Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1873-09-16


might for the old man dressed in the
habiliments of poverty, knelt on the
floor counting over a bag of coin.
Yes there was no deception to the
thief's eyesight-for it was gold
Here was undoubtedly a veritable
miser, unwarily displaying his trea-
sure to the gaze of one who, to OBJ
tain possession of it would not hesi-
tate to take his life. On the first
glance at the situation, the thief
had determined on making the old
cigar-maker his victim.
The old man spoke to himself:
"Bless her little soul! IT'S for
her l hoard my treasure. When |
am dead she shall not be in want.
Little does she think, or the world
either, that l have so much gold.
Yes, and all mine-honestly mine.
All here-yes, all, thank Heaven"
While this scene was passing on
in one room, the poor law-student
sat listlessly meditating in the other.
His book had dropped from his
hand, and his mind, now concen-
trated on his individual affair, took
the color of a despairing mood. He
was thinking of his station in life,
his aspirations and unfruitful efforts,
and contrasting all with the reality
of his poverty-stricken existence.
How he yearned for the great mo-
tive power among men. His lips
opened to give utterance to one SEN
tence:
"Oh for q little gold-a little
gold" The averice of the watch
ing thief had at last worked him in
to an uncomfortable state of excite
ment, and he involuntarily NUT
tered:
"The old fool ! How the Evil One
tempts me That gold, so useless tc
him, would be prize to me. II
shall be mine-mine !"
An instant more and he had eros
sed the threshold. The door creall
ed and betrayed his presence.
"IIa whose there Z" cried Hunt
ley, not even turning his head tC
see, in eagerness to hide his golt
from prying eyes. 'Is that you
girl ! No-are ye thieves. Away
I've naught for you to steal. Be
gon."
The intruder took a step or two
forward. His victim now suddenl!
faced him.
"Help p!-thievcs ~ cried Huntley
The hurley vagabond clutche
him by the throat, and in an instan
the old mans cries were stiiled il
suflocation.
"Silence, you whining old fool
or I'll silence you forever" he his
sed.
At this moment Jack, the idio'
boy, who had climbed up to the fan
light between the two rooms, look
ed over at the struggle, and his eye'
dilated with terror. With an i'm
pulse peculiarly idiotic he remained
silent, but reaching for his cousins
cane, and bending over the wall, he
adroitly lifted the cap from off the
thief's head, and transferred it to
his own.
Barr started up at the first cry OF
alarm from Huntley, but did not
observe the movements of the
idiot.
81 heard a cry of distress in the
next room," he said. Then again |:
"Whoever you are you shall not
call in vain while | have the life and
strength to aid you And without
hesitation he passed into the hall.
The man who was assaulting
Huntley heard his approaching
footsteps, and dropped the insensi-
BILE form of the old man to the
ground. Then he seized part of the
gold with one hand, and graspcd a
knife from his pocket with the
other, but dropping the knife acci-
IDENTIFY, he did not wait to recover
it. Hastily opening the door he
placed himself behind it just as
young Barr rushed into the room
The student crossed the floor to
where old Huntley lay, and while
turned the adroit thief escaped
through the doorway, but as he did
so he could not resist the temptation
to peer back. Barr fell on his knees
by Huntley's side and raised the
PROSTATE mans head in his arms.
The thief's eyes glittered with
fiendish exultation as devilish de-
vice crossed his mind. A moment
more and he disappeared in the
gloom of the street.
Barr's first thought was that his
had fallen in an apoplet-
ic fit his next that he had attempt
ed suicide. He raised the bag of
coin in his hand The golden con-
tents fell scattering over the floor.
"Heavens it is goldp he almost
shouted. "What mystery is this 7"
Why should he start and turn
palef was this temptation! /! If it
was, his heart resented it.
Old Huntley groaned in his strug-
glo for life. Barr recovered his
presence of mind, and loosened the
stricken mans cravat.
There were hurried footsteps
along the sidewalk. A moment
more and the doorway was throng-
ID with people. The actual culprit
caused an alarm to be given to the
oolice. Two officers entered hasti- |