Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1895-02-19

animal IoIfOf.
Tho spell was broken The half light
of tho ire-rcd, warm and grateful
filed tho cave again. The boys startod
from their blankets, guns in hand, and
found myself bending over Rich, who
was lying insonsiblo in tho doorway.
was dripping with cold sweat, and he
WAS white aud cold as q corpse, with
tho blood running from q big cut in his
forehead, where no had fallen against
tho rock doorway.
The storm had passed over, and the
thunder was growing OF ON the far
side Of the Rio Grando, while tho rocks
outside were still wet and dripping with
the rain. But tho moon was breaking
through tho clouds, and the air smclled
fresh and cool. Tho boys wanted to
know what wns tho matter, but hardly
know whether my part in the uncnnny
scene had been more than a dream, 80
told them did not know, except that
had had tho nightmare, aud Rich seem
cd to have boon walking in his sleep
But no seemed TO bo pretty we'll used
up by his fall, and It took n liberal
dronching with wator and allopathic
doses Of whisky to put any lifo into
him.
Tho next morning lie was half deli
rious, with q high fever, and had to be
left in tho cliEhouso whilo tho rost Ct
tho party went out to work. Howard
wGs something Of q doctor and did tho
best no could for him, and when night
camo and the boys had got supper Rich
ate little something and dropped on
to sleep. had gone to sleep, tor, glad
enough that his case had turned out no
worse than it was, for there had been
something tr~ly awful in the way his
illness had como about. had not spo-
ken to any ono but Ned Howard about
the true story Of our joint nightmare
experience, and no had only said
"Humphr' and lot tho matter drop
It must havo been past midnight when
I was walked by tho sound OF shots out
side, and old Salts shook me, saying;
For Gods sake. Cap, get upl Rich's
, loose, and hos gone plumb locoedi" l
rolled out Of my blankets and started
, for tho door, but the old packer held me
back. Look out, " he whispered; "ho's
crazy as a loon, and he's shooting up
Tho rock houses "
As looked out another shot sounded,
and, peering from the shelter Of tho
] doorway, saw Rich about 25 yards
away, crouching in an anglo Of the cliff,
with pair Of revolvors in his hands,
apparently trying to keep of some in
visible nssailant who was lowering in
front Of him. He was yelling some warn
ing at tho top Of his voice and now
and then letting fly shot
It was q terribly nerve trying sight,
the half dressed madman thoro in tho
moonlight, battling with his invisible
foes. It was SO sudden too. And then
thero REQUIRED to me the sceno in tho
cave the night before, the agonized look
Of terror OH the young fellows face
that till that moment had moro than
half believed was a figment Of ny own
imagination Tho madness was, then,
not so sudden, but had been coming ON
all that timo, perhaps aggravated by
tho ghastly stories told the night before
about tho fire.
Tho Thought had hardly flashed across
my mind whcn no omptied the last
shot from his pistols. Ho snapped them
onco or twice, hesitatcd, and then, like
man driven desperately to bay, threw
them at something in front of him, and
dodging as though from some terrible
pursuer came racing up the cliff like a
hunted jack rabbit II was a horrible,
broken path, strewn with bowidors. On
the ono hand rose the straight wall Of
tho cliff, and on tho other was tho bro
ken slope Of tho talus running down 90
feet to the water below. A slip ON tho
edgc wonld mean death Wo yelled to
tho fugitive, but bo did not heed us and
bounded along from bowldcr to bowlder
on tho very edgo Of the clif, sometimes
looking back and shaking his fist, and
again gathering himself for spring,
like a mountain sheep, and skimming
along attracting speed where it would be
hard to walk even IN daytime
J He passed us like fash and was
gone along the terrace. yelling like a
, madman, now plainly visible in the
bright patches OF moonlight and again
, lost in tho shadows. We followed IN
/ hope Of bringing him baok, but it was
& like chasing o night hawk. The other
J boys were also out aud joined in the
chase.
"Did you see it, oap?' painted old
/ Salts as We raced along the ledge. with
/ the wild figure Of Rich dancing ahead
, Of us.
"Seo whntf' snapped angrily, for
! guessed what he meant but did mol
want to own It.
Tho other thing, the BY God, cap
I can see It now. It's follorin him. "
r But just then tho runner stopped ant
threw up his hands. Tho olih bent {
sharp anglo and ran straight across hi
I path Ho was 100 yards away, but w'
} could soc him depble and turn this WAY
+ and that, seeking q place Of escape
! springing up and clutchipg tho smootl
face Of the cliff. like q rat in a wate
D bucket, trying every direction but th'
I open path behind him that seemed Il
s bo blocked by somo horrible but 10 u
{ invisible shape And then, TO our hor
0 TOR, ho faced toward us, and with hi
r back to tho Cliff, lighting desperatel!
4 with his hands al something IN front O
him, no bei',n TO edge ont along mar
{ row ledge that ran out and overhunl
d tho water
r Woyelled to him with all our strength
b and redoubled our speed, but no cid no
o seem 10 hear. and fighting frantioall'
d at something that seemed TO bo crap
0 pling at his throat ho staggered hacl
& step BY step toward the edge, and then
D horne down as though by somo power
o ful antagonist, he sank 10 his knees q
r tho very odgo Of tho rock, swnyed, nnl
I, with a wild scream toppled over back
6 ward, clutching nt the mir, turning anl
? writhing IN bis fail, over and over nnI