New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-14
A CLOSE CALL.

podeh, hnec ",d - lines was Obliged to travel
= into the Sierra NcvadaS, taNlie @ r.
several thousand dollars upon ,.addI. holsters
carry this sum | used a PAIR OF saGuie iacn for
win q rcrrptacle for the money ana pl"uc tDr
= mir Of pistols The latter we're hecess"tA , ,U
7 ,ich of my way lay amid the VIA "li" W.,
'o ~ f,y from the main highways. NHcN
i halted at the wayside hotels ! was opiS't ~
,arrv the money TO the table WIN ilc "iu N;oP
= in my room al night: for few OF uic s'oP 800
,,o,cv was not generally accepted ny the o"IFis
or wool so the greater part oil the iho!cN W"9 ia
cold Two attempts had Oeel hl'uc 10 t tT
profits we made good that was n'i"l'iinH
t. give mp the trips: ,,.or ,lo+ ,eod
.Secnre all the wool you can; II is sure TO au-
vance Ill price. 49,. f ,,,o eoid
CHANGING at ne yellow sip, ouV ''e '0o"V'
i'm of tie more wool can ett' A. ,,o,roo,
~ tn, next morning was on 'ne III io COW ''''
lad ne9 ,ly four Thousand dollars IN GOA com,
80" For thc first three days gradually aScenueH
the mountains. and by midday OF the l0ur ar
he'd cached the summit, dn,s ~" Stone but a
iouricv for several days over ridIeS ilsl'iT i,
This central plateau. Some OF 'hcSe MSiI ot5crs
wooded with pine spruce. ana t fn aetrcs for
we're more open, ana cOu'"iH'" i"' '
focks ana herds ,.~oo,, who l,ont his
.hccn dining the summer upon high an" w fr
range somemiles from my usual route nI''t" nc
dinner at a small public house latrN nul' ~ V%cr
commodate transfers ene2SCu III I'mdi.s were
NO, inviting but | was accustomed I" 'ut. PVV;D,
Recommendations while upon these monH'"lr . itr.,,
While half6reed Indian was caring 'Il i; ,C ms,
! incurred of thc landlord II re c""I" "'''
@Ycs'" was the reply. but its hard place
20 ind" at the same time giving me the directions
Is nearly as possible. ~ .o,lj
s shook nv head as he ended, SAYING cGo, rd
SEVER find the place IN year, UNI, III, oon 90
no one here acquaintd with the route VINO can ~
lie hesitatcd moment and then said mere l,el
BlI the ha!f-brCpd: he knows the iran d T pIi
as Old Ruckcr himself reckon 70" ca" E'' '''''
10 Hi was promptly interviewed. You pay me
So and | take my horse and 90, was '''c ''''
"" RE Centred sum was promised. and he at once
prepared 10 accompany me ne moinci'IIl M ard
eaten We set of lnste2G oil oe r Sb. WAS
t,lkativr ard intelligent fellow, ana gave NV
ouch information about the surrounding "E'U"
Upon reaching Fuckers camp, we ioGnu 'ro we ~
Fnd him and The band of ,hccT he was hcrding
lie Detained rs longer 10 tell about tic bears
and panthcrs that ANNEXED his sheep llI" I
time consumed in hnrsalnng Ior h'C C WI, "Pinnin@
II 10 us When we got back TO the p"nnc nous
j. was too late to 20 further lhat hign1, IN"
] travelled after dark. ana 10 thls oolo'''' VII
The landlord SAID he could give me a straw,,bed,
adding: Yon see. the place Is new ana We N"''
was Willing 10 take the bed. and so turned
nv hor,o over to tie half breed 10 take care Of
far tho night. =, 49,
Just before supper two more UaNeIIeIs l'"V "P
and desired - stop t,
Rooms are pretty scarce. as .you can see ou'
we can feed yoj as well as not said the hoSt.
