The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-01-16
CHAPTER TX

4
family.
"She doesn't know what an awfully
narrow escape had" Dee began. when
e rod last night ! was SO overcome
WITH fatigue that ! hardly could take
time 10 uudress. I actually fen asleep
willie sitting on the side of the bed
t0 take 0r mv boots. almost tumbled
10 the floor. and that reused me suf-
fcienuy to complete the operation.
"The first intimation Of danger came
to me In a dream. ] thought 1 was in
the basement Of a burning building,
coqhned i'm a room, the walls Of which
were solid masonry and the doors Of
iron. / seemed 10 be choking and gasp
ing for breath II was no dream; IL
was reality as far rs the sitting sensa-
tion was concerned, for on waking L
found my arms pinioned, a weight on
my breast and a towel saturated with
chioroform held tigady over my nos
trils.
my Lord It was awful Every VEIN
IN me seemed on fire. / felt as II had
been pumped full OF ignited gas. 1
tried TO scream but my human night
mare prevented that, OF the slightest
movement on my part.
"All al once the thought struck into
my benumbed consciousness that 1 was
IN the clutch Of my ocret foe, and with
that came a sort repugnant despera-
tiou that had 81 18th. I threw out my
right hand, and catching the towel
Wrenched ii from my nose. and then
aff .r
pure air. il seemed to act on me like
releasing a gigantic spring, for l
hurled him from me MS you would
stnging lizard. i heard him strike the
middle Of the floor and grunt as the
breath went out of him. Then / felt
hastily under my pillow, and missing
my revolver and hearing a click from
w'lere he crouched, knew that be had
nabbed H. l was on my feet in a mo-
meut, and you can bet 1 did some tall
| lodging In the darkness. for ] knew ]
was his target / saw him moving as I
moved trying TO get an aim at me, and
all the time / was edging. sometimes
erect, again on all fours, toward the
corner where / knew that old sword
stood-a relic OF the Revolution
Before he pulled the trigger I had
| hold of il. lie heard it rattle and
blazed away. His bullet struck the
brass scabbard, glanced of and crashed
| into that mirror there. The flash helped
me locate him, and jerking my weap-
on from its rusty sheath, dashed at
him, hoping TO cut him down before he
got another shot. My first furious
thrust with such formidable weapon
lstonished him, and he backed. cooking
the gun as he did so. gave him a stab
right al the breast. - would have run
two-inch plank through, but 1t had
40 more effect on him than if had
struck the iron sides of an American
man-of-war. Tie had on bullet-proof
suit of clothes. ] heard him laugh
| derisiyely, and then he fired again 1
/ felt the twinge in my side Jus; as my
mother screamed below. and then wus
/ almost ovcrpowered by the thought
| chat she would rush Go my rescue and
get killed along with mo dashed at
/ him. cut an the hand holding the re-
yolyer and was rewarded by hearing the
\ weapon trike the floor at his side. /
aw him stoop for it, ard plunged my
/ swords point az his back. II rebound
| ad as Il 10 had struck cork. The next
! lick was dealt al his band as 1t groped
toward the pistol / knocked his arm
out and he fell sprawiing on the floor
The mistake ! made then was in try
ing 90 get possession Of the revolver, for
when ] reached for Il, ne bounded TO his
'eet. and, Kissing like a eat, spnng out
At the open window through which be
had come. ] saw his head and shout
lers disappear below the sill just as
] occurred the gum ! ran 20 the window
[ and saw him crawling down the slant
ing roor OF the conservatory. Remem-
J bering his armor, took aim at the back
Of his neck, but was too shalzy TO shoot
we'll, and missed. Before my unnerved
dngers could cock the revolver again he
was out of sight, and ! heard the gate
the rear close with a slam
~ started in pursuit down the front
stairs, but when I rcachedthe first land
ing met my mother and keeled over
iu a dead faint. The drug and the
wound were too much for me. ] came
90 in moment and prevented her from
/ potifyine the police or the neighbors Of
the accident Then 80 was four o'clock.
/ tried 10 get a message TO you, but
Jailed on the first attempt That's the
whole account OF my adventures.
You hsye certainly had a tough time
ofib' declared Dr. Aampkin. cat whose
aoor DO sou lay the attackg
"lt is ihe work Of the villain who set
| tAe bomb Tor me. and am now pretty
( ture be = involved an the Palace Hotel
.Farn