The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-04-05
TIFF WORLDS ~ :
az az AZ STORY DEPARTMENT. # :

asleep How long I slept ! coald 20
tell but I was awakened b. 4 ereak
ing noise in the direction Of The door.
opened my eyes and the sight thai
met my geze sent q thrill thFoagh mi
BODY There IN the doorway Stood Tie
owner of the identical face I had seen
at the window. In one hand he car.
ried a dark lantern. while ID the other
vas q kong. m~urdcrous locking knife.
Ny revolver and knife were under
my pillow strove 70 grasp them. bal
my hand seemed paralyzed
lie entered, closed the door noiseless-
W and crePt on tiptoe toward me.
keeping the knife Still firmly clutched.
Heavensl was ! 10 be murdered In my
bed. with . revolver and knife under
my pillow But he did not give mo
mnch time for deiiberati0n. With o
eatiike tread, my visitor nenrcd my
bed He was now bending over me
with the knife appraised ready % strike
the blow which would deprive me 0f life.
! could feel his hot breath scorch my
cheek. but | feignedto sleep soundIy.
Suddenly a pun OF wind snapped a
limb of one Of The trees outside the
cabin and hurled IL against the door.
lie lowered the appraised hand and
turned quickly about 70 ascertain the
Gauss Of the noise.
Now was my chance. Far better to
die fighting than be murdered without
raising a hand ID my own defense.
With 4 weapon In my hand | would
have q chance for life, Others rise I
would have none. Quick as thought !
plunged my hand under the pillow. 4
had no time 10 make q choice Of the
weapons, but took the first n | got
my hand on, a long. glittering knife, as
large II not larger than the one he held
10 his hand
turned quickly about With a yell oi
defiance / jumped out Of the bed and
rushed upon him knife 10 hand. Nut
tering afcnrse, he dropped the lantern
and rushed forward to meet me.
The knives FLASHED together with ter
rife force, each Of ms straining every
nerve TO break the others guard and
drive his knife into the others bosom.
Il vas a fight for life now. Each Of vi
! knew that one or the other must die
Ny antagonist was a tall, muscular fel
low, while / was a mere boy; but whaf
/ lacked in strength ! made up IL
agility.
After several vain efforts to fore,
my knife from my hand he began I.
lose al control Of himself. BY aquicl
movement on my part ! succeeded II
turning his knife aside and-inHicting
deep wound in his shoulder.
With q yell OF rags he sprang upoH
me, and before / had time to leap asid,
and evade him he had struck my knit
from my grasp and hurled it 10 th
other side OF the cabin. far beyond N,
reach.
With almost herculean strength b
bore me to the floor, and. placing hi
! knee upon my breast, he held me dow
so that | was powerless. His repulsiv
face giowed with devilish e~xuitation a
be bent oyer me, knife in hand.
II guess yer hain't forgot Wolfanp
have yer2H he said, tauntingly. 1T
goin' to serve yer the same wal
Won't yer partner ramp and tear whe
he finds yer here dead, with this We
knife in yer carcass and all his dus
gone. Dead men tell no talesl''
! shuddered as he raised the knit
high above his head, ready to plunge
into my breast, and began to think {
/, the past | tried to utter the prayer
!. my mother taught me when a boy, b,
!, / could not
I The knife began to descend, and / sh,
my eyes to hide from sight the horribl
spectacle.
: Ali what was that? The doorwa
: was darkened for q moment The
there was q flash, q report, and Il
man with the knife appraised above n
fell hfeless TO the floor and / tainted.
9 When | returned to co~nsciousnei
E Bill sutton and half a dozen sturd
E miners were bending oyer me. Bi
2 was bathing my forehead. When | +
I covered sufficiently he related to n
9 the circumstances Of my narrow escap
. When about fifteen miles from Il
2 cabin he had met the supply wagon Q
s the way to the mines, and, as he hs
mo- other business in Stubville but to 3
= tain supplies, he returned with II
2 wagon to the miners headquarter
! about a quarter Of a mile distant Aft.
I leaving it he at once FASTENED to Il
cabin and arrived just as the villain
q knife was about to pierce my breas
: Without a moments hesitation ]
brought his rife TO his shoulder al
/ fired, with the results already know
to the reaaer.-Thomas Charles Lev
in n. Y.4Weekly.