The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-11-30

might say would in all probability do more
harm than good, and it has always been max
ln OF mine, to hold my tongue when in doubt
At last the discussion seemed to be ended. for
the blackest OF the whole came forward, and
without any introduction, exclaimed
II say, stranger, look here, you must dep
did not move muscle or utter aword.
"You have found out our secret. and dead
men tell no tales"
/ was silent.
''We viii give you ten minutes to saw your
prayers, and also allow you the privilege of
being shot or hung"
Suddenly anidea struck me- remembered
something that might save my life. 1 burst
into violent tit of laughter, in fact it was
looked at one another in amazement.
! "Well, he takes it mighty COOL anyhow"
said one.
Suppose he don't think we are in earnest"
said another.
"Come, stranger, you had better saw your
prayers" said the man who had first spoken,
slime fies." l :
My only reply was fit of laughter more
violent than the first.
"The mans mad" they exclaimed.
"Or drunk" said some F gr I
swell, boys" cried 1, speaking for the first
time, this is the best joke have ever SEEM
What, hang pal?"
"A pal-you palp'
Il amt nothin' else," was my elegant re-
joinder.
SWhat is your name ?,
Did you ever hear of Ned Willett?" / re-
piled. -,IL
you may be certain of that. Amt he the
head OF our professionw E
'Well, then, I'm Ned" s.lss
You Ned Willett?" they all exclaimed. q
you may bet your life on that" returned,
staggering up to the corner where l had seen
the old woman counting and packing the
counterfeit half dollars. eh
Fortune favored me. None of the men
present had ever seen Ned Willett, although
his reputation was well known to them, and
my staggering, insolent manner had some
what thrown them off their guard, yet could
plainly see that their doubts were not at all
removed. str.l5
"And you call these things well done, do
you l asked taking up a roll of the money
'Well, all l have to say is that if you can't do
better than this, you had better shut up shop,
that's ALL" fFrrgsF
9Can you show us any better9" asked one
OF the men.
+ II rather think I can. If / couldn't I'd hang
myself" aft1lt
"Let's see it," they all cried.
This was my last coup, and one on which
my life depended. Il 9a da 8ni.d
"Look here, gentlemen, I exclaimed, taking
one of the counterfeit half-dollars from my
pocket that had been rejected at the bank,
"here is my last job, what do you think of
it?D 10 -, ei
1t was handed hand-to-hand, some saying it
was no counterfeit at all, and some saying it
"How will yon prove it is a counterfeit ?"-
asked one. ~t
"By weighing it with genuine one" re-
Piled. ~ sl %. ~ %
Thisplan was Immediately adopted and its
character proved. i1f .,l 35aai iso1
perhaps he got this by accident" I heard
aman whisper to another. -.r
@Try these said, taking the other two out
of my pocket.
All their doubts now vanished.
"Deautifulp exclaimed some. Every splen-
did p said Others a4i En ~ .a3s
When they had examined them to their sat
isfaction they all cordially took me by the
hand, every particle of doubt having vanished
from their minds. | carried ON my part WELL
Some questions were occasionally asked me
involving some technicalities of the business;
these, however, avoided, by stating that
was Oh a journey, and would rather take
glass of whiskey than answer questions. The
whiskey was produced and we made night
of it. 1t was not until morning dawned that
we separated. rl4 1909
The next day I returned to Chicago and
brought down the necessary assistance, and
captured the whole gang of counterfeiters in
the very act. The den was broken up forever,
and most of them were condemned to serve
term in the State Prison.
l have those halfdollars still in my posses
sion, and never intend to part with them, for
they were certainly the means Of saving my
life. n