The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-04

As grim white sheets, the black and
silver OF collins, all the pRnoply OF death
affect US because OF that which they
hide, SO this blanket. dangling before Il
hole in an adobe wall, was to Richard
son horrible emblem, and horrible
thing in itself In his present mood,
Richardson could not have been
brought to touch It with his finger.
The celebrating MeXlcaps occasion
ally howled In song. The GultarIst
played with speed and enthusiasm.
Richardson longed 10 run. But In
this mystic and threatening gloom, his
terror convinced him that n move OH
his part would be signal for the
pounce Of death. Jose, crouchlng ab-
jectly, occasionally mumblcd. Slowly
and ponderous ps stars the minutes
went.
Suddenly Richardson thrilled and
started. His breath, for n moment, left
him. In sleep his nerYclC7s fingers had
allowed his revolver TO fall and clang
upon the hard floor. He Ernsped II up
hastily, and his glance swept npprchen-
slvcly over the room.
A chill blue light OF dawn was In the
place. Every outline was slowly grow
ing, detail was following detail. The
dread blanket did not move. The riot
Richardson felt In his blood the effect
of this cold dawn. The candor OF break.
ing day brought his nerve. lie touched
Jose. Come" he said. His servant
lifted his lined yellow fnce. and COM
pretended. Richardson bucklcd on his
spurs and strobe UP: Jose Obediently
lifted the two great saddles. Richard
son held two brides md blanket on
his left arm. In his right hand he held
his revolver. They sneaked toward the
door.
The man who said that spurs jlnGlcd
was insane. Spurs have mellow clash
-claSh-clash. Walking in spurs
notably Mexican spurs-you remind
yourself vaguely of a telegraph line
man. Richardson was incSpressibly
shocked when he came to walk. He
sounded TO himself like pair OF Gym
ba1s. He would have known OF this II
he had reflected. but then he was escap-
ing, not rejecting. He made gesture
OF despair, and from under the two sad
dies Jose tried TO make one OF hopeless
horror. Richardson stopped, and with
shaking fingers unfastened the spurs.
Taking them In his left hand. he picked
up his revolver and they skunk towards
the door.
On the threshold. Richardson looked
Dack. IN tnc corner, he saw, watching
him with large eyes, the Indian man
and woman who had been his hosts.
Throughout the night they had made
no sign, and now they neither spoke
nor moved. Yet Richardson thought
he detected meek satisfaction Mt his
departure.
The street was still and deserted. In
the eastern sky there was u lemou-col-
ored patch,
Jose hsd picketed the horses at the
side OF the house. As the two men
came around the corner Richardson's
animal set up n whinny OF welcome.
The little horse had evidently heard
them coming. He stood facing them,
his ears cooked forward. his eyes bright
with welcome.
Richardson made frantic gesture,
but the horse In HIS happiness Mt the ap-
pearanoe OF his friends whlnnIed with
enthusiasm.
The American felt at the time that
he could have strangled his well-bc-
loved steed Upon the threshold Of
safety, he was being betrayed by his
horse, his friend. He felt the same
hate for the horse that he would have
felt for a dragon. And yet, Us he