The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-23

Il reckon he thought you'd be willin'
to pay for the drinks for the sake OF
his conversation" said the barkeeper
with meaning glance.
| turned away from the bar, feeling
a little i'll at ease, for l could not help
noticing that l was observed and
watched with more interest than my
mere participation in so tritling an in
cident as the recent quarrel would jus
tify. Passing out into the street,
strolled through the town.
The many saloons and variety shows
had been lighted up and the streets
seemed alive with people. A din Of
thtn-tOned pianos. snappy sounding
banjos, shrieking tiddles and an occa-
siOnal barrel organ added to the gen.
eral effect of stir and incident and the
peculiar clicking noise of gambling
chips could be plainly heard on all
sides The II o'clock freight had come
and gone ere I strolled back to the
hotel and sought my room. / noticed
as | was handed my key that | was
being sent TO IA different room from the
one originally assigned me, but as this
was frequent occurrence in those
days of crowded Cripple Creek ! made
no comment.
! found the room in which ] was 20
sleep provided with two beds, of which
so that | should he less likely to be dis
l chose the one farthest from the door,
turbed when the inevitable occupant of
the other should arrive.
! placed my clothes on the rickety
old chair by my bedside, and putting
my watch under my pillow, lay down.
| could hear the voices of players in
the several neighboring billiard and
card rooms and the clicking Of the
ivory balls took so strong a hold on
my attention that | more than once
found myself waiting for the next
stroke and trying to distinguish by
the sound which player had made the
shot.
There was no feeling OF loneliness.
on the contrary the Railways reSOund-
ed 10 the heavy tread Of thick soled
boots and echoed the voices Of men
who never spoke less loudly because
of the hour or place. Hour after hour
passed and the streets became less
noisy and the house queter Fewer
people Iramped and sWOre along the
passages, and only AN occasional voice
tioated in through the open window.
I had determined to give up trying tO
20 to sleep and was about to get IN
| and dress when the rafting of u key
in the lock announced the arrival OF
my room mate.
! lay still and he came in. As he
entered he struck a match to enable
him to get his bearings, and by the
sudden glare ! recognized him as the
man from whom | had wrested the
billiard cue and who had sworn to
fix" me.
1t was quite evident, however, that
he did not recognize me. He raised
the window curtain, letting i'm the
moonlight, and advanced toward my
bedside. Before l could divine his in
tentions he pressed treacherOus look
ing knife at my throat.
IF YOU move a muscle you're dead
| mani" he said savagely. Put up your
hands"
BY the struggling moonbeams | could
see the CLINT Of the shining steel with
its scimitar-like point.
/ needed no second invitation, but,
raising my hands above my head |
held them so.
Passing the chain Of a pair of hand
cuffs behind a spindle at the head of
my bed. he snapped first one and then
the other onto my wrists.
He then manacled my feet in like
manner 10 the foot OF the bed.
Stretched on this imDrovised rack. !
awaited his next movements with the
calmness of despair
Nov open your mouth was the