Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1904-03-25

CtallhS even inc euTS. linen cut very
small holes for my eyes nose and
mouth SO that | could barely breathe
comfortably. Then, sewing ON strings
TO hold the contrivance in place. | pro.
ceeded to smear ii literally with good,
strong Mexican leeks-and how they
did smell to high heaven!
When ready for bed | carefully ap-
piled this odorous mask, and tied ii on
so that ii could not by any possibility
come Off. As | put out the candles, |
caught a glimpse of myself and came
near shrieking at the sight, for | look
ed more like a first-class ghost than
anything else. | had twisted my hair
back tight, and, TO protect it from the
leeks. covered 1t with an old white
bathing cap. The mask entirely hid
my face, and | looked like some un-
earthly tall, white thing, with Hat
nose, and no eyes and mouth. | assure
you that | was as ghastly an object us
one could well imagine; so hdeous, in
fact, that | precipltately shut out the
view, blew out the lights and hastily
sought my couch.
My 'beautitier' murdered sleep, |
tossed about for hours. vainly endeav-
oring to doze off. Now and then a
whiff of the fragrance of leeks would
steal up through even the small pin
holes | had cut to breathe through, and
more often the tightly knotted strings
caused me great discomfort as | moved
my head, vainly seeking that rest in
slumber which seemed denied me- At
list, however, some time after the
nearby bells had chimed midnight, |
dozed off, despite leeks and strings.
up In bed, my heart beating wildly,
while | listened breathlessly for repe-
tition of the sudden wild cry that had
| thrilled through the great. empty
house, waking me from deep sleep. Mo
| tionless, | waited there In the dark.
not daring to light the candles, and
wondering at the sang frold with
which | had assured my husband that
no burglars could worry me-" In
moment, there 1t was again-a cry for
help, not so loud as It had been at first,
and half strangled, choking, this time
Without stopping to put on more
clothes, my feet bare, and my hus-
bands loaded 3S Colt in my hand.
noiselessly opened my door. passed
| through 1t, and crept down the corri-
dor toward the back entrance of the
house, where Ching and Charley had
| hnIt. I -
| that burglars had got in and had killed
the two Cinnamon; next, they would
| dispose of me, and then rob the house.
SO furious did the thought make me
| that | lost all fear, and fairly ached
| to get at the wretches.
Noiselessly stealing along, close to
| the wall, my pistol cooked and ready
| for work, | caught glimpse of what
was happening before | myself was
seen. The light of several lanterns set
about showed me poor, old Ching, evi-
IDENTIFY dead, lying almost across the
| back entrance door, which was wide
open; Charley, bound and still moving,
had been flung over him, while several
men in peon blouses were busily haul
| ing up mysterious boxes and cases
through "A hole which gaped in the mid
die of the paved corral. Il gaped my
self. in my astonishment, for / had
never seen the hole before.l But that
was all | die see just then, for at that
very moment one of the men caught
sight of me. and glared, aghast, as |
advanced upon them. Then he gave Il
| loud yell that fairly terrified me into
standing still for a moment, dropped
his boxes and took to his heels, yelling
that the devil was upon them.
As he fed, the other men stared
about. and seeing me, also emitted
screams of terror, and made wildly for
the back door, dropping their burdens
as they went. fired twice only, for
their terror had somewhat taken me
aback, and had the supreme pleasure
of seeing two of the miscreants clap
their hands TO their legs, and fall, with
grievous groans. Il had fired purpose
| ly at their legs. for | didn't want TO
kill them-Mexican jails aren't overly
comfortable) Then, allowing the two
to groan and pray alternately where
| they had fallen. | went over to attend
to the two poor servants.
Neither of them was dead; Ching
was badly cut and unconscious, but
Charley wounded my feelings by shut
ting his eyes tight and trying 10 wrig
gle away from my touch. Go way"
4 he moaned: me good Chinaman-no
stealee, like, Mexican boy-go way
| devil"
So they had all taken me for ghost,
or the devil. | could hardly contain
my laughter rs | enlightened and un-
tied Charley. and left him to revive
| his Unconscious cousin. Then, having
relieved myself of my ghostly attire,
| sent out for two gendarmes, to whom
| confded the wounGcd burglars, and
told my tale of woe.