The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-02-12

due at 10 o'clock, or few minutes
later. / determined to take this, not
wait until III the following morning.
As / left the Office, met the fiery
Major" just entering. He glared at
me like wild beast. i could hardly
understand any ones working up such
state of deadly hatred on such short
notice. Nevertheless, it was quite APP
parent how he felt.
1 went home and put together some
papers to take with me, placing all
others of importance carefully in my
trunk. To tell the truth, was begin
ming to feel relieved at getting away
from the town for day or two. AS
Tom had intimated, my shooting had
always been done at wooden tar
gets, and had horrid, indescribable
sensation at the thought of bloodshed. i
really hoped my adversary would grow
cool in my Absence and see the folly of
his ways. He was in a measure formid-
able. He was tall and sinewy, quick
of sight and motion. In anger his
face assumed an expression of malevo-
lence far easier to remember than de-
scribe. He was. however, man of
certain responsibility, possessed of some
little property and influence. i had
heard so much of the ways of that coun-
try, that even imagined he might adj
minister good dose of cold lead to a
stranger like myself, deliver himself
up to some friendly Justice of the
Peace. and be Instantly acquitted, on
grounds of self-defense. l lowered
the curtains Of my windows, and, light
ing the lamp, arranged few articles
to take on my journey. | felt little
nervous and good deal angry. 1 re-
membered that some of the people
over at the hotel had looked at me
with curions interest. Like as not
they were considering it possible they
should next meet with me at Coron-
er's inquest-subject, myself. OF
course they had heard of the affair.
This1might all be imagination on my
part, but the chances were strong in
the other direction.
The more thought of it, the angrier
L grew. A profane fool of a braggart
to impose on me with unhealthy mules
and supplies more or less damaged;
and because / objected, to tell me /
should eat my words or die.
"Confound him." / said, viciously,
Il wouldn't mind discovering who's the
best man of the two, hand to hand, in
good civilized fashion. l almost think
1 could thrash the nonsense out of him.
But to drag in those miserable pistols
and spill blood-it's too much, that's
all"
The block in which we had our
rooms was new one, and as yet but
partly occupied. Only one of the stores
beneath was rented. In this was a kind
of apothecary shop, where all sorts of
other articles were kept. The stairway
up from the street landed one in q mar
row hall, on one side of which were our
apartments; on the other side, CORE
spending rooms still vacant. The hall
ran back to n rear stairway. On either
side of the hall was small closet for
fuel and water. At night the hall was
lighted dimly by lamp in a bracket
screwed TO the wall.
1t was nearing 10 o'clock, and 1 was
ready to start to the station, when /
heard, or fancied 1 heard, a crealing
sound in the hall. / listened; but all
was still.
/ went to the door and looked out
No one was in sight. closed the door
and went back, provoked at my own
trepidation. Yet somehow hesitated
as to leaving the place.
1 turned down the light and went to
look out of the window. The street
was still enough. The light from the
store windows below was warm and
CHEEKY. / put my head further out
and looked up and down the road. No
one was in sight; no human--but
hitched to post few yards distant /
saw saddle horse which l had surely
seen before. 1t was Dawson's! could
have sworn to the horse; it was o
peculiar-looking animal-white, with
abundant name and tail. by the aid of
the starlight and my own keen eyes 1
grew positive. And where was Daw-
son? Skulking somewhere near, and
eager to do me harm. had strange,
uncanny suspicion it was so-a suspicion
which rapidly increased to certain
knowledge.
"You shall eat your words or diel"
/ could hear him threatening me again,
and the thought was chilly sort of
comfort, confess.
What he wanted the horse in waiting
for, l could hardly comprehend, un-
less it was to escape, when once he had
Settled" me.
/ drew in my heal and closed the
window. / listened again; for again
had come that creaking sound of
stealthy footsteps
went and got one of my pistols,
saw that it was all right. and, holding
it firmly, opened the door into the hall,
this time quite suddenly.
No one in sight!
i noticed, however. that the door of
one of the little closets was slightly
aiar. II was the closet on the opposite
side of the hall. Owing to the direc-
ton in which the door opened, any
one hiding in the closet could not see
me through the aperture, so that / was
safe enough.
/ closed my door softly, and pro-
ceeded, revolver in hand, to the closet
on my own side, but the door was shut
fact, and / concluded not to turn my
back TO the possible locality of the en-
envy.
/ paused to consider. Here was n
comfortable prospect. l should have
to postpone my departure from town
a. A. n