Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-08-01
CHAPTER TX.

CHAPTER TX.
When the door had Closed behind her,
Hendricks gave deep sigh and smiled
family.
"She doesn't know what an awfully
narrow escape | had he began. When
I retired last night | was SO overcome
with fatigue that I hardly could take
time to undress. I actually fell asleep
whi1e sitting on the side of the bed
10 take off my boots. almost tumbled
to the floor, and that reused me suf-s
ficiently to complete the operation.
"The first intinlation of danger came
to me in dream. thought | was in
the basement of a burning building,
confined in room, the walls of which
were solid masonry and the doors of
iron. l seemed TO be choking and gasp
ing for breath. 1t was no dream; il
was reality as far as the sitting sensa-
ton was concerned, for on waking |
found my arms pinioned, weight on
my breast and a towel saturated With
chloroform held tightly over my nos
trils.
''My Lord! it was awful. Every vein
in me seemed on fire. / felt as if had
been pumped full of ignited gas.
tried to scream, but my human night
mare prevented that, or the slightest
movement on my part.
Cali at once the thought struck into
my benumbed consciousness that / was
in the clutch of my secret foe, and with
that came a sort Of repugnant despera'
ton that had strength. threw out my
right hand, and catching the towel
wrenched it from my nose, and then
sucked down into me a Whit of Gods
pure air 1t seemed to act on me like
releasing a gigantic spring, for
hurled him from me as you would
singing lizard. I heard him strike the
middle Of the floor and grunt as the
breath went out of him. Then l felt
hastily under my pillow, and missing
my revolver, and hearing a click from
where he crouched, knew that he had
nabbed it. | was on my feet in mo-
ment, and you can bet | did some tall
lodging in the darkness, for | knew l
was his target. saw him moving as
moved, trying to get an aim at me, and
all the time l was edging, sometimes
erect, again on all tours, toward the
corner where I knew that old sword
stood--a relic of the Revolution.
Before he pulled the trigger l had
hold of it. He heard it rattle and
blazed away. His bullet struck the
brass scabbard, glanced off and crashed
into that mirror there. The fash helped
me locate him, and jerking my weap-
on from its rusty sheath, I dashed at
him, hoping to cut him down before he
got another shot. My first furious
thrust with such a formidable weapon
astonished him, and he backed, cooking
the gun as he did so. gave him stab
right at the breast. It would have run
two-inch plank through, but it had
no more effect on him than if / had
struck the iron sides of an American
suit of clothes. I heard him laugh
derisively, and then he fired again. l
felt the twinge in my side just as my
mother screamed below, and then I was
almost overpowered by the thought
that she would rush to my rescue and
get killed along with me. / dashed at
him, cut at the hand holding the re-
volver and was rewarded by hearing the
weapon strike the floor at his side. I
saw him stoop for it, and plunged my
swords point at his back. 1t rebound
ed as if it had struck cork. The next
lick was dealt at his hand as it CROPPED
toward the pistol. I knocked his arm
out and he fell sprawling on the floor.
The mistake I made then was in try
ing to get possession of the revolver, for
when reached for it, he bounded to his
feet, and, Kissing like cat, sprang out
at the open window through which he
had come. I saw his head and shout
ders disappear below the sill just as
secured the gun. I ran to the window
and saw him crawling down the slant
ing roof Of the conservatory. Remem-
boring his armor, took aim a the back
of his neck, but was too shaky TO shoot
well, and missed. Before my unnewed
fingers could cock the revolver again he
was out of sight, and heard the gate
in the rear close with a slam.
81 started in pursuit. down: the front
stairs, but when [ reachedthe first land
ing met my mother and keeled over
in a dead faint. The drug and the
wound were too much for me. [ came
10 in a moment and prevented her from
notifying the police or the neighbors of
the accident. Then it was four o'clock.
| tried to get message to you, but
failed on the first attempt That's the
whole account of my adventures"
you have certainly had tough time
cie IL" declared DR.. Lampbin. "At whose