The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-04-05
MIDNIGHT STRUGGLE.
How WAS Saved from an Assas-
sins Knife.

sins KnAe.
Twenty years have elapsed since this
event happened. but | never shah for
get It. Bill sutton and / had been
working as partners on Q mining claim
on the banks Of Lake Owen. a small
lake in the eastern part Of California
near the Sierra Nevada mountains We
had been very successful, and by dill
gent labor had annassed quito q respect
able fortune IN gold dust Other
miners. working not q quarter Of a
mile from our claiEa, had labored equal
II as hard. but luck was against them,
and their earnings had amounted 10 al
most nothing.
There were stragglers about the
mines who would n o hesitate to muir
der d miner FOR his gold II ii was known
that he had any in his possession. Only
the night before, George Wolfang, d
German miner, had been found welter-
ing In his blood. which was still en-
crusted around a bullet hole ia his
breast. No clew - the perpetrator Of
the deed could Be- found. It was all
shrouded in mystery.
On the day Of which j am about 10
make particular mention, l was in our
cabin. after a hard days work under a
s~ccrching sun, weighing our gold dust
Bill had just started down to the lake
for water, preparatory % getting sup
per. had hnished weighing the gold,
and was about 70 deposit ii II the se-
cret hole in the floor Of the cabin, which
served us as a bank, when my atten-
ton was attracted by a slight noise at
the only window in the cabin.
/ dropped the bag 0f gold dust and
raising my eyes in the direction Of the
window | saw a mans face pressed
close to the glass, with his yillainous-
looking eyes fxed rreedily on the bag
Of gold dust which now lay On the hoor.
snatched my revolver from my belt
and cooked il, but when ! looked again
the face had disappeared.
! Immediately rushed to the door and
opened il but was only in time to
catch q glimpse Of the mans form as
he disappeared in the thick foliage
which surrounded the cabin.
knew pursuit was useless, as dark
ness was fast approaching. With evil
f~orebodings as to the result Of the dis
covery Of the villain, which | believed
him to be, ! returned to the cabin, and
found Bill Sutton there before me.
What Is the meaning of tbis2r he
asked. as ] entered, pointing TO the
opened bag Of gold dust on the floor.
Iexplained to him what had tran
spired during his absence.
Tom he said, gravely. when / had
finished, the end Of this has not come
yet While that villain knows that we
have such a large amount Of gold in
our possession our lives are not safe.
It's my opinion that the fellow who
murdered and robbed George Wolfang,
and the man you detected spying upon
You tonight are one and the same per-
SON.
That Is my belief, / said. II did
not like the look Of his face. II had a
murderous look about it, and / think
the owner Of it would be capable Of
committing any crime.
III he comes here we will give him a
warm reception, said Bill, as he care
fully reloaded his revolvers
That night we retired with our revolt
yers under our pillows, but we were not
molested, and everything passed of
TRANQUILITY, The next night passed Of
IN the same tanner, as did the whole
week following, and we soon began to
forget the event Of the week previous.
Bill said 1t was only imagination. that
! q seen no face against the window
at all; but he could not make me be-
lieye that ii was imagination. / was
sure saw that face at the window,
with its aevilish eyes peering greediiy
at the bag Of gold dust. IN NE midst
Of my sleep | would awake with q
nervous start, imagining that he stood
over nay bed with a knife appraised
ready 70 plunge il into my heart.
One day Bill had occasion to 60 To
the neighboring town Of stubville, sit
uated about twenty miles distant, after
supplies, and was I'd be absent over
night
II the owner Ok that mysterious face
should happen To pay You a visit
though \ don't thiHk he will-don't be
AFRAID, but give him an ounce Of cold
lead, or a couple Of inches OF steel, and
solve the mystery Of the murder 81
George Wolfang, said Bill, as he shonl.
dered his rife and started OF for Stub
vile.
/ watched him till his form was hid.
den from view in the forest. and then
entered the cabin.
DARKNESS soon came on, and, after
having securely barred the door and
window, | retired to bed, but Icould
not sleep The moon, which had here
totore been hidden from view BY the
clouds, now shone out with unusual
o~rlliancy, lighting up the whole cabin.
A feyerish unrest was upon me.
thoughts Of the event of the wees
previous began to fit across my brain
After tossing about uneasily o m,
bed for 2 couple Of hours j at last fei