Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1873-07-29

watched his movements.
No, it was not a ghost. Ghosts
go not about among the rich goods
of wholesale house, quietly col
lecting valuable packages from
newly arrived boxes of silks and
tying them together in convenient
bundles. This party did. He was
man-and big man, too.
His movements at last brought
him to within ten feet of me, and /
felt that the time had come. He
was evidently larger than myself,
but the conciousness that / was in
an honest cause nerved me and /
sprang from my covert, and grasp
ed him around the body.
He dropped his bundle, uttering
startled exclamations, but recover
ed his self-possession almost instan-
ly, and strove himself. Then be-
gan desperate struggle-on his
own part for liberty, on my part
probably for life.
We reeled thither, swaying
against boxes and pillars, falling to
the floor, and rolling over and over,
with a clatter that walked the build
ing to its foundation; and finally,
still struggling, once more rose to
our feet. At last his strength
proved superior to mine, and he
succeeded in disengaging himself,
when he hurled me from him, and
sent me staggering some feet. We
stood an instant confronting each
other, and in that instant / recog-
nized him.
"Joe Williams - ! EXCLAIMED, or
rather gasped, for my breath was
nearly gone.
eyes, it was Joe Williams the
porter-the good-natured and
reputedly honest fellow, who had
been for years in the service of
B & Co. He was on the point
of fleeing when | spoke, but he
now confronted me fiercely exclaim-
ing:
Eyes, Harvey Slater; but you
shall not live to expose mel"
AS he spoke he drew a heavy
single barreled pistol, and leveled
it at my breast-the muzzle scarce
ly yard distant. He naturally
took step backward in doing so,
and that step proably saved my
life for he stepped fairly into the
open hoistway, and fell backward
with a startled scream. So sudden
and unlocked for was his disap-
pearance that / could not realize it
at first, and was beginning to fancy
it all dream; but / was brought
to my senses by hearing the clat-
tering noise far below, and a loud
report that woke harsh echoes in
every corner and recess of the
building. The pistol had fallen to
the lower floor and exploded. At
that moment a neighboring church
clock struck one, and the tolling of
the hour had never sounded so
CHASTITY before. l fancied it the
funeral knell of that wretched man,
who must have fallen fifty feet, and
who now probably lay n hideous
mass on the lower floor. | stood q
moment listening, while cold pers-
piration started from my forehead,
and | trembled as with an ague.
A deep groan reached my ears
then l heard rapid footsteps on the
deserted street, followed by bold
knocking at the front door.
"What's wrong in there ?" shout
ed an authoritative voice. "Open
the door,
And the knocking grew louder.
/ crept to q window, opened it,
and looked down upon the street.
Several policemen were at the
door.
care you officers!" l asked still
trembling.
"Yes, what's the matter ?"
81 will come down and open the
door," rejoined closing the win
dow.
/ hurried down the four flights
of stairs, and dark as it was it
seemed but second till / had
reached the street door, which
unfastened and opened. To my
surprise one of the officers seized
me saying.
"Oho! We've got you at last, eh I!
Don't try to escape, or you are a
dead man.
"Let go of me J" l said half
Indignantly. "You need not fear !