The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-05

at that time but after few days hunt ing in the wood for some traces of him, gave him up, likewise my roll of bills, and there l was without hardly a cent in the world-all my work for nothing.
 Tt was tough luck. but l hung around the woods all that spring, then heard of the finds of gold and silver out west. so gathered up some money for the trip. and off I started to try my chances in the hills.
 Was getting on kinder comfortable aft CT I got out in Colorado, where l struck some miners and trappers from the east, so joined hands with em, and we dug away for few months, an getting along all right.
 Was out looking for new dlggngs one day and got ketched in q big rain storm. all alone and after a while located cave where it was better than being outside in the wet, so crawled in for the night, an after some cold supper which l had In my pockets had a smoke and finally conclud- ed it was about time to get some sleep for the night, as I was tired out and didn't see any chance 10 get pack With the boys that night
 Must have been asleep more than an hour when I heard some kind of noise near the mouth of the cave and It woke me up then I listened, as Ii was lone some place and all l had with me was a bowie knife.
 .tsoon I s.w the figure of a man conn., ing into the cave on his hands and knees, holding a knife in his right hand and a crawling along as easy as wild animal, his hair was long and he wore soft nat that was pulled downa over his lace so that I could not see much of his face, so, of course didn't recognize him as ne came along in my direction
 Hooked like a regular cutthroat' all In darkness Mlln llS dirty clothes. hat and hair, an noticed that he hadn't been shaving for some lime past by the beard on his face.
 He'd have made a regular scareerow for any farmer during the crop seasoH' but on the critter came toward me, hoia- ing onto his knife, and concluded that he must have figured on finding me asleep In the cave
 "I had forgot to bring along my re- volver that afternoon, as it was only TOT a short trip I had gone out rom lhs camp. but of course. had my keeh-easea knife. and didn't feel very bad apou' sel- tlng mixed up with one man, With even chances for the fight. -,. .sJest as he was a-getting close enough to sec plainly, rose up and said, Hat or I'll flrer but he didn't seem to mind It. and as I couldn't do much firing Wlth only knife had to take the chances of the meeting =. ..,o,, .sWeil the feller rose to ms ieel "ieH called on him to halt, and then made rush at me in the darkness with ms khlie' and at 1t we went. no chance Tor an ar enrnent and no one to give any ald lo either one of us an I made up my mlhd if was my life or his so at 1t we went, hand-to-hand and no fayors asked in the darkness. but it was great battle or the bowies. you can bet.
 Fought in Darkness.
 I've fought away for about an hour In the darkness, an I soon discovered that the feller was regular trapper, and cer- tainly understood jest how to use knlfe' but didn't recognize him in the darkness as on we fought.
 ..Wel 1t wasn't long before l touched vital spot and had the feller on the go, and after some more fighting pushed the knife Into his front and he dropped Ike a log to the bottom of the cave, me on top. and a-hghtlng like madman to get the best of the argument.
 Tt was all over in short time, and had him, and after few tussles. uurihs which the knife was used freely. the feller gave up and settled down as peacefully as q stuck pig and was soon quiet. "Finally I struck a match and had chance 10 look at his face, and it was A big surprise to me, for there on the floor of the cave was my former partner. Andy Perkins, jest about drawing his last breath and choking up with every mutter he tried to make.
 Tried to get him to speak and recog- nize me. but 1t was too late, and he passed away on the floor of the cave without a word, and me there alone feel ing as if I'd killed him. but 1t was q fair fight. and he. was a-tryng to knife me In the darkness, thinking l was asleep. "A short time later. went back to the diggins and told the boys about the flHht. an described the feller as best could, not letting them know that it was the same who had stolen by big roll of money back In the east
 why, that's the feller that's been a-hanging around here for some weeks and wanted by the boys few knifings he has given the lone miners as we We heard of during the month, so guess you did a good job all right last night when YOU rid the community of him. they told me-
 That's the story boys, and, while
 didn't try to get even with Andy, and wouldn't have bothered him if he hadn't tried to kill me in the cave that night when he probably didn't know II was me. he got all that belonged to him all right; so gathering up his cane the aged speak CT arose from his seat and soon started out of the store for his lone cabin.