Year: 1860

last, ABOUT midnight IL went TO sleep sound
ly; how long | lay 1 do not know, but
wakoned suddenly to find some one knee-
ing over me and very carefully cutting my
shirt open. Now have always had the
power (call it presence of mind, or any
thing else) of comprehending in an instant
all that is going on around me, no matter
from how sound sleep may be walked.
1t is anything but pleasant to wake and
find ones self in the power of desperate
who will have no hesitation in plunging a
knife into your heart. / felt myself in
anything but an enviable situation know.
ing that the slightest indication on my part
of being awake would cause the villain
to give me between the ribs the length of
his bowie, or the contents of his pistol
For, although l could not see his pistol, l
felt sure that he had it handy.


To secure my pistol without letting him
know that was awake, was very deli


cate operation, and attempted to accom-
plish it in the following manner my pis-
tol and bowie. c.knife were both under my
saddle, which | used for pillow. threw
my right arm up over my head, taking
care not to touch the robbor, and yawncd
as if [ was half awake, but ready with my
left hand to catch his arm in the event of
his attempting to stab me. had my eyes
partly shut, so that he could not easily see
them glistcn, but sufficiently open to see
his every move, which l could easily do as
it was clear starlight night. On the
instant that | moved, he raised his arm to
strike, and was nearly bctraying him my
being awake by throwing of my left hand
But some strong impulse prevented me from
doing it, and he held hi' knife suspended
to give the blow had | made another move
When | threw my hand over my head -,
with the same movement placed it und ,r
the saddle end on the butt of my pistol,
which was cooked, ready for use.


| lay in that position for about half a
minute, but it seemed like an hour BY
that time | had power over my breathing,
which on first waking came very quick -
| AS soon as he thought that | was sound
asleep again, he lowered his hand and
commenced operating on my shirt, clearing
it away from the belt. Then | thought
my opportunity had come, and tried to
jerk my six shooter, but it was foul some
way and it would not como. ] thought
n.y time had arrived, for, as quick as
thought he drew and struck with his knife


lie struck at my throat Ny eyes werC
broad open then, and l saw where tn,
knife was coming. BY quick inyounta


ry movement, | threw myself aside, and HI


must have ovcrreachod himself, for til,
knife struck into the saddle, and so tgh


that he could not get it out. In trying tc
get my pistol, my hand touched the colo
silver hit of my bowie,


Instinctivel y | took hold of it, abandon


ing the pistol, and was nerving my arm fo


the pistol, when | felt the cold muzzlc o.


his pistol against my forehead. l strucl


out blindly, and as did so, their was th,


stunning report of his pistol. How | cs


capped do not know; my face was black


ened with the powder, and my whi>kcr


nearly burned off, but that was all tn,


damage done to me. My blow thougl


struck at random had proved severe one


My knife had gone into the left side of hi,


neck, inside of the collar bone. The kni f
, must have reached his heart, for as | drew
out to strike again, he fell on me with hi
whole weight and his blood spirting al
over my face lie gave one quivcr, ant
stretched out his length and lay perfect


sti l-stono dead The whole transaction
did not take three quarters of minute.
The report OF the pistol had arrousc'
the company, every man sprung to hi


arms. Some were looking for the mule:
while others were asking who fired the sho
; and where the Indians were. called t
the boys 10 take the dead man of of me, 70
| was as weak as a child a couple G
them did as | requested while others thrc,
, fresh sage brush on the half smoulderin
=, camp fire, and we soon had plenty of ligl
to see what had happened. | told the boy


all about what had occurred. We foun
all the mules in their places but mine
F which was staked off about twenty yard
from the camp, with one of the other BOY
= saddle and bride on her. went into I'll
river and cleansod myself from his blood
@ and then sat down by the camp fire, wher


l remained till morning unable to sleep.
= A YOUNG lady has discovered the rea