The record-union., 1893-01-28

ter, but how he got 1t without my know
ing or catching | coud't think-probably
when was tending to the fire.
here was purity mess; what did he
mean by taking my gun; who was he
and where did he come from? These
were the thoughts that passed through
my mind. Then like flash the answer
came back that he must be a crazy man,
and there he was with two guns and
With only bit Of knife to defend my
self with, if it should come to fighting.
NO. there was only one thing that | could
do and that was TO keep cool and not let
on felt bad about it. All the same, I'd
a given seasons pelts to be out of it.
'Sayn | said, making q step toward
him, that's my rifle there, amt it? Hand
it over, will yer, want to give her
shine Then the next thing | knew l
was looking down the barr'l o his gun,
that the cuss I'd just entertained was
pointing at me.
. w hat yer playing at p I asked. with
a sickly smile, as | hooied it back to the
other side o. the cabin. That amt the
right way to treat man. Put that fire.
arm down, can't yer, | want to talk to
yer bout joining drives Then / sat
down on the table and waited for him to
reply, but he hadn't even the manners to
DO that, and only glared at me, keeping
his old musket leveled at my head.
A CURIOUS SITUATION.
"F'ive, ten, aye, nearly fifteen minutes
passed this way, while all the time | was
growing more doubtful as to how it was
all going to end; then his lips seemed to
move, and he uttered a sort of noise like
an lnJln'd make when his tongues split
drawing his knife as he did so and laying
1t on the floor. AT first I didn't tuInble
to what he meant, then his noise got
louder, and again he replaced his knife in
his belt and drew 1t out again, motioning
me to do the same. Yes! that were it,
wanted me to give up the only weapon |
had, and when | did not see the force o.
this and told him so, he just grew terri
bic, shut his teeth together with a noise
like a steel trap and fingered that there
trearm i'll way that soon made me com
ply. l was just in the tighest hole I'd ever
been in.
There said, take it, and I pitched
my pelt-skinner on the ground in front o.
me. Praphs it was well / did. for it sort
o pacoied him. as alter he'd reached and
got 1t he lowered his gun, though he still
held on to it, as he leant with his back to
the doorway.
Hours passed like this and night time
came. 80 long as [ didn't move he was
all right, but il l stirred the least bit that
loonat brought the muskett to his shoulder
and just looked HI at me- Long bout
1 O'Clock IN the morning he lowed me to
throw more wood on the fire. Then |
took the chance to stretch myself out on
the barskin, for l felt so dang tired /
could scarcely keep awake. This, after
mutterlnS a piece, he didn't object 70, and
when opened my eyes it was daylight,
and there sat that cuss just the same.
Mornin' pardv | sang cut, for the
sleep got had tresheneu me up a bit, and
l judged it best to but a bold face on it.
Reckon pu go out and bring in some
wood; she's a trifle cold in here. and
tDn wailI 70 l-a 70 %
but the very first step l took toward the
door he was at his old game again, pear
ing, thought, even uglier than he did
last night.
"What was I to do; did he mean to
keep this up forever, l asked myself, and
now, was TO get clear O him? And
think as L would, l couldn't see no way
out o. it-while any second he might take
II in his crazy head to put an ounce o.
LEAD III me, and L more helpless than a
Jackrabbit Then L thought hang me if l
don't jump right at him the first time he
lays his rifle down and make a tussle on
1t, though L Waren't over sweet on that
for he looked tougher than he bar. and
finally l concluded 'tware best TO wait
and just not say or do nothing.
About noon that day my dawg who
had been coming in and out through
hole in the front timbers cut purpose
for him, brought me in rabbit and laid
it at my feet, as I'd trained him to do;
this attracted the madman's 'tention,
and, cooking his gun agin, he made mo-
ton which said plain enough, Hand that
over here With a healthy curse, said
quiet though to myself, | pitched it to
him, ana shoot me if he didn't start to
tear the skin Off with his teeth and eat it
raw as 1t was, using one hand though
and hanging on to his weapon with the
other. Ugh! it nearly made me sick to
see him, lOr he didn't look any more like
man. but sort o. turned into a wild ami
NAL. L guess the beagle thought so, too,
for 1t gave growl, then came and laid
down beside nie. AS the dog did so the
thought flashed through me that if |
could send him to Jake Hond's camp
with a note all might be we'll yet. He
had been in the habit o. carrying mes
sages between us all that winter, and
sure enough he'd go now if L could only
get one written without the mad fellow
getting on to me.
A CANINE MESSENGER.
"With this | started in to play with the
dawg, unloosing his collar, then putting
1t back again, while the mailman con-
tinued to tear at the rabbit. Presently
pulled bit of paper from my pocket,
and using blue pencil just happened
to have bout me. | wrote: Jake, come
at once. Mad fellow in my cabin,
guardin' me with gun. Break in door,
but give a whistle furst 50 I'll know
your there. Be quick and quiet, for