The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-03-22

The gray hair, the bowed form, the
marks Of age had vanished. My guide
was no longer old and decrepit but a aman
in the prime of life, strong and vigorous.
His gray wig, for it was wig, lay the on
carpet, whittier he had careleSsly tossed it..
you seenTa little surprised" he said,
in m4cking voice; 'strange miracles hap
pen nowadays"
ssWhat does this mean 4 asked in utter
bewilderment.
"What does it mean? ?" repeated the man
cody. SIT means that will trouble you
for that watch OF yours It appears to be
bold impudence. 81 will take the liberty
of borrowing it for an indefinite period.
Just now, unfortunately, my watch hap
pens to be at the jewelers., SO that / am
unable to be on time with my fashionable
engagements. I shall be compelled to
trouble you for the loan of yours.,'
els there anything else you would ike?"
asked holly, indignant at having been SO
cleverly outwitted, and that, too, by man
whom had been intending to succor. 1t
seemed the worst kind of an imposition,
working upon my feelings only to do me an
eyes" he replied, carelessly, 81 am out
of money Just now. Slightly oyerdfawna at
my bankers. Awkward, isn't it? l will
take the additional liberty of borrowing
your purse. Though l don't generally do
such things. ! win, if it will give you any
satisfaction, give you my note Of hand for
the amount due, say in ninety years." E
Again he laughed mockingly.
ssYou are an atrocious william" said
Indignantly W}Hi1 w
ooh, no doubt. You're quite welcome
to call me so. We're all sinners you
know"
1 The mans GOODNESS and insufferable I'M
Rpudence quite took my breath away. I felt
He had me in his power, and of course that
gave him the entire advantage.
"Let me out !" exclaimed. advancing
toward the door,
-4-''Not yet, said he, resolutely, displaying
apistol ''Not till you have complied with
my very reasonable demands. Do that,
and you shall go freely, and hair of your
head shall not be harmed. Come, what do
you say r
What could l say? How was /, single
handed and without a weapon, to cope
with this man, my equal in st ength, and
armed with pistol This makes the weak
equal with the strong. If only had that
pistol--if could snatch it from him. But
that seemed impossible. He was watchful
and wary. Should make the attempt and
fail he would probably kill me without
mercy. Yet that attempt | meant to
make.
A lucky thought came to my assistance
I was something of yentriloquist, and had
been since my youth-that is, Icould throw
my voice to another part of the room so
that some one else might be speaking. No
sooner did l think of this than I resolved
upon my plan.
"Well. said he impatiently, shave you
decided ?"
"Wretch /" said voice just behind
him. wr IS Yn7 ~ N
He turned suddenly, and at that mo-
ment I snatched the pistol from his
grasp.
'sNow it is my turn" said I exultingly,
"open that door or fire.
He looked at me in stupid surprise.
Irepeated my command.
He advanced a step toward me.
make the slightest attempt to retak
this weapon and fire."
He glared at me with look of baffied
ferecity, and looked undecided.
/ repeated my order and he sullenly
opened the door,
passed through, backing out warily,
ready to fire at the slightest movement be-
traying intent to assault me. should
have felt no hesitation in doing so. The
man was a desperate william, murderer
perhaps, and felt that / should be JUST
fed. But he seemed to have given up his
enterprise as bootless. He went back into
his room and slammed the door. I made
my way out into the street and hurried to
the theatre, first removing the charge from
my weapon. 1t proved to be valuable one,
and decided to retain it as ''contraband
of war"