Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-10-12
morning when could deposit In the

=
nail Just over the door, and step
ped up to put out the light. As ] did
SO. ] saw bit OF paper on the floor.
which. Oil picking up l saw the receipt
wrote for Mr.. Anderson. He had
dropped il in his hurry. l put it IN
my pocket, and thought no more about
it, only that l would mail it TO him. 1
would have done it then. but as the last
mail for that day had gone out on the
train which took Mr.. Anderson, l
could dc 1t just rs we'll in the morning.
| Then, TOO. l was in something Of