The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-12
A NIGHT IN NEBRAsA.

y
OF the hotel at Omaha. l paid no atten
ton TO his hints that he was in immediate
danger OF cramps II / did not come q
his relief, bur informed him that h
would receive q fine of $500 and imprison
ment for law-breaking . he took a drinl
OF liquor in the territory of the Indiaf
reservation, which we were approaching
he had seen my own flask when 1 opened
my satchel for some necessary article
but l informed him that il was FOL
medicinal purposes only and paid no at
tention 10 his wheeling suggestion that
l might spare him a sup. Then hs
gave over importuning and relapsed into
an unpleasant silence. I was half doing
when he gave a shout
"A life-saving station at last, Hoorayi
We had stopped at the door Of tavern
where we were TO spend the night and
the Irishman was confident he would find
bar and get a drink Having beer
over the ground before | knew he would
Dc disappointed, unless he CHANGED on
one Of those law-dehers who travel with
bar in their coat pockets. but he had
no such opportunity and declared pro-
fanely when l next saw him that his
throat was as dry as the crater of Vesu-
vius or any other DID crater he ever
saw.
1 would have been glad if my travelling
| companion had been other than he was,
or that he had put up for the night some
where else. 1 did not like his appear
ance nor his laundering taste for liquor,
( but there was only one tavern in the
place. and the rooms we occupied were
side by side, one window serving for the
/ two rooms. the partition being composed
or lathing papered with newspapers. The
4 door of my room was fastened by q
/ loose wooden button. and I will ac-
knowledge TO a tenderfoot feeling of fear.
/ as 1 thought of the man with a scar and
a scowl on the other side of that frail
partition.
1t being late. retired Immediately after
fairly good supper. My Irishman had
/ gone out TO explore the region, but soon
returned. and l heard him numbering
about the next room, muttering objur-
cations to himself. I did not know his
business or whether he had any, but then
1 reflected that | had not been conf
Dental with him. But 1 had caught him
regarding my wallet. which displayed
some large bills, when l was paying my
coach fare. Perhaps it was the scar that
gave him such vllainous expression,
but 1 never saw a more forbidding look
than that which he bestowed on me.
/ was partially undressed and robed in
a blanket travelling cloak. when the han
die of my door turned softly. and. as the
button held, resisted opening. Then a
tap followed.
Who is it, and what do you want?"
l asked cautiously.
''Shure, it's meself, and it's sup of
whisky I'm after" was the answer
in loud whisper.
If you were a gentleman you would
not make such a request when I have
already refused you.'' / said in a rather
grandiloquent manner, which 1 hoped
would end the controversy.
And II vOu were iintIan1ao x-o,rrcaIk
you wud be afther handin' out the flask
and sayin' here's to our betther acQuaint-
ance.' An may you never want dhrink
as bad as l do this moment. or If you
should, may the Lord compel you to go
dhryl That for your hospitality
He went back to his room and was
quiet for few moments. Then he broke
into a bacchalanian chant. one snatch
of which I partly remember:
"He is a rooly- rooIy-roo-
And everybody knows It;
He keeps good whisky in his house,
But never says, here goes it,"
This was evidently intended for my
ears, and so appropriate to the occasion
that found myself wondering If ne had
improvised it for my benefit. I also won
dered If l had been churlish in refusing
a dram. which I. as a temperance man.
did not feel justified in giving How
much L was to need that liquor before
morning for my own preservation [
could not possibly foresee.
Before | composed myself to the dimen-
sions of my narrow cot bed placed against
the papered partition. my companion on
the other side was snoring, and so near
was his bed to mine that 1t was almost
as il he occupied the other side of my
own mattress. I had extineuished my
fDf1 nd
mo0nless night was acute / felt fool
ishly nervous and worried. as if some
thing evil brooded over me. But I was
physically tired, and at last fell into a
profound sleep, from which I was ava
kened suddenly. apparently without any
cause. No sound reached me, but an
intense silence held me like a spell. Ny
neighbor had ceased snoring-indeed. [
could not hear him breathe But as l
gazed fxedly into the darkness I saw the
black muzzle of a pistol thrust through
the papered wall. moving slowly from
right TO left, as IL to locate me where I
lay. struck at it with my hand-there
wos no report. but It was instantly with
drawn. although 1 had not even touched
it. Whoever held that deadly weapon on
the other side OF the wall must have
seen me-but how2
What would the next attempt OF my
enemy. for now it was evident that the
man in the next room had murderous de-
signs upon me. Gaining the whisky had
only been intended as a preparation for "A
crime. 1 waited too much paralyzed b.
fright may as well confess ito cal
for help or arouse the house The man
in the next room snored again. but I
knew it was only a device 10 throw me
of my guard, when he would come in end
finish me. cold sweat burst from ev-
cry pore, while the devil on the other
side of me breathed regularly and loudly
In his pretended rhythmic somnoience.
And then occurred the closing episode Of
that fateful night.
An object crossed nv vision in the
darkness, protrudng from the same spot
In the partition. but this time il was not
the muzzle Of a pistol but the barrel OF
a rife: inclined downward. and defect
ing toward me in such manner that II
must strike a vital spot The thought
went through my mind Ike lightning that
this was an air gun. that no report
would follow, and no ore be aroused IN
81 robbery. rs well as murder had been
committed Then 7 made a desperate at
tempt 70 throw or the nightmare of fear
that bound re as with withes OF iron
to scream. TO struggle. and did succeed
Ia grasDinE the awful weapon 1t the
So ne moment 2 terrible wound was in
a3cted on my shoulder and arm. there
was q noise such as had never heard
h ny life before. ccIored fantastic lights
danced before my eyes ard los. con
sciousness. Next there was a strange
giddiness IN nv head and I felt myself
roughly handed Some one was tearing
ny shirt open. NY head was raised and
what seemed 10 be d~aucht y fire was
going down ny throat n molten streams
A ras-inE voice was saving
ITS f-ft-f~ hq sarrs a faa4ra ~N.sr n