The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-04-29

the nearby itilN Nlu fAAAifl ulAuulbuAt
dozed on. despite leeks and strings
The next thing knew | was sitting
up in bed. my heart beating wildly.
while listened DTeathlessly for a repe-
tition OF the sudden Wild cry that had
thrilled through the great. empty
house. waking me from deep sleep.
MOtionless. waited there In the dark.
not daring to light the candles. ard
wondering AT the sang frOid with which
had assured my husband that mo
burglars could worry me" In a mo-
ment there IL was again-a cry for
help. not so loud a. Il had been al first.
and half strangled. choking this time.
Without stopping 10 put on more
clothes. my feet hare. and my hus-
hands loaded 3S-Colt in my hand.
noiselessly opened my door. passed
through II. and crept down the corri-
dor toward the back entrance OF the
house. where Ching and Charley had
their rooms AS went. concluded
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
10 get at the wretches.
Noiselessly stealing along. close C
the wall. my pistol cooked and ready
for work. | caught a glimpse Of what
was happening before | myself wa:
seen. The light OF several lanterns SCI
about showed me poor. old Ching. evi
IDENTIFY dead. ,ying almost across m.
back entrance door. which was wide
open: Charley. bound and still moving
had been flung over him, while seyera
men in peon blouses were busil,
hauling my mysterious boxes and case.
through a hole which gaped in th'
middle OF the paved corral q gapes
myzelf. in my establishment. for | has
never seen the hole beforeJ But tina
as all | did see just then for al tina
very moment one Of the men caugh
sight Of me. and glared. aghast as
advanced upon them. Then he CAV
a loud yell that fairly terrified me in
10 standing still for a moment. dropped
his boxes. and took 10 his heels. yell
ing that the devil was upon them
AS he fed. the other men stare
about. and seeing me. also emitteI
screams OF terror. and made wildly 70
the back door. dropping their burden
as they went. ! fired twice only, 10
their terror had somewhat taken m
aback and had the supreme pieasur
of seeing two of the miscieants ella
hands 20 their legs. and fall Wit
| grieyous gvoans. Il had fired pur
posely al their legs. for | didn't wan
TO Kill them Mexican jails aren't over
~ comfortable) Then. allowing IN
two to groan and pray alternatel
where they had fallen. went over Z
attend TO the two poor servants.
Neither of them were dead. Chin
was badly cut and unconscious. bu
Charley wounded my feelings by shut
ting his eyes tight. and trying 10 wril
gle away from my touch. GO way,
he moaned. me good Chinaman-n
stealee. like Mexican boy-go wa,
devil"
So they had all taken me for
ghost. or the devil. | could hardl
contain my laughter rs enlightene
and united Charley. and left him !
revive his unconscious cousin. Thei
having relieved myself Of my ghostl
attire. sent ont for two gendarme
TO whom | confided the wounded bur
glars. and told my tale Of woe.
Next morning. as soon as il was sui
fciently light. we inspected the seen
OF the night before. and found out ths
the burglars had not been burglars q
all. but the members OF famous cour
terfeiting band who had simply fioode
northern Mexico with bad money. an
whom the police had never been alb
10 locate. II seemed that they ha
made unto themselves a secret plaC
under our old house. with a secret Ell
trance covered by stones just insid
our back patio wall and there ha
stored their contraband goods durin
many past months In this way Wit
their mysterious mOvings about. il ha
gotten out that the house was haunt
ed. and | myself was pleased TO yerif
my past feeling that some one. unseel
was present.
Well. they all went r. prison IL
several years. and the secret entranC
10 our house was securely stopped thu
doing away forever with its reputatio
OF being haunted by evil spirits.
As for my providential mask. | thre
IL away. and went to the ball regar,
less. with my brown face and hand
And the Pinal social leaders. sittin
out wondered audibly how that won
an could have the heart 10 dance an
enjoy herself after having actuall
shot with her own hands two poo
helpless human beings."-San Frar
cisco ATgonaut.