Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-10-09

almost knocked down by John Jones
VINO rushed into the Office, looking like {
ghost.
.,, He's gone" he cried in Welch
We've lost him."
Leaving her ladyship to find her OWL
way out, ran bareheaded into the stree
ana on to the Prince Llewellyn. The birG
haa flown indeed. Red headed Williams
stood at the door gaping and staring a
,ne root as II he thought Potts was &
olfd The men had left him in his room
lor minute, and when they entered il
again he was gone The window was
open, and there was an iron water pipe
running down the wall close by. He
must have slid down this and got away
NO one had seen him; not trace of him,
not vestlge, not a fragment of Clew
could we find. | set the police to work
fotts had lodged in cottage near the
river, half mile from the town; he might
nave found his way there. set man tC
watch the house at distance, sent. off q
policeman on horseback to the station
some six miles off, to watch every train
But L had little hopes of finding him
again. tie knew the country we'll, had q
good start, and would strike across the
mountains to Wigwillem, in the adjoining
county, where he might laugh at my
boards.
No sooner did the thought strike me
than L determined to follow the track my
sell, and started at the rate of about six
miles an hour. 1t was a hot, breezeless
May day, the first day of summer; what
with the heat and the turbulence of mind
which I 49, l,,,+ II.
pass, some 1900 feet above the sea level
quite exhausted. l flung myself down on
the top Of rock, the highest point over
hanging footpath below, and followed
with my eye the track, which could
trace for miles, to where it crossed
the border of the country. There
wasn't living soul upon it.
In the great hush and hum of that
sultry afternoon, as lay among the heath
er, my soul cried out with the bitterness
of death upon it. l was ruined, root and
branch. For every penny of those 81 200
odd, | was personally liable. My poor
Old father would probably end his DAYS in
a workhouse. My friend, who had lent
me his name, would have to take the road
again for bare subsistence | might be-
come bankrupt, ard get clerkship after
ward; but had the heart to begin life
again with such load upon me
Wouldn't it be better for me to end nv
misery and perpleXity by rolling off this
sloping bank into the great chasm below?
Then thought of Mary Jane, and how
she would wait, and wait, and gradually
from impotence she would come to I'M
easiness, and from uneasiness to terror :;
and how she would spend the night in
sorrow and the morning would bring no
Joy, and how the whisper would 90 round
the town, They've found the body and
oh! how hard on the poor creature, only
six months wifer
No! could never be such a coward .
God knows | couldn't have done it: but
in great trouble, strange thoughts surge in
your brain. Y
AT all events, | hadn't to pay the 81 200
that night; | would crawl home and per-
haps | could think Of some plan of STAY
ing off ruin tomorrow.
Well, | got home, and | remember that
Mary Jane pitched into me awfully be-
cause | was an hour late for dinner, and
everything was spoiled, she said.
| took couple of glasses Of brandy
after dinner, and that steadied my nerves,
and | could think.
| would go up to London tomorrow
and try to compromise with my creditors.
| could, perhaps, by sale of all had,
and by borrowing on my life policy,
make up $500
| could offer this, and as it was five hun
dred times as much as they would have got
out of Potts, surely they would take It and
cry quits!
OF course, Mary Jane had heard of
Potts escape, and she made me very saw
age By expressing her delight at the event.
She didn't know how nearly it concerned
her. And | didD tell her I only said I
had business in London next day, and
asked her to pack my travelling bag. |
went up by the nig ht train, ana wretched
journey | had. Next morning l went to
find Moses and MOsheim, who had cham
bers somewhere up in little court or
square, out Of Bishopgate street.
"Mr. Moses wasn't in,' the clerk said
didn't know if Mr. Mosheim were ;
would take my card and see. Yes, he
was in, and would see me bye-and- bye"
| sat down and waited in the dingy office,
feeling the indignity Of my position in
having to wait at all for such man.
There | was, Lowever, suppliant to
these Shylocks!
Mosheim was dark, rather gentlemanly
man, and neatly dressed. But for his
curly hair and big nose you'd have
thought him a Christian. He pretended
to be very busy writing when | entered,
and looked up, and motioned me with the
butt-end of his pen to a chair; but |
walked up to the fireplace and stood
there.
"Mr. Mosheim?"
''That is my name"
mine is Roberts, and am under sheriff
of Caerlonshire"
81 didn't come to make your acquaint-
ance, Mr.. Mosheim. but to make some ar
rangement with you as to an unfortunate
accident which has happened to me in my
official capacity"
Mosheim bowed grimly.
"You are, | believe, acting on behalf of
the creditors of Capt. Potts"
Certain clients of mine have claims
against that gentleman. Well?"
"a ca. sa., taken out by your firm, has
been with me for execution"
"Precisely."
"Well, Mr.. Potts has escaped"
"What an excessively disagreeable Incl
dent for you, sir!'
Now, what | propose to do is this: I
undertake to pay YOU $500 in a week, if
you will give me full release"
81 think Mr.-Jones did you say ?-that
the total of the detainers is rather more
than that You know the exact figure,
perhaps?"
you know the figure as well as | do,
Mr.. Mosheim. Six shillings in the pound
or thprpah Out nv offer would give vOur