Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-16
THE ooBBLER's STORY.


down in the chair, all out of breath.
81 was hammering away, polishing off {
new sole which had just fitted to sus
TONER'S boot. was in hurry, because
had promised the boots at 2 o'clock, and il
was now full quarter past. / should moi
have minded that, but the gentleman said
he should certainly call for them at 2. he
was good customer, and did not wish te
disappoint him.
81 had finished one and was nearly
through with the other. looked up and
was glad to see that it was not the owner
of the boots, and l kept hammering all the
harder.
The young mamie was young man,
not more than one-and-twenty-sat about
minute, till he got his breath.
Then he spoke up in savage, domineer.
ing way:
90 Look here, old fellow, here's little
job want you to attend to while l wait
| am in hurry
81 did not like his tone and raising
my eyes to his face, did not like his looks,
either. For all that, he was handsome,
well-built fellow "a regular DADDY, ]
should say What struck me particularly
heo, tuae uS was as pane aS q SuoSt-
go Can't touch your job till l am through
with this. l shall be done in few min
utes.'
"Times were dull, you see, and thought
l would hold on to him, if could.
"He swore big oath, which startled
NE so much that 1 dropped the boot-in
fact, may say it was as good as finished
and held out my hand for his. He had
already pulled it off.
go How long . he demanded sharply.
81 examined the boot-a neat button
gaiter, almost new, best French leather,
first-class in every way in fact one OF
Stiles best-you know Stiles is first class
should say the pair must have cost Sl4,
perhaps Sl4 so, with the leather buttons,
which are extra The strangest part of
the whole was that the heel had been
torn off and the sole ripped clear away
to the center-an odd kind of job wasn't
it?
"Well, exclaimed the man. savagely.
what are you waiting for? Why don't
you answer?
"Where is the heel? asked.
Z" In partition, he muttered, and ]
have half mind to send you there after it.
81 was frightened. had read SO many
murder cases in the newspapers | was
afraid I was to make one of them. He
looked to me as if he would not think twice
before putting one of my own knives
through me.
GO 1t will take. good hour, and can t
make good job at that
VIII give you thirty minutes, he an
swered taking out his watch. Botch it
any way you like, only make it strong.
Thirty minutes, mind
81 went to work with all my might, the
young man eyeing me every instant felt
all the time as if he was pointing a revolver
at me.
'' Do you object if 1 do this with peg
it will save good fifteen minutes
:" Peg away, he growled. Time almost
up.
81 managed to get the heel on in some
sort or fashion. 1t didn't look much like
its mate-ha, ha, ha but l paid no at
tention to that.
son went the boot
as Now button it, he said.
81 did so.
:" He took glance at the street, then he
fumbled in his pocket, and, pulling out a
roll of bills, threw me five.
"'There you are = he exclaimed. will
be back one of these days for the change
$50 saying he darted off double quick,
and, turning up the street, was out of sight
before could count three.
''My first thought was that he had given
me a counterfeit note. But / discovered
on examining it that it was genuine, and NO
mistake.
"'I am in luck to-day l thought.
Five dollars for thirty minutes work.
"On looking little more carefully at
the bill, perceived on one corner drop
of something red, which did not appear to
be quite dry. No, l can't say it was red,
like red pant or vermillion yes, it was
red, though more red than any
thing else. 1t looked so fresh that put
my finger on the spot, just as one might
say, without thinking of anything particu-
lar; yet l was in kind of puzzle, too,
considering it did look, as l was telling
you, quite fresh like. When l put my
finger on the spot and took it off again,
something stained it-something which
well, can never forget that to my dying
day. I did not know what to do, so /
called to my wife-she was in the next
room and the door was open. Says L:
"'Wife, come here.
What's that on my finger?' says /,
holding it up.
:" Blood, says she. How did you cut
yourself 3"
It's somebody else that's cut, I'm
thinking, and told her about it. )"
eco right away to the police, she ex-
claimed,
"And get myself locked up for life as
witness? That's the way they serve you
in New York. I'll wait first and see il
the papers have anything to say about it y
Strange Mr.. B don't come for
his boots, said my wife. / wonder if you
could be mistaken about his calling fol-
them
{" Perhaps he has forgotten them him.
self and is waiting at home for them and
here it three o'clock
$50 saying, took the boots and started
for my customers house. / had a good
way to go, but hurried as fast as l could
thinking all the time of the spot on the
greenback. and the spot on my finger, and
thought ought to wash it off.
mounted the steps and rang the bell.
"The door was opened so quick that il
started me, and there stood sweet, pretty
girl, fourteen years old, dressed for travel
ing-hat and all on.
Papa is not home yet, and it is sc
stranger she cried. / was watching fol-
him. We were to leave for Boston by the
quarter past three express train, and it is
that now. Papa is always so punctual,
can't think what TO make Of it.
"Sbe appeared to be more thinking
aloud than talking to me.
SIS Probably business detains him Miss
-; something;Hnexpected, no doubt =
81 could not help casting glance al
my finger as | spoke-I mean the finger
that had the spot on it. l looked from the
finger to the young girl.
DO you think anything has happened
to him . she demanded earnestly.
Happened to him: No, indeed. Sure
to be home in few minutes.
'sThe words nearly choked me. How
got them out 1 don't know. | left thu
house as quick as possible, holding the fin
ger separate from the other fingers till
reached my shop.
Something awful has been going on
wife. We will see it for certain in the pa
pers.'
Peter, said she, 'be sure you dom
wash that finger
"sWhy not ? said /, my teeth chatter
ing. Good gracious, wife, said /, 'have