and step-father, I cautiously approached the saloon at Cressy
station, and peering through the window without being seen, I saw six
or seven men sitting around the stove; I recognized but one among the
number; the rest were strangers to me. Knowing my enemies, I saw at a
glance there were none among those men. Half frozen and famished, I
walked fearlessly into the bar-room, and took a seat by the stove.
Addressing the bar-keeper, I asked for a glass of brandy. He evidently
saw from my appearance that I was very sick, and needed a strong
stimulant; and filling a glass half full of brandy, he handed it to
me; taking it, I drained every drop. I then commenced to warm my
half-frozen body, but during the operation I was very silent. In a few
minutes I felt revived, and I told the men that I was on my way to
Modesto afoot, but that I was sick, and did not think I could hardly
make the trip.

My acquaintance in the meantime said nothing, and did not even appear
to recognize me. At last I succeeded in getting him to one side, and
told him I wanted to get to Modesto by some means. He said he could
not help me, but would not inform on me. He told me he knew the men
present, and that they would help me, if anything, to get out of the
clutches of the mob. I told him I wanted to be kept out of Meany's
hands; also that he was in with the mob, to my way of thinking. He
said they all understood that; that they, the men, would see me safely
through. Here I eat breakfast, after which I went and hid myself in a
barn. Peeping through the cracks of the same, I saw Meany and some of
the mob, just as the afternoon train arrived, talking to one of the
men I had seen in the saloon, and I thought I would be discovered
sure. But in a few minutes the sheriff and posse (?) left, going up
the river. I had guessed rightly; the men did not suspect me; if they
did, they kept their own counsel.

I learned, during the afternoon, that my mother was on that train on
her way to Merced, and that some one had whispered in her ear, your
son is thus far safe. This was a great relief to me, for I had feared
for her safety; I knew that rumors must have reached her of my being
hunted down, and of the uncertainty of my escape from the mob, and I
knew that her agony must be terrible.

I remained hid in the barn until nightfall, when I ventured forth, and
was guided by two friends to a good hiding place, their main object
being to keep me out of the clutches of th