Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-10-07

at his post on the field Of battle
me center OF the storm approached
nearer. The gusts of wind blew moro
| frequently and the rain poured down
| upon him until he was wet to the skin.
Without warning, there came short,
quick flash-he saw blaze of light about
him and all was changed. He seemed
falling, falling into endless space, and
then, mounting upward, he rode ON the
wings of light. Impatiently he seemed
blinking his eyes, SO that ne might see
more plainly this wondrous, beautiful
scene. Sparks Of fire seemed 10 obliter-
ate his sight and burn into his brain.
He tried to speak, to cry aloud. His
heart seemed bursting with an ecstatic
JOY, but he could not make a sound.
Then all was blank.
After long, long time he seemed TO
feel the chill that comes over one when
the bed clothing is not warm enough in
the night. He thought that was what
allied him, and started to reach down his
hand and put II mp over him. The move
ment brought consciousness. How was
this. Where was hei His mind recalled
the events Of the day and the evening
storm. How could this be? Here he
was sitting upright on the wet ground,
his hands tied behind him, aching in
every limb. Assuredly still in the land
Of the living. He looked up over his
head
II was not a delusion 1t was reality.
The rope was still about his neck, and
there by his side on the ground, with
the other end tied 10 II, was the limb OF
y tree. The blaze Of light that had
seemed so near him few minutes be-
fore was in reality flash Of lightning
occurring hours ago, for ii was now
broad daylight. 1t had struck that
identical tree and freed him. There it
stood splintered and broken
He heard familiar sound near at
hand. Could he believe his eyesy There
was his mare contentedly grazing near
by. He whistled to her and she came
tiotting to him, dragging at the end of
lariat the iron picket to which her cap
tors had tied her the night before. Ii
was too much for his feelings, and lie
broke down and cried like child when
he felt her soft nose on his face expect
ing the caress he usually gave her
Heaven had not only indicated his in
nocence, but had returned his useful pc.
TO him In his great need Of her.
Benumbed and sore, it took him near
ly an honr to free himself from the cruel
ropes, but mt last succeeding. he found
his oil skin bag over near the adobe house
and ate heartily. The spring quenched
his thirst. and he felt like man born
anew.
1t was with heart full Of happiness
and gratitude TO Almighty God for his
miraculous escape that he mounted the
horse and continued the journey which
had proved 80 full Of incident TO him
IN be better husband to Mollie than
before, bless her heart, for coming out
here to be with me, expecting TO give up
the comforts of city life" said he, as
he rode along the way that was rapidly
bringing him TO her. Those drafts that
] sent to the bank in Denver last week
will come in handy now We will 20
over the range to Frisco. and start life
over again. Some day I'll come back
here and find ont who did kill Hank
Green His wife has that dust. She Il
welcome TO the use Of il. Maybe it's
just as well 70 get away from that life
after all, and he rode on content.
A wagon train sent over 10 the railroad
town from Bluffville the next week
brought back the news Of Elliott's es
cape, of his meeting with his wife and
their departure 10 place unknown. The
rough mining camp had too much else
to attend to to think long over the
strange events Of tho week gone by.
Some years afterward it was recalled To
them in an unexpected manner. Victor
Elliott had come back His means aud
position acquired in his new home pro-
tected him from rough treatment, es-
pecially so when the tdwnspeople learned
that he was going over incident after in
cident, questioning man after man
about the shooting of Hank Green, and
shat he had made the widow a present
OF the money taken from him by force.
His search was in vain. Nothing could
be found out about who fired the shot.
At his own request he was tried by "A
jury, all the evidence weighed, and he |
was acquitted OF the charge of murder
In beautiful home in San Francisco
there is curious memento hanging in
the owners library. 1t is a part Of "A
branch Of tree, holding a saddle, bride
and lariat. Its history is seldom told
you know il and SO do Warren Chase
in st. Paul Pioneer Press.