Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-18

You are wrong 1 replied, with a
forced smile. L have come TO get something
to eat, and 1 Will stay all night ii the
STERN breaks as heavy as it threatens.
This while unsaddling my horse. There
was an awkward pIGse for a moment,
then Sam slowly lowered his rifle, remark
ing, 1 know You want me, but you won t
get me-
talk it over, L said, stepping up the path.
In an instant he barred The way. Not
until you hand over that revolver, and he
Eeld ouE his hand for my Colt. l had to
out OF Ii L handed over the gun, and
walked III front OF hun into the house.
Ccid meat, bread and boiled 5eets were
On the table, and a plate laid for one. He
marched INTO his own room and stood his
Winchester in the corner. My revolver he
stuck iltro his loot top; ne carried his own
in his hard. | fell to eating, and he sat at
the opposite side of the table, occasionally
taxing bite OF food. but playing inces-
sanity first with my revolver and then
with his own. His shifting eyes were off
NE scarcely second. | was nervous and
Wouid have given almost anything to be
safely out of it all. Several times 1 tried
10 get him in conversation, but ne answer
ed HE only with crazy laugh, and kept
up the incessant playing with the two re-
voiverS- Meantime the storm had broken
IN all its fury, and the sharp, streaky
lightning, and heavy falls OF thunder did
not teEd TO compose my nerves. although
at every heavy peal my friend would laugh
IN apparent answer, and frcwned when he
caught me looking al him.
Guarded by Mailman.
Finally he said: You can sleep On that
cot in the front room. You have slcp. on
1t before. You went need any candle:
plenty of light will come from this fire.
Besides, 1 will watch YOU And again he
laughed.
Aren't you going to turn in?' 1 ven
tured.
Not when I have company like YOU
And then followed another laugh.
Slowly and deliberately 7 undressed. try-
ing to turn over in my mind some plan by
which l could bring things to a climax
AS l stretched myself on the couch Boyle
picked up big arm chair and placed it
where he could sit and watch every move
l might make. A Pickering light from the
burning logs shone across the room. BIZ;
flashes OF green lightning made the scene
In my anxious state of mind, most un-
canny. Sleep was. of course, out of the
question If he fell asleep my work was
simple enough. 1t was on this chance I
lad counted. If 1 did not show up with
my prisoner by o'clock next morning
tMo deputies were to await outside just
within calling distance. But my crazy
companion did not seem at all inclined TO
slumoer- He simply removed his boots
ana seated himself in the chair where he
to'lu "alcn me. My revolver seemed
particularly to interest him. He amused
himself by pointing it at everything within
range, including my uncomfortable form
ON the couch. Hour after hour passed and
sleep came 10 neither of us.
reward morning | sank from pure ex-
haustion into a momentary slumber. The
thunder had ceased, but the lightning still
continued. The creaking of a board caused
me TO open my eyes just trife. The fire
had nearly died out: Boyle was approach
g. lie
meant no good to me. but dared not move.
Closer he came. l could hear him breathe.
He stopped and listened to determine
whether | slept or not. i was on the point
Of jumping from the bed when sudden
flash revealed him within three feet of me.
He had me covered with my own revolver.
To move meant certain death. 1t took all
my nerve to breathe full and steadily as
one in slumber. With the cold sweat pour
ing off me 1 awaited the result. Every sec
ond seemed an age.
4 Pcrilous Moment.
Il have faced the muzzle of a gun many
times, but never before in bed, with a
maniac leaning over me. Then for a while
he bent down and listened. He seemed
satisfied. and moved away to his seat in
the armchair. Soon after this, much to my
relief, daylight came. Boyle had not once
closed his eyes. ! felt ten years older. 1
did not stir. while he placed the coffee over
the fire, stopping ever and anon to look at
me through the open door. 1 called him,
and he started as if shot, covered me with
the revolver, and then slowly lowered it
with q laugh. i made some joking remark
about his eccentricity and his determina-
ton TO look upon me a dangerous char
acter who must be watched. He made no
response. only pointing to the table and
said that l had better eat and get out, az
the storm was over and he wanted to be
left alone.
Seating myself. 1 at once made I'D nv
mind that the time for action had come
his revolver was in its holster, but mine
he laid carefully beside his plate and COM
Henced to eat voraciously, never taking his;
eyes off rie, however. Picking up a cold
potato, L apparently by accident let it slip
and roll TO the floor. past Boyles chair
Rising from my seat l crossed behind him
as II TO pick up the potato, but suddenly
turning, seized him with both arms around
the waist. With a bound and a cry of I
knew It,, he jumped from his chair lifting
me off my feet. We both swayed AMI fell
10 the ficor. my shoulder sustaining the
full shock of the fall. With a twist he
wrenched from me. faced and clinched.
and then commenced the fiercest struggle
of my life. l had to overpower that mad
man or die in his grasp.
Fight for Life.
HE had the case knife with which he
had been eating still in his right hand.
With an oath he plunged it into my back
The round-pointed blade struck squarely on
rib and broke of. With the broken half
blade he jabbed my shoulders. neck and
face until / managed to catch his wrist In
my right hand. Then we had rough and
tumble all over the floor, sometimes on cur
krecs. sometimes one on top, sometimes
the other. We were pretty equally match.
ed. He had the strength Of maniac, ard
was fighting for my life. / had rendered
the knife hand powcrless by my vise-like
grasp on his wrist, and he had his left on
my throat. and could not get 1t away
MY breath was coming short and things
were beginning to dance before my eyes
With one mighty effort of the body lif.ed
him to his knees. struggled a moment
half raised and then We both fell heavily