Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-03-08
"Finish him. Ike, if ne trys that On

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sgainI"
In moment all was clear to me.
Those men whom had met were some
desperadoes, who, hearing of nv grand
fathers peculiar habits, and perhaps
aware of his receiving some large sums
of money that day, had determined
upon robbing the house, feeling safe in
the absence of any near help.
They had been accommodating this
morning and doubtless their pretended
bags of pictures were filed with tools.
In an agony of helplessness 1 sat irving
to scheme some means of help
to prevent what might be muir
der. An age of thoughts seemed
consumed, and yet no tangible
aid had struck me. To get assistance
seemed out of the question, it being a
full half mile to any house from the
Nest.
What could be done? Tortured and
agitated with thoughts like these, an
eternity of pain appeared to drag its
way during those few seconds of per-
plexity.
Ha! thought My mind saw but
one slender chance of saving the old
man, but at all risks that should be
tried. Sliding cautiously from the bed
to the floor, l CROPPED on the washing
stand for the phosphorus.
Once found, it needed but moment
to cover my face with it. Then pass
ing my hand over the breast of the old
night-gown, the representative of the
winding sheet in our intended theat-
ricals, to feel if the piece of red ribbon
representing the ill-used false heirs
fatal wound) was safe, I opened my
chamber door.
With silent prayer for the success
of my scheme, I tremblingly tiptoed
down the flight of stairs which separ-
ated my grandfather's bedroom from
my own. At the outside of his door I
gave great gulp to swallow the ire
pressible feelings labored under, and
softly turned the handle. My suspi-
cions were but too true. Extended on
the bed lay the gaunt figure of the old
man.
Bending over him, with the horny
knuckles of his hand buried deep in
my grandfather's throat, stood the big
ger ruffian of my mornings encounter.
Nimbly fitting around the room, and
opening noiselessly the bureau, chest,
and old-fashioned desk of my relative,
was the ferret-eyed scoundrel.
1t presented strange picture to me,
standing in deep shadow. The bright
moonlight streaming over the bed gave
a lurid light to the CLEAN of the old
mans eyes as he essayed vainly to
shrek for help.
The giant form of the burglar stand
ing over him looked like some evil
spirit of Legendary lore, while the fan
tastic motions of his companion might
well have passed for those of an attend
ant imp.
The time for action had arrived.
Moving stealthily forward into the GEN.
ter of the room, where the pale moon
beams gave full play to the CHASTITY
scintillation of the phosphorus, and
pointing my hand to my apparently
CORY breast, I said in hollow voice:
II am here!"
cannot describe the scene that en-.
sued. Surprised at the strange voice,
the men turned simultaneously. Lam
guage cannot paint the look of the two
faces. For a moment they seemed
spellbound, as though held in the 81
lence of terror by an extremity OF
horror.
This was but for a moment. With
spring like that of a wildcat on his
prey, the would-be robber who was
holding my grandfather reached the
window. His friend, it is needless to
say, was not long behind him. With.
out thought of their necks they leapt
affrightedly to the ground. Up to this
moment indomitabIe will had sustained
me; but no sooner did 1 become con-
WINGED of their genuine retreating foot
steps than with a faint cry I fell heav-
lily to the ground.
When reopened my eyes I was in
the arms of my grandfather who was
tenderly nursing me, while the gray
dawn of a winters morning was sui
lenly breaking. will not speak of the
extravagances of the old man in his
gratitude, but I will mention what
seemed to me the greatest proof of his
thankfulness, and that was his unquali-
fed consent to the production of our
drama some few nights after.
1t is pleasant to chronicle its entire
success, which, may modestly add,
was indebted in great measure to the
celebrity: the spectral effect had at
tanned.
Up to the time of my grandfather's
death he always insisted upon the OBJ
servance of the anniversary of the
ghosts appearance.
L have little to add, save to record
the fate of the two villains. They
were captured some months afterward
and tried for the murder of an old lady
under peculiarly cruel circumstances.
The shorter of the two expiated his
crime on the scaffold, while mis- brother
criminal was condemned to lifelong
imprisonment.
And this, reader, is how I became
hero.