Year: 1868

desperately atteihpteu 10 start my
horse, but before ] could do so the out
laws dragged me from my seat, and bore
me to the ground. ..e


No go, stranger" cried one of them,
Yer can't get away from us, no how
yer can't so you'd better not try"


was down on the ground on my back,
and the desperadoes were STOPPING over
me on either side, with their knees press
ed tightly across my chest. Still, how
ever, resisted, for / was not exactly the
man to give up without struggle, des-
perate as might be my chances, and at
that moment they seemingly could not
have been in worse condition.


My assailants grew furious, and ham
died me in anything but gentle man
ner, but desperation gave me a new lease
of strength, and they found me no mean
antagonist. BY an effort of all my pow
ers l at length managed to regain my
feet. Unfortunately 1 had lost my knife
in the struggle, and was entirely unarm-
ed. Not SO with the outlaws, for they
still had the murderous dirks, with which
they were making every effort to use up
on my person.


Meanwhile the tempest continued with
all its original violence, and in the din
of the storm almost every sound of the
desperate conflict was entirely lost.


AT length my superhuman efforts be-
gan to weary me. l began to grow dis
couraged, too, seeing little chance of my
rescue. My protracted resistance tended
also to excite the blacklist passions of my
deadly assailants. They tore at me, and
cursed and blasphemed in the most ter
rible manner.


Suddenly caught my right foot, and
fell heavily to the ground. The concus-
sion stunned me, and, before / regained
my feet, the outlaws were again pressing
me down.


"Kill him kill him I" cried one, as
he clutched me by the throat, and drew
back his arm.


"Cut out his heart, cuss him " re-
joined the other, in a furious tone.


"God have mercy on me /" inward
ly calculated, fully expecting to receive
my death wound before the expiration of
another moment.


The arms of the outlaws were about to
descend, carrying death to mel could
not see it, but l instinctively felt that it
was so-when the whole scene was sud
denly lighted up by the most binding
flash of lightning ever beheld. Instan-
taneously with the lightning the deafen-
ing thunder pealed forth. That was all
/ knew at that time for instantly | lost
all consciousness.


When / recovered my suspended pow
ers the storm had passed away, and the
sun was shining brightly. was lying
upon the ground, and felt weak and sore,
but otherwise was not injured. Beside
me lay the two outlaws, buried in the
sleep of death--they had been struck by
lightning, and just at the very moment
when their hands were uplifted to de-
prive me of life. The great tree beneath
which l had taken refuge was shivered
into atoms, and the whole scene was one
of death and desolation.


Under such circumstances my own es-
cape seemed miraculous, and / humbly
thanked God for his infinite mercy. The
lightning had saved me from the outlaws,
and the Almighty had saved me from the
lightning. had been doubly preserved


Strange as it may seem, my horse had
escaped, and with full heart l mounted
his back, and started on my journey
The night in the wilderness Ihave never
forgotten, nor is it likely ever shall.