San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-30

Bdlou luteutly anu bubpeOJeu was
mistaken.
We all know that when our gaze,
wandering over the heavens, first rests
ON the Pleiades the seven stars show
distinctly, but surveying them closely
and attempting to count them there are
but six. One modestly withdraws from
view.
1t may have been somewhat the same
in this case. / had no expectation of
seeing any person when the shadowy
outlines appeared, and when studied
the situation all became blank darkness.
1t was easy to solve the question. /
might make a sudden rush and DO upon
the stranger before he was aware, but
if he were an innocent person what ex-
PLANTATION should offer for my conduct?
Instead Of that, ! began stealing
slowly toward him. He could not see or
hear me until made sure whether he
was reality or Pigment of the magma
ton.
took possibly five steps in this
guarded manner, when laughed silent
ly. No person was there.
II shouldn't feel nervous, " Imutter-
ed, "for there's nothing in this business
to compare with the risks l have run
many time.
Nevertheless remained standing for
several minutes, peering into the gloom
and listening. No suspicious sound
reached me, nor could / make out the
shadowy figure that had given me such
start Common sense told me was
mistaken, but an odd feeling whispered
that / had never more need of being on
my guard than at that moment
Walking softly back to the entrance
Of the avenue, again paused, with my
senses on the alert. Once more the faint
whistle of a passing engine nearly q
mile away fell upon my ear, but that
was all. From the trees surrounding the
house at the end of the lane shone dull
light, the whole being so similar to that
which greeted me the night before that
it was hard to believe was not stand
ing ON the same ground that had then
stood ON.
One of the worst failings man of my
profession can have is impatience. 1t
has brought many well laid scheme to
naught.
So profound was the stiffness that ]
heard the door of the house open and
close.
Nov, if some one comes out with a
cigar and walks up and down the porch,
the resemblance will be complete.
had turned into the lane and began
walking toward the dwelling. My steps
were noiseless, the soft earth making
such precaution easy. There was no rea-
son seemingly for this extreme care, but
was Enthusiastically nervous.
/ looked behind me as often as to the
front and never took dozen steps
without stopping to listen. The deep
stiffness was unbroken. If any one was
shadowing me, he could be as noiseless
as myself.
had passed about half the distance
from the highway to the house when /
received my second shock. There was
no mistake this time. A man was in
front of me. standing as motionless as L
The poplars at the sides Of the avenue
threw him into such deep shadow that
could not make out the figure until
within a rod of it. There it was in the
middle of the road like statue carved
out of the night itself.
A creepy feeling came over me, and /
slid my hand to my hip. My weapon
was at instant command.
We must have seen each other at the
same instant, so that the halt was ST.
multaneous. He was as suspicious as l.
But why this mutual distrust? We
were in civilized country and simply
meeting in the lane of a country farm
house We ought to pass with a friend
ly greeting perhaps, but at least with
out molesting each other.
1t will be understood that with my
attention absorbed by the sight of the
figure before me / forgot that shadowy
form which fancied had appeared in
the other direction.
1t was idle to stand thus, and took
a step forward, meaning to make bold
front of it,
At that moment tho faintest percepti
BILE rustling behind caused me to turn
my head AS l did so the figure of a
man leaped out of the gloom and bore
me resistlessly TO the ground. 1t was
an Asiatic who had leaped upon me
with the stealthy fury of Jungle tiger.