The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-11-20
ONE COG SLIPPED
MARLIN SPIKE" COMPTON WAS
NOT MUCH OF A '1MARK."
HE HAD A LARGE "HyNCH.'
Life-Lay Down on the Bed
With Gun in His
Hand.


Butte, L had a touch of the then prevail
ing conditions" Said a character known
as Marlin Spike" Compton, during
discussion of robbers and their methods.
in a downtown resort today, 'a-t' since
then I have been little careful.
Il came from Salt Lake and arrived
at South Butte about midnight, the train
having been delayed several hours hy q
washout in Beaver canyon.a
"Instead of riding up from the depot
I wicked, as I thought was right in
town when I got off the train, and i:
would be throwing money away to ride.
"A1ter tramping several blocks-I saw
d lodging house sign ard tonce ideds Z
would tie up for the night. entered the
house and after sizing up the place con-
T cludei I had made mistake. but would
not back out. It did not LOCK good to
me.
Shown to Room.
| The landlord showed me to room an
the second floor and gave me a small
piece of candle, just enough i'll 1act to
light mo to bed
II examined the door and found there
| was no lock on it or other way o. fasten-
| ing it. There was window in TIE room,
but it opened into the hallway, ard there
was no catch on 1t.
1.-The more sized up the situatian the
more concluded 1 was up against the
real thing, but 1 concluded to maize the
most Of it, had about $500 in my Slothes
and a dandy 44-revolver.
"Insteah OF removing my clothing.
| lay down IN the bed with the butt of she
weapon in my right hand and the bar"
resting across my breast and waited fol
something to turn up.
Something Doing Later.
About $3.50 o'clock 1 heard footsteps
pa.tering along the hallway. They Wcr'
soft and gentle, indicating that the on
making them was iii his stocking feet.
Il remained perfectly quiet, with m,
!, face turned towards the window, whic'
: was raised about foot and E. half-th
way 1 had found it when I antered e.
room.
"A moment after the footsteps Wer
arst heard man poked his head in
the open window. He found every thin
quiet and moved on towards the door.
|. few feet farther down the hallway.
while he was going from the windo'
to .he door. however, 1 raised to a 81.
|
. trained the gun on the doorway.
| The man pushed the door open an
! walked in. He stood in silence few seq
: onds to see if was breathing regularl!
and then struck a match and held tn
blaze against a piece OF candle he ha
brought with him.
n Chances Toward the Bed.
. "As soon as the blaze -1ared up, h
- glanced over towards the bed. Say, tai
about surprise parties! It was doub
;. less the greatest one he had ever G,
y pcrienced.
"He looked down the muzzle Of tn;
= gun like an old-timer at the bushes
'e but showed great signs of uneasiness.
What will you have?" 1 asked. keel
ing him covered with the gun.
"Why. the proprietor sent me here
: sieep!" he exclaimed.
"Well, you run beck and tell the pr,
prietor that this @oom is just lars
- enough for one." replied. with smil
- Instantly the man doused the ligl
;, and faded through the doorway. Then
- lay down on the bed again and silent
exclaimed next But no next came.
IS Il did not sleep any during the nigh
:. but was In good trim to stay awake.
# | I had done some snoozing on the ira
II early in the evening.
n Proprietor Not Ignorant.
n II left the place about o'clock a
i found the proprietor UP as was goil
out.
y II asked him II he had sent anyone
q my room during the night. and he .
~ ewered in the negative, but his mann
clearly showed that he knew sometAtl
about what had trenspired.
"Since that time have been caret
=, about selecting lodging house In
:, strange city.
1.-The man who entered the room v
in his stocking feet all right, but "