The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-27
SOMETHING OF A NIGHT.

At its best hunting in savage coun-
try is no cafln pursuit; but when hu.
man quarry is sought ones nerves are not
likely to know much repose, and most
especially is this true when the object OF
the chase has wronged SO many of the
hunters dear ones that vengeance seems
the sole thing left worth living for.
Such, one July afternoon fifteen years
ago, was the condition of affairs had to
face.
Twas in eastern Turkestsn, riding to-
ward the west like mad. ITCH was
thirty miles ahead of me. By my side
ran the Tarnn, its chill waters rushing
swiftly on toward its confluence with
the Kashgar, fifty miles behind me-
had ridden nay horse since daybreak,
determined to overtake the man l was
hunting down before another nightfall.
For three years had been pursuing
him, never able to get within striking
distance. Now he was less than four
hours ahead Of me, and we were in a
land where western conventionalities
could neither prevent my vengeance nor
punish me for it, though gave thought
to neither of these considerations then.
| He was making for Utch, where he in
tended passing the night 1t was my
purpose to overtake him little beyond
Thokan, where the Tarim ran through
such dreary, deserted wastes that human
sounds seldom competed with it in the
business Of awakening the echoes.
On and On l sped, urging my jaded
horse far beyond its utmost powers of
endurance, for vengeance, like all other
purely human things, takes no heed of
what it shall destroy in prevailing.
But my hot haste thwarted itself, and
| when Thekan was less than mile away
the poor beast fell under me and ex-
PRED
Grown vulturelike by reason Of my
awful pursuit, now that l was cheated
of my prey, shrieked out my wild rage
in fierce exnberance Of inarticulate
sounds, but the noise of the river pre-
vented every syllable of it from offend
ing even the dead ears of my horse.
Bitter as only bafled man can feel
finally sheuldered my saddle bags, con-
tinuing my way to Thokan on foot.
This miserable apology for town
less than a dozen shanties-failed to
furnish me another horse at any price.
Worse yet, found myself compelled to
spend the night there, as it was now
nearly sunset, and itch, the next town
before me, was still more than twenty
five miles away.
Far off in the west, black and Jagged
mass against the sunset sky, lowered the
mighty SUBMITS of the Tian Shan range,
the otherwise dazzling whiteness of their
great snow domes all obscured by the
twilight.
Nature alone was sublime here. Such
miserable human creatures as found at
Thokan were too stolid and insensate to
even feel curiosity at the event of
stranger-a rare circumstancein Turkes-
tan.
Wretched and desperate, unable to en-
dure thought of food, stretched my
self out upon shelf against the side of
a mean little loft, which was to serve as
my quarters for the night.
Through an open window, straight be-
fore me, / could look out at the sky
above the western mountains.
Shade by shade witnessed the fading
of the sunset colors and the end of the
after glow, until all was as dismally
black as the sensations of baff1ed wretch
edness which so nearly stifed me.
Then the moon rose full and splendid,
making night more like day than it is
anywhere out of the east.
Instead of cheering me, these knocking
foods of night light angered me.
What right had sun or moon to shine
so warmly on land which has robbed
me Of vengeance so long delayed, just as
it was in my grasp?
clinched my hands in silent rage
hands which would have been red with
human blood if my horse had not failed
me and had had my way.
With snaillike pace the seconds crept
on into minutes and the minutes into
hours
Not long after midnight the moon,
having passed the zenith, shone into my
room, illuminating all its varied stores
of rubbish.
At first these did not attract my atten-
ton; but at last, almost unconsciously,
began gazing about.
Here was bunch of dried herbs, there
8 wornout garment, yonder-
Why, what was that? Something OBJ
scured the window, shutting out the
moonlight.
When my eyes were accustomed 70 the
lessened light | made the obstruction
out
1t was human igure-a man.
He had clambered up there from the
ground-to rob me at any hazard, to
murder me if need be; for in his mouth
was knife whose shining blade glistened
in the moonlight
Perhaps Ii was only a minute, but il
seemed an age before the sound of nv
undisturbed breathing satisfied him that
was asleep, enabling him TO entar the
room unperceived.
Presently he swung his feet over the
window bench and dropped upon the
floor without a sound
Slowly he advanced until he stood be-
side me
Ny eyes were closed, but for all that / !,
could Enthusiastically feel his sharp eyes |
peering down AZ me.
Slight sound as it made, heard him |
take the knife from his teeth and run his I
fingers along its edge.
Then all was silence again; could not |
even hear him breathe
Probably be was wondering whether |