The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-08-11

that I might not see my hunter when
he disclosed himself. But l reasoned
myself into a healthier state of mind.
and overcame the terror which en-
crossed me. 1t was absurd to show the
white feather. After all, however mys-
terious the recent happenings might
appear, they could not be supernatural.
Thus l reasoned with myself, losing
count of time, until my state of health,
or my fears, or the mental strain
proved too much for me, and l fell
asleep
".
7 was awakened by something touch
ing my foot. just managed to repress
the impulse to cry out, in time to notice
something living, something moving,
on the ground. There was no mistake
was wide awake as sew that the
something was man. He had entered
the tent as I had done by creeping I'M
der the canvas, and has touched my
foot in doing so. His attention had
presently been centered on the bed
stead and it's occupant, and he had not
noticed me. / heard faint bulge in
the canvas as the brute dragged his
feet in, and then, first rising to his
knees, he stood up to his full height. l
grasped my revolver tightly and COW
cred him as. stoodSin the dim light,
fumbling about in his girdle.
thought noticed the dull CLINT of
bright steel as he withdrew his hand
and moved towards the bed; but the
light was bad and was not quite sure.
Then he paused a moment and turned
his head towards the entrance, as
though to make sure he was alone. He
had not made the slightest sound DUR
ing the whole proceeding. He stood by
the side of the camp bedstead. gazing
/ at Valley his back to me, I heard
him mutter something under his breath
which l could not catch, and then he
stopped over my sleeping comrade.
Bang
l fred my revolver through the roof
and sprang up. In less than a second
had grappled him round the throat.
He was very wiry and determined; but
! had him at disadvantage. and. in
less time than It takes to tell, heard a
| responsive shot outside. The camp
was alarmed. VALLEY was awake and
tumbled out of bed as the sentry forced
| his way into the tent.
/ 1t took all knew to hold the devil
But we had him safe, and Valley hav-
ing struck light, handed my captive
| over to couple of our men who had
joined us, and we were enabled to take
his portrait.
He was a very vulgar specimen of a
Shan. Naked as when born, except for
a filthy rag he wore round his lean
body, we'll above his waist, he was Ella
borately tattooed from hip to knee ac-
cording to the fashion of his country.
His face was dirty. his expression
criminal. He was a good type Of the
| pronounced Dacoit by conviction. And
! this, then, was the personitication of
| the Nemesis that had overtaken three
good men and true, and would have en-
velopedWalley and myself had his er-
rand of tonight not failed. We
searched hint didn't take long-and
| found nothing. We questioned him as
! we'll as we were able, but evoked no
| satisfactory reply.
We questioned the sentry, q trusted
| man, but with no result. The Sikh
swore that no living thing had, or
| Cbuluf ODldl4 dCCtSS IL tIic tSltt fWiliiout
his having known, and further affirmed
| that he had never seen the man before.
We finally saw him securely bound
and placed under guard Then l went
| back with VALLEY to the tent to discuss
recent events.
We were both somewhat disappoint-
| ed at the turn events had taken. That
| our prisoner was up to no good we fell
1 satisfied, but we had not a little of evil
| dence to connect him with the recent
| murders. And we knew how hopeless
it was to expect him to own up and
convict himself.
| II should like to know what he
would have done If hadn't disturbed
| him" / said
| Thanks replied Valley. I'm sure
it's pity you didn't wait and see"
What was your sensation when you
| woke?" / asked, disregarding his sar-
casm.
well, it's little difficult to say.
was fast asleep, when felt something
+, touching my eye. must have lifted
! my hand to push 1t away, when peal
/ of thunder-this being, of course, your
| shetland awoke, feeling that some
thing was pulling my eyelid. 1t was d
most extraordinarily queer sensation;
but Immediately ] grasped the position
of affairs it passed out of my mind"
| do you think that he really was
touching your eyer" inquired.
mo question about 1t. 1t felt lust
like it does when you get a fly in, and
some other chap is pulling the lids
| apart to get 1t out. / felt it distinctly
and one eye feels quite achey now"
That's curious" / replied, as |
moved to the edge of the bed to sit
down. do you mean
| But the sentence was interrupted by
| the sensation that l was wounded in
the leg, and promptly sung out and
jumped, to find a piece of bright steel
some eight inches in length, sticking
into my thigh by the pointed end The
weapon, whatever 1t was, had gone
nearly an inch deep, and the pain was
considera BILE.
| What the deuce is that ~ exclaimed
Valley, as l distracted the implement
and handed it to him.
THAT must have been the weapon
that black devil meant to take your life
with" 1 replied. "See it is pointed
| and curved exactly like a surgical nee
die, but without an eye, and longer
"By Jove, I can see it all now!" ex-
claimed Valley. Come along; don't
let's lose any time" saying which, he
led the way out. followed him. at a
| loss to understand what was passing in