The men like myself. We're not PARTICULAR a. -
beds so remained for the right lhcN WrIc
rather laxative and | overheard ,hem ASK ,ne
landlord my name and BUSH css. MY suspicious
were easily aroused. and noticed that they seemed
Interested in me and the holsters guarGC9 80
closely As we left the dlning-room one OF thell
sid: Mighty keerlu Of yer holsters stronger
Won must have struck il rich in the digQins?
! made some cva,ivc reply. During the evening
I'LL the hslf-breed, came into the baI-roon Two
or three times. and the last time hOuce' lh"e
10 secretly beckoned 10 IRE 10 90 out 81 oo%iS1'
Waiting till he left the room, ! managed 10 IoI
On reaching the middle OF ne VICE dusIN
road he stopped, approached me closely: and SAID
: You see two men come OF horsrhacN
nodded in reoly .
snd 90 10 prison. Now ne come back;
q" s stage robh"r"" ! echoed.
Yes" was the answer: five years ago he ron
Vie STAGE and sent % prison. Maybe he thinl;
10 one know him. rem"mber tc!i You ana
tel the boSs-,o You look on Ior ui'i Lin, i;
Substantial manner, for he warfln" was Of N"I''
On returning 70 .hc bar-roon. I watched
,bo Two ltraTrers With considerable attention
There was nothing Of the ruhan obo1t either,
and | would have thou9ht no'hll@ more a3ou,
the hotel for the might had it not been for the
Ialf-brccd's caution.
As The host lighted he 10 my room he tod me
what the Indian had said 10 lIm, and warned me
10 be on nv guard. Determined 10 be on thc
safe side. pulled my bed against the door whrn
7 retired for the night, and securely fastened
the only window.
slept soundy till rast midnight, when ] was
awakened by movement Of the bed. II appeared
ms though some one was slowly opening the dOoG
and causing the he'd 10 move across the hoor.
plo d
of NV pistols, and awaited Developments; Inch
by inch | could feel the BED m2ye slowly G'' over
c,terpnt of The moment. and could hear the
breathing Of the WOuld-Dc robbcr. The door was
now sufficiently open to adml' me thcI- lhlLEn@
- capture him, / sat up IN bed waiting for HIM
Il Was too dark to distinguish his form, but
coad tell his position from nS acep p tSc h
Of The bed At that instant ! raised mH pistol
and cried Stop. or will IRE
Quick as flash he spranng for the door ana
fired AT the same instant. lie gave cry OF pam
but continued his flight Jumped from my bei
rushed 10 the door and Shot again al The retreat
ing figure. The nall evidently missed nm, Tor y
we heard the swift galloping OF a couple Of horses
The housc was III an instant upr0I Men cah'
rushing from their rooms each one crNing aou'
as to the cause of the shooting. The explanation
was brief, but it took an hour or more 10 4lcl
the excitement, and ! am NJ certain ,t Do' IL" sep
If WAS plain that the two strangers had mad
their preparations ard had their horses nearby
II,J they been successful az obtaining my gold
ihrv would have disappeared in the right;
When DAY gave us light spots OF blood Wef
visible upOn the hall floor and I'll the stairs, hu
search for some distance along the road reveale
nothing of lie robbers, So II was evident that m
Shot had not beer serious one.
Trusting that had seen the last Of my asSaI
ants. / mounted my horse after breakfast an
pursued my journey. Ms route lay for some mile
through most picturesque and scenic reglo'
Volcanic rocks rose abruptly from the hillside
assuminq the forms Of temples and towers. Her
fancicd ! could trace a ruined fortress. and thcr
q no.s.coypred arch massive gateway.
absorbed in detecting these fancied resemblance
Ia H., most poted creations Of m@H, ! mad riddle
for mile or moro without seeing or hearin
or,bin0 to break tie silence Of my lonely rd
',ben loud report rang out, my horse plunge
,.iolcntiy and a second later fell 10 the grounC
carving me with him
We have him." shouted voice that | rcco!
riycd n. belonging 10 the man who had aslc
,n. ohou, ,ie holsters the night before.