第58部分(第1/7 頁)

hroats　and；　as　we　discovered　afterwards；　some　of　these　made　a　plot　to　kill　us　and　steal　the　silver。　It　happened　that　Jebb　and　I　were　alone　in　the　house　of　which　I　have　spoken；　save；　I　think；　for　the　widow　lady　and　one　or　two　Indian　servants　who　slept　in　a　different　part　of　the　big　place。　Our　rooms　（mine　was　half　filled　with　Indian　corn）　were　at　either　end　of　a　large　eating…chamber　which　overlooked　the　valley。　They　were　fitted　with　latchless　or　broken　French　windows。　The　plan　of　attack　was；　as　someone　confessed　afterwards；　to　climb　up　a　sloping　wall　built　of　loose　stones；　kill　us　with　machetes；　find　where　the　silver　might　be　（as　a　matter　of　fact　it　was　under　Jebb’s　bed）　and　retire　with　the　spoil。　As　police　were　lacking　and　our　own　folk　were　camped　at　a　distance；　in　the　Mexico　of　those　days　this　scheme　seemed　easy　of　acplishment；　since　two　men　surprised　at　night　could　not　have　done　much　against　a　band　of　armed　assassins。

About　midnight　an　attempt　was　made　to　put　it　into　operation。　The　robbers　arrived　and　began　to　climb　the　wall；　afterwards　we　saw　their　footprints　on　the　mosses　and　the　displaced　stones。　For　some　reason；　however；　Jebb　was　suspicious　and；　when　he　was　disturbed　by　the　furious　barking　of　the　dogs　belonging　to　the　house；　he　rose　and　went　to　the　boltless　window；　whence　he　overheard　the　thieves　whispering　together　at　the　bottom　of　the　wall。　I　also　was　awakened　by　the　barking　of　the　dogs；　but；　after　making　sure　that　my　pistol　was　at　hand　under　my　pillow；　went　to　sleep　again。　For　the　rest　of　the　story　I　will　quote　what　I　wrote　in　my　introduction　to　Mrs。　Jebb’s　Life　of　her　husband：

Retreating　to　the　bed　he　＇i。e。　Jebb＇　seated　himself　on　the　edge　of　it；　holding　a　wax　match　in　one　hand　and　his　long…barrelled　Colt　cocked　in　the　other。　This　was　his　plan