him
IA bullet. | heard fall outside, and as
| sprang to the window l felt the ends
of ladder which had been raised. IL
was only then that l knew his bullet
had hit me in the calf Of the leg, though
the excitement kept the pain almost
subdued. I gave the ladder a heave and
heard it go crashing down and then
drew away from the window for fear or
being fired on. Just then the clock
struck one.
There had been an attempt to mur-
der me. Was the would be murderer
the widows son ? II not, the firing
must have aroused her, and she should
have called out. If so, had | killed
him ? Would 1t be safe for me TO go
down stairs i? Wouldn't the mother
secure the weapon and fire upon me as
| descended the ladder ? There was no
let up to the rain, nor did the darkness
break away. l decided to remain where
was until daylight, providing l was
lef. undisturbed. From that time un-
til day broke / heard no sound to alarm
me. sat in chair, revolver in hand.
and the pain from my wound making
me cringe; and if ever mortal man was
glad to see the darkness fade away it
was the person before you. The rain
ceased about half past two, but made
no attempt to get to the window and
look out until daylight was strong E.
nough to enable me to see everything
plainly. The ladder way lying on the
ground, but nothing was 10 be seen of
my midnight visitor. 1 took up my
pack and llmped to the open trap
door in the floor, but no one was stir
ring. With a good deal Of an effort |
descended to the ground floor, half ex-
pecting to be attacked, but the house
was deserted and the back door open.
| washed and dressed my wound as
well as l could, helped myself to some
thing to eat, and.hobbled off down the
road until 1 reached a cabin, where a
mule and cart could be hired.
What did 1 do about the cold blood
ed attempt to murder me Nothing
at all. If l had made complaint l
should have been detained for weeks or
months as a witness, and [ could not
have sworn to The identity OF the man
at the window, nor to any circumstan-
ces that would haye convicted the wo-
man. l gave out that it was an acci-
dent, and though it was not a serious
wound, it gave me this limp for life.