Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-09-04

! out.
1t was human fgure-a man.
tie had claubered 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
III the moonlight
Perhaps 1t was only minute. but it
seemed an age before the sound of my
undlsturbed breathing satisfied him that
Was asleep, enabling him to enter the
room unperceived
Presently be swung his feet over the
window bench and dropped upon the
floor without a sound
Slowly ne advanced until he stood be-
side me.
Ny eyes were closed, but for all that
could Enthusiastically feel his sharp eyes
peering down at me-
Slight sound as it made, heard him
take the knife from his teeth and run his
fingers along its edge.
Then all WAS silence again; could not
even hear him breathe
Probably he was wondering whether
he had best kill me before robbing me-
Whatever the cause of his deliberation
it was maddening uncomfortable
Finally tore open the garment over
my heart and said:
Why don't you Kill me, if you wish
/ to, and have done with it,"
With half suppressed yell of amaze
ment the man dropped his knife and
I sprang from my bedside straight out
/ through the window
My desperation had terrified my Tar
tar friend into the belief that he had at
tempted the life Of some demon
had hailed the first sight of the
weapon with a sort of fierce joy; it was
probable avenue Of escape from the
miseries of unrequited vengeance
/ But the grotesque performance which
had been the result Of my impatient
words aroused my mirth
For a long time | lay there. fairly
shaking with grim laughter
When this mood changed sank into
a troubled sleep.
It was full Of dreamed plans Of retri-
| button on many persons for multitudin-
/ Gus offenses, but they all ended like my
! recent realty-in the death of an over
/ jaded horse at the supreme moment.
| At length was awakened by a sound
within my room The moon was now
so far to the westward that its beams
fell across the open trap above the ladder
by which | had climed to my loft And
coming up, and half way through the
floor, saw the body of another nocturnal
visitor.
/ His face was in the shadow, but his
bulky figure satisfied me that it was my
host
In another minute he had completed
the ascent and was III my room, crouch
ing on the floor, his face in my direction
Without arising. he finally started to-
ward NE, creeping on all tours
As he advanced saw dangling from
his loose robes a small short handled Ak
destined no doubt to make an iInmedi-
ate plunge into my skull
This thought sent another fierce tide
Of desperation surging through me The
sting and chagrin Of thwarted life pur-
pose was likely to end that night after
all One resolution made swiftly
This man should not be interrupted by
word of mine The silence should not
be broken by me-my experience with
the other would be assassin having at
least taught me wisdom in that respect
AsSassin
The word startled me.
Would not also have been an assas-
sin. could my will have prevailed?
Most assuredly, now came to think
of it
True, the man had so long hunted,
determined to Stay him, had imbued his
hands with the blood Of my dear ones.
and had even done them worse harm,
but who mad appointed me administrator
OF vengeance, giving me power over life
and death and the right to answer crime
with crime?
With this first true confrontal of nv
real position came an entire revulsion of
feeling
lam glad now-honestly, heartily glad
that ny long cherished violent purpose
had ended fruitlessly The morrow. if
the morrow ever came, should witness
for me Il return to worthier things than
man hunting, and with this feeling came
another which | had not experienced be-
fore in months-an intense desire for
hfe
This brought me to a recollection of
my Immediate surroundings. and cast
another glance in the direction of nv
second visitor.
He was still cautiously approaching
me
| When directly before my bed he sur
prised me by seemingly passing under it.
instead Of arising to finish me with his
AK, as had expected
A minute passed and another Still
there was no further sign nor sound Of
him
What did it mean? Was he waiting
to enjoy hand to hand tussle with me
when awoke: Or was he. Tartarlike
bent on getting double pleasure ont of
his foul purpose-hrst 10y anticipation,
then by reality
The suspense was maddening.
Soon | could bear it no longer.
Pulling myself together for a mighty
| effort | sprang from my bed to the
window and plunged through it to the
| ground below
A dense thicket was close at hand, and
into this instantly betooll myself.
Scarcely was ont of sight when the
face OF my host appeared at the window
whence hal escaped
The evil working Of his dark features.
which the moonlight plainly revealed,
left little doubt in my mind as to what
my fate would have been had tarried
in that dingy loft much longer
Fortunately / had flung myself upon