s highly
popular in the barracks. We had fixed on the night of March 20 for the
venture.

My room was in the second story of the barracks, but I was allowed to go
freely through all the rooms on that floor, followed more or less by a
guard. None of the windows opened on the street. There was a room
leading to an open window, but the door was kept locked. It was arranged
to have it unlocked with the key on the inside at 10 o'clock that night.
I was to walk about as usual, and, when the hour came suddenly step
through the door, lock it behind me and then bolt through the window
into the street. Nunn and my friend were to await me outside of the
window with orders to shoot any man (not a native) who attempted to stop
me, as I feared Curtin or his men might be on guard in the street, and
once in the street I did not propose to go back again alive.

The guns and two extra revolvers had been made into a bundle and left at
the station. At a nearby room were disguises for Nunn and myself,
consisting simply of cloaks and whiskers. We intended to board the 10:30
train going South, and once well out of the station would dispense with
all disguise but the Spanish cloak each of us wore.

The day for the venture came. I had previously instructed my wife to
send word she was indisposed, and to remain at the hotel. She had very
bravely offered to be on hand and with me up to the moment I disappeared
through the door, but fearing that in the excitement some of the
soldiers might say or do something insulting, I forbade her being on the
scene. I had had an unusually large number of visitors during the day. I
felt but little anxiety over the result, save only on the side of
Pinkerton. I had a sort of suspicion or presentment that, once fairly
outside of the barracks, I would run against him. The day passed rapidly
away, and 6 o'clock came, and all the civil officials, with the horde of
hangers-on, departed, leaving the usual evening solitude in the
barracks. Soon Nunn came with my supper and cautiously produced a
revolver and belt. I strapped the belt around me under my vest, placing
the revolver under a pile of clothing. Nunn reported everything all
right. He had seen Curtin that day as usual around the hotel and
apparently unsuspicious of anything unusual going on.

The window I was to jump out of opened on the public street, and the
street would be jammed full of people at the hour I was going. Of course
there were a good many chan