Year: 1868

opposite the head of the stairs. And
you vii! sleep there turning to me,
and pointing to a ladder that led to a
sort Of garret.


Lighting our bits of candles, !
bade Winslow good night, and with
my bet in one hand and the light in
the other | assembled to my room. |
lost no time in disrobing and placing
the bet underneath my bed. I laid
down on the miserable apology of a
bed.


The raging and bowling made such
a noise roaring through the cracks
and crevices that | could not sleep,
and at last worked myself up to a
high pitch of nervous excitement. L
rolled ana tossed about for sometime,
and finally descended the ladder soft
ly and arousing my friend, requested
him to change rooms, giving as an ex-
cuSe that | was much afraid of light
ming.


He humored my whim, and the ex-
change was made without disturbing
a soul.


| must soon have fallen asleep, for
suddenly | was awakened by a steady
drip, drip, Of something falling on my
pillow.


The Internal house leaks | thought
to myself; and for the first time no
ticed that the tempest had subsided,
and the moon was shining brightly.


My hand felt wet and damp, and
lighting my candle in order to find and
stop the leak, my hair fairly stood
On end with terror, at the sight be-
fore me.


My bed was literally covered with
blood and looking upward could see
the blood slowly dripping from wide
crack in the rough flooring. | real
lzed the extent Of my danger, and
knew that in order to eXtricate my.
self, | must act with rapidity and
caution.


In an instant | intuitively compre
hended the whole thing. 1t flashed
through my brain the accident tC
which | owed my life. | was the one
they intended to have murdered, anC
my unlucky belt was at the bottom
of the whole of it. | had eft my
pistol up in the garret, and that mus
be recovered at all hazards.


Blowing out my candle, determin
ed on the course of action to pursu,
and softly opening my door, | step
ped cautiously forth carefully shutting
it and ascended the ladder.


| possessed myself of the pistol
lously preserving me from danger
while poor Wilson was lying welter
ing in his gore.


A hundred times | cursed my unfor
tunate fate and stubborn wilfulne8s
but a light shimmering through th
cracks attracted my attention, and
prepared for the crisis by cooking M
pistol, and assuming a position at tn
head of the ladder.


Stepping softly in their stocking
feet, two men appeared, each grasp
ing a long murderous looking knife
while behind the old woman followe'
holding a candle carefully shaded.


They were making for my room
and with careful aim leveled my tw
barrel pistol and fired.


A heavy fall announced the success
and accuracy of my shot, and as tn
smoke cleared away | jumped dow
the ladder to secure the other VIII
stood as if spell bound.


Pointing my weapon full at hi
head, | demanded his instant surrer
der. His reply was an oath, as h
bounded towards me, his knife grasE
ed firmly in his right hand, and pre-
parcd'to strike.


Again pulled the trigger, but thi
time it missed fire, and graSping hi
arm with an iron like clutch, | close
with him in a death struggle.


| was by far the most powerful
man Of the two, and with my hand 0
his throat the contest would have 500
been decided, but the old hag ha
picked up the knife while we twiste
and rolled in each others embract
she could not use her weapon witt
out endangering the life of her COZ
fedcrate.


at last succeeded in kicking he
in the stomach, and in few moment
[ was master of the field.


I bound the surviving murdert
with some seizing stuff that | had wit
me, and the old hag who was groai
ing IN terrible agony on the floor
secured to the bed post.
Mounting the ladder | approache
the bed and there lying in his ow
blood with a knife plunged to the hi
in his heart, was the body of poe
friend Wilson.


| recovered my belt with its CO..
tents which | again secured aroun


me, and as day began to dawn, | lie
; the house and finding horse in a
outhouse attached to the hut, | noun
, ed him and galloped to the neare
village where l lodged information /


the authorities.


A posse of men soon after starte
on their way to the house; and Il
, prisoners at last were shut up safe


in the county Jail.
The body of poor Wilson was co
: veyed to his house, and soon aft
? buried, and a load was lifted fro


my heart when | learned that he W;
) a single man.


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