Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-11-19

that the men Mason had wished me
to avoid the day before were leaguet
with Sharkey for murder and rob
berry. There was not moment tc
lose, and If l would escape with my
life had got to act.
placed my hand beneath the pil.
low and grasped my pistols, and 9
| moments examination in the dark.
ness assured me that they had been
tritied with, as the villain had stated
But L had plenty of bullets in my
pocket, and in less time than II
takes to tell it L had thrown one
into the barrel of the pistol L held
in my hand, and at that moment the
door between me and my foes slowly
opened, and, framed in the uucer.
tain light that cleaned through, !
saw the hideous face of Old Sharkey
carrying a dim light in his hand, ap-
parently for the purpose of seeing
whether I was asleep or awake.
He seemed to come to the conclusion
that the former was the case, for
L had concealed the pistol beneath
the clothes, end was lying motion
less, but with my eyes sufficiently
open to note his every movement
Stepping back a pace, he set the
light down, and, swinging the door
open wider, he came on tiptoe into
the room, followed by his villainous
companions. The moment had come
that was to decide my fate-a mo.
ment that / shall never forget to my
dying day, so indelibly is it fixed in
my memory.
Carefully L worked my hand from
beneath the clothes, and when Old
Sharkey was not more than two
PAGES away 1 brought my hand by a
quick movement on level with his
breast, and pulled the trigger. A
flash and a report, but the villain
stood unharmed. My hope for life
had failed.
l was on my feet in an Instant
Life was sweet and 1 would not give
up hold on it while my arm had
strength. Raising it, 1 dealt the
villain such blow that it sent him
headlong to the earth, carrying one
of the other scoundrels with him.
Giving bound 1 attempted to
spring over them, hoping to fore
stall the other before he should so
far recover from his surprise as to
wreak his will on.me with the viii
demonstrating knife he carried :;
but Old Sharkey recovering some
what from the effects of the blow 1
had given him, caught me by the
leg, and the next moment | was
fioundering among them, carrying
down with me the last man that had
kept his legs, who, as he fell, uttered
a cry of pain, for he had driven the
knife intended for me into his own
leg.
AT that moment, when death
seemed so near, pinioned down by
the murderers as l found myself,
there was trampling of feet in the
outer room, and the next moment
dozen men filled the apartment, one
bearing the lamp Old Sharkey had
set down, and by its light l beheld
among the number both Seth and
Mason, who in moment had pulled
me from the heap unharmed, and 1
was saved.
"The first man Of you that stirs /
will send bullet through his head"
exclaimed Mason, to the writhing,
villainous mass upon the floor, as
each ind vidual was making a
desperate effort TO regain his feet,
and the threat had the effect desired.
L told my story in few words,
after our prisoners were safely Sc
cured beyond a chance of their es-
cape, not forgetting to relate that
which | had heard of the terrible
contents of Downing's Shaft and
when l was done the look Of stern
determination on the faces of my
companions looked Ill for the trenl-
bling villains, who felt that their
last hours were coming to a close.
From Seth and Mason I learned
that they had left the diggings as
soon as it was discovered that the
two villains had also left the place,
for they had no doubt that my life
was in danger, and, as events showed, /,
they had not reached the cabin q
moment too soon.
With the morning light, while a
part of the men guarded the prison.
ers, the rest made an examination
of DoWning's Shaft, where conclu-
sive proof was found of the terri.
BILE crimes that had been committed
by Sharkey and and his accomplices:
and the men turned away from the
poor relics of humanity here discov-
cred, with the conviction that they
had stern duty to perform. and one
that justice demanded should not
long be delayed.
An hour later and we had turned
our backs upon the cabin; but we
had left there ghastly sight for the
next corners to gaze upon nothing
less than the inanimate bodies of
Old Sharkey and his companions
swinging in the wind.