The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-11-11
knew he had a monkey at the stables,

ment, and it would never have occurred to
me again but fer what followed. 1t was a
scorching hot day, and after an hours
work we sought the shade to rest. AS
was lighting my pipe for u smoke Peter
observed that he was very thirsty and
would visit Il spring he knew of about "A
quarter of Il mile away. The field on
which we were working had once been
cleared, but was now pretty well grown
over with bushes and sinai trees. lie dis
appeared at my back, and gave him no
further thought for many minutes. | had
out my book and was making some field
notes when all OF II sudden it struck me
that Peter had II peculiar look as he ey.
planned how he had received the wounds
on his hands. ! remembered that his face
hardened and that there was "A cruel glitter
in his eyes. Things of this sort never
strike one at tine moment. but are vivid
when recalied. When | remembered his
looks ! wondered that he had not killed
the monkey for attacking him, and | re
nectcd that the man must have Il hot TEN
per when aroused. | do not suppose ! de
voted over five minutes to this train OF
thought. As time passed by | forgot my
surroundings while busy with the pencil.
Peter had been gone about thirty min
utes. as | after ward figured up, when !
was suddenly Clutched by the throat. |
was leaning back against il tree hardly
larger than Il mans arm, and WAS rprlin
ing to the left. My ewes caught no glimps,
of anything. nor had my ears detected the
slightest sound to put me III my guard.
The first sensation was exactly like that
of falling. remember Il roaring in my
ears and fireworks dancing before my
eyes, and | was perfectly conscious that
my throat Was in the clutch OF human fin
gers. What saved me was the tree and the
position in which | sat. did not realize
that | struggled to break the clutch, bat !
| did put forth IL mighty effort. Ny right
shoulder and arm were a lever agHii>i
the strangers right wrist, and rs | leaved
I broke his clutch and leaped to my feet.
Ii was Peter, as you nave suspected. He
had only gone IL few rods away and then
turned and crept back on me like a ser
pent. His route was through bushes and
vines, but when | came to 90 over it
could net find that he had broken II twig.
My springing up threw him down. but he
was Oh his feet like II cat, and with Il cry
like that of in enraged beast he sprang for
my throat again. His eyes We're fairly
blazing, his face distorted with passion.
and | realized in an instant that it was his
life or mite.
Under the new laws no native was al.
lowed to carry n deadly weapon. II one
was found provided with knife or pistol he
was sent to prison. Or the other hand. all
Europeans went armed. | had IL revolver
buckled arOrud me, and if Peter hail
not been so sure of Strangling me I've con, |
have secured the weapon as he crept up be
hind me. lie sprang upon me like "A wild
cat. seeking my throat at every clutch, and
we grapplcd and rolled over and over on
the ground. He made Il dash for my throat
with his right hand ~ we rolled about. and
| caught the ends of his first two fingers in
my teeth and bit to the bone. That one
bite gave me the victory. Still gripping
his fingers. struggled tony knees, reached
for my revolver, and ! had the muZzlr
against hi, hoiy when the thought flashed
across my mind that he was the prof.
oiunal strau"lrr wanted by the police. ia
to that inslnrt | had no thought as to why
he attarkct! me. When ! dropped his tia
gers and covered him with the revolver lie
made no further resistance. The native Of
India, like tine Arab, believes in fate.
"Sahib, you have won, - he said rs | stood
over him. 1t was to be, and SO it is. Dc
as you will with me-
Peter. why should You seek my ~lifes'i
dShcu, even Ntb nan hOI)IhS LncIt lnlGnI ne
some mistake about it.
why did | strangle the Others, Sahib:
y. voice commanded me. and | Obeyed.n
Good heavens! but you are not the muir
derer of the farmer, the clerk and the sol
dier-you who have been considered 50
faithfulto the Engli,h:'
Even so. sahib. it was to be, and it is.
Take me to the police and | will admit
everything and die like IL man"
] drove him before me until we encoun
tered a troop of cavalry which had been
securing the country for suspects, and
which was then returning to town with no
less than twenty-siN prisoners. Had Pc
ter denied his admissions to me NOTHING
could nave been proved, and he only would
have been punished for assault. But he
felt that fate had delivered him into the
hands Of his enemies, and he was willing
to help convict himself. He gave the par.
t~iculars Of each murder with such detail
that no doubt could exist. 1t was the ser
geant vino had Iacclatcd his hands. He
was keeping shady while he waited for
them 10 heal, lie would not have accom-
panied me that day but for the fear that he
might be suspected. though rs a matter Of
fact hc would inye been among the very
last to fall under the ban.
II had no thought of s%trangling you
when we started out he said to me after
his trial. IL was only after you had no
ticed my hands. While you appeared in.
different, | was afraid that you suspected.
| could have snatchcd away yOurpistol and
shot YOU dead, or | could have beaten you
TO death with a club, but my creed would
not permit. | must either strange you or
let YOU live on. Had | been successful !
should nave made my way north as fast as
possible"
He did no hesitate to tell the police that
he was II professional stranger, and it was
with considerable pride that he exhibited
his fattened thumbs and illustrated the
manner in which the deadly clutch was
made. He had been II professional for mp
ward of twenty years. He spent one whole
day making out a list of dates, localities
and victims, and the number of murders
was appalling. The figures ran up to
forty-two or f~orty-three, and there were
seven Europeans among them. He begged