The Bossier banner., 1892-09-08
dered his rifle and started off Tor Stub.

entered the cabin.
Darkness soon came on, and, after
having securely barred the door and
window, retired to bed, but could
not sleep. The moon, which had heres
tofore been hidden from view by the
clouds, now shone out with unusual
brilliancy, lighting up the whole cabin.
A 'feverish unrest was ~ upon me-
Thoughts of the event OF the week
previous began to fit across my brain.
After tossing about uneasily upon my
bed for a couple of hours ut last fell
asleep. How long I slept could not
tell, but was awakened by q rreak-
ing noise in the direction of the door
l 1opened my eyes, and the sight that
met my gaze sent thrill through my
body. There in the doorway stood the
owner of the identical face i had seen
at the window. In one hand he car
ried dark lantern, while in the other
was long, murderous looking knife.
My revolver and knife were under
my pillow. strove to grasp them, but
my hand seemed paralyzed.
He entered, closed the door noiseless-
", and crept on tiptoe toward me,
'<eeping the knife still firmly clutched.
Heavens, was to be murdered in my
bed, with a revolver and knife under
my pillow? But he did not give me
much time for defiberation. With a
cat-like tread, my visitor neared my
bed. He was now bending over me
with the knife appraised ready to strike.
the blow which would deprive me of life.
could feel his hot breath scorch my
cheek, but feigned to sleep soundly.
Suddenly a puff Of wind snapped
limb off one of the trees outside the
cabin and hurled II against the door,
He lowered the upraised hand and
turned quickly about to ascertain the
cause of the noise.
Now was my chance. Far better to
| die fighting than be murdered without
raising g hand in my own defense.
With weapon in my hand l would
have q chance for life, other wise I
would have none. Quick as thought
plunged my hand under the pillow. L
had no time to make choice of the
weapons, but took the first one l got
my hand on, a long, glittering knife, as
large If not larger than the one he held
In his hand. * E*e - $50
Startled by, the noise, the villain
turned quickly about, With a yell Of
defiance l jumped out of the bed and
rushed upon him knife in hand. Mutt
tering curse, he dropped the lantern
and rushed forward to meet me-. s
The knives clashed together with ter
rife force, each of us straining every
nerve to break the others guard and
drive his knife into the others bosom.
It was fight for life now. Each of us
knew that one or the other must die.
My antagonist was tall, muscular fell
low, while was a mere boys but what
I lacked In strength 1 made up in
agility. s..s-.se
After several vain efforts to force
my knife from my hand he began to
lose all control of himself. BY quick
movement on my part l succeeded in
turning his knife aside and infiicting a
deep wound in his shoulder.
With a yell of rage he sprang upon
me, and before had time to leap aside
and evade him he had struck my knife
from my grasp and hurled it to the
other side of the cabin, far beyond my
reach.
With almost herculean strength he
bore me to the, floor, and placing hi:
knee upon my breast, he held me dowr
SO that was powerless. His repulsive
face glowed with deyilish exultation a:
} he bent over me, knife in hand.
81 guess yer hain't forgot Wolfang
have yerP'' he said, tauntingly. "In
: goin' to serve yer the same way
Won't yer partner ramp and tear wheI
| he finds yer here dead, with this yei
, knife in yer carcass and all his dus
. gone. Dead men tell no talesr'
i I shuddered as he raised the knit,
high above his head, ready to plunge i
, into my~breast, and began to think o
the past. / tried to utter the prayer
, my mother taught me when boy, bu
could not. - xssxv
The knife began to descend, and shu
l nv eyes to hide from sight the horribl
\ spectacle.
All! what was that? The doorwa,
{ was darkened for a moment The
there was flash, report, and tn
, man with the knife appraised above m
: fell hfeless to the floor and tainted.
When 1 returned to consciousness
= Bill Sutton and half dozen sturd
I miners were bending over me. Bi
f was bathing my forehead. When l re
f covered sufficiently he related to m
e the circumstances of my narrow escape
0 When about fifteen miles from tn
. cabin he had met the supply wagon o.
t the way to the mines, and. as he ha
v no other business in Stubville but to OF
: tain supplies, he returned with tn
S wagon. to. the miners, headquarters
:, about quarter of mile distant Afte
Y leaving it he at once fastened to tn
t cabin and arrived just as the villain
q knife was about to pierce my breas
d Without q moments hesitation b
d brought his rifle to his shoulder an
fred, with the results already know
o to the reader.-Thomas Charles Lev,
= in n. Y. Weekly. -.
r An Englishman at hotel in Ne
York asked if there were any oyster
e in the hotel ssOh. yesp' was the al