The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-16
6i$ life Saved by a Seven.Spot.
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Made Ills Escape While the Lynchins Party Was Watching
Highly Exciting Poker Game
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of the pursuers. II was black dark. Wat
son acted quickly. He drove back a short
distance 20 an old house, drove his team
far into the swamp TO hide 1t, and then
returned 10 the shack to get out of the
rain. The place was not occupied. and
Watson said he would wait there until
the stream could be crossed.
THE officer and the prisoner had not
been in the house an hour before they
heard vofcss and ir q nsomrnt they knew
that the pursuers were upon them. This
was bad. Watson streaked under the
house and McLoy followed. and In little
while six members OF the mob came in.
They had lanterns and they stood right
over the prisoner. but they did not know
II.
THE rain kept beating down, and there
was not much chance Of anybodys cross
ing the swollen stream that night. The
pursuers had to make the best Of IL. They
sat around in the damp room and told
how sweet vengeance would be when they
came upon the murderer. After a while
one small chap suggested that they play
cards, and then somebody hooted the sug-
gestion, because no cards could be found.
Tho little man produced a gray deck.
and poker game was started. The men
had 10 play on the floor In the light OF
one lantern, but when they got engrossed
I'm the game they figured more on the
worth of a hand than on their comforts.
They played steady game. without not
ing that the rain had almost ceased. and
the betting had at last got down 10 three
OF the players. The others had gone
broke. The players who stuck were
there for what II was worth, and they
shuffed the damp cards and thought less
every shuttle OF the man they had been
sent to kill. The short man was winning
right along, and this must have been due
TO the fact that he knew the cards. for
at home he could not have sat down at a
table with the elderly gentleman who was
gambling with him. But the game made
them all equal and they played
Every word uttered at the table. or
rather on the floor. was heard by the Of
ficer and his man, who we're crouched
beneath the house. The playing had at
and the elderly gentleman, Col. Pelotte.
and the latter had got hot as the cards
failed to fall as he liked.
johnson. the short man, was still win
ming. and II had begun to look as II he
could win everything In sight, and he
WAS playing with that object In view.
While they we're gambling for stakes
which got higher and higher Watson and
his prisoner were planning to escape.
Watson called McLoy. and together they
hurried from the house. The trap was
brought out. and Watson found that the
stream could be crossed with little or no
danger. Accordingly. they prepared TO
skip, and they did manage to cross with
out the least harm. just as they had
reached the other side Of the stream, the
rain began pouring down again. and
Watson whipped his horse and made him
ny through the muddy roads.
TN the meantime the gamblers were
stil at the cards. They had remarked
that the rain was over. and Colonel Be-
iotte. who had but a small. sum left,
said that he would start as soon as he
lost his few chips. and II did look as II
the start would not he long DELAYED. for
Johnson was stu winning. They were
getting near the end when the rain be-
gan agaln--the rain which had been kind
enough 20 let Watson cross the stream
before II resumed its violence.
haven't much left here. said Col
Beiotte. but az soon as this IA gone we
viii continue our journey. That rain.