Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-04-22
SOMETHING OF A NIGHT

is no calm pursuits. but when human
quarry Is sought, ones nerves are not like
ly to know much repose, aud most especial
ly Is this true when the object Of the chase
has wronged so many of the hunters dear
ones that vengeance seems tho sole thing |
left worth living for.
Such, one July afternoon, fifteen years |
ago, was the condition Of affairs | had to |
face.
was in Eastern Turkestan, riding
toward the west like mad itch was thir-
~ miles ahead Of me. by my side ran the
Tarim, its chill waters rushing swiftly on
toward its confluence with the kashgar
fifty miles behind me.
bad ridden my horse since daybreak
determined to oyertake the man | was
hunting down before another nightfall
For three years had been pursuing him,
never able to get within striking distance.
Now he was less than four hours ahead OF
me, and we were ia a land where western
conventionalties could neither prevent my
vengeance nor punish me for il, though
gave thought to neither of these considera.
tions then
He was making for Itch. where he in
tended passing the night IL was my pur.
pose to overtake him little beyond Thokan,
where the Tarim ran through such dreary,
deserted wastes that human sounds seldom
competed with 1t In the business OF awak-
eninR the echoes
On and on sped, urging my jaded horse
far beyond its utmost powers OF endurance
for vengeance, like all other purely HUI
man things, takes no heed OF what IL shall
destroy in prevailing
But my hot haste thwartcd itself, and
when ThokaE was less than a mile away
the poor beast fell under me and expired.
Grown vulture like by reason of my aw-
full pursuit, now that was cheated of my
prey, | shrieked out my wild rage in a
fierce exuberance OF inarticulate sounds;
but the noise of the river prevented every
syllable of 1t from offending even the dead
ears of my horse
Bitter as only bafIied man can feel,
finally shouldered my saddle bags, continu-
ing my way to Thokan on foot.
This miserable apology for town--less
than a dozen mean shanties-failed to fur
nish me another horse at any price. Worse
yet, | found myself compelled 10 spend the
night there, as il was now nearly sunset,
and Itch, the next town before me- was
still more than twenty-five miles away.
Far off in the wet, black and Jagged
mass against the sunset sky, lowered the
mighty SUBMITS Of the Tian Shan range,
the otherwise dazzling wilderness Of their
great snow domes all obscured by the twi-
light.
Nature alone WAS sublime here. Such
miserable human creatures as | found at
Thokan were too stolid and insensate to
even feel curiosity at the advent of a
strauger-a rare circumstance In Turk
estan.
Wretched and desperate, unable 20 en-
dure a thought Of food. | stretched myself
out upon a shelf against the side OF mean,
little loft, which was TO serve as my quar-
tiers for the night.
Through an open window, straight be-
fore me, could look ont at the sky above
the western mountains
Shade by shade | witnessed the fading Of
the sunset eOlors and the end of the after
glow, until all was rs dismally black as
the sensations of bafiled wretchedness
which so nearly stitied me
Then the moon rose. full and splendid,
making night more like day than 1t Is any
where out Of the east.
Instead Of cheering me these mocking
foods OF night light angered me.
What right had sun or moon To shine 50
warmly on a land which had robbed me OF
vengeance 50 long delayed, just as il was
in my grasp
/ clenched my hands in silent rage
hands which would have been red with
human blood IL my horse had not failed
me and had had my way.
" In HHhlIslike pace the seeanus Crept on
into minutes aud the minutes into hours
Not long after midnight the moon, hav.
ing passed the zenith shone into my room,
Illuminating all its varied stores OF rub
bish.
At first these did not attract my atten.
ton; but at last, almost uuconsciously,
began gazing about
Here was a bunch of dried herbs. there a
vornout garment. yonder-
Why, what was that Something oh.
secured the window shutting out the
moonlight
When my eyes were accustomed 10 the
lessened light | made tue obstruction out
II was a human flgure-a man
He had olambered up there from the
ground-to rob me at any hazard, 10 muir
der me il need be; for IN his month was a
knife whose shining blaie glistened in tho
moonlight
Perhaps 1t was only minute. but il
seemed an ags before the sound Of my IN
disturbed breathing satisfied him that
was asleep enabling him to enter the room
impoverished
Presently he swung his feet over the
wtndowbench and dropped upon the door,
without sound.
Slowly he advanced until lac stood be.
side me
Ny eyes were closed, but for all that
could Enthusiastically feel his sharp eyes
peering down at me.
Slight sound rs 1t made, heard him
take the knife from his teeth and run his
fingers along its edge.
Then all was silence again; could not
even hear him breathe.
Probably he was wondering whether he
had best kill me before robbing me. What
sver the cause of his dcliberation Il was
maddening, uncomfortable.
Finally tore open the garment over my
heart and said
Why don't you kill me. II you wish TO,
and have done with ItFa
With halt suppressed yell OF amaze
ment the man dropped his knife and
EpranE from my bedside straight out
through the window.
MY desperation had terrified my Tartar
friend into the belief that he had attem pted
the life OF some demon.
had hailed the first sight OF the weapon
with a sort of fierce Joy; IL was probable
avenue OF escape from the miseries Of unre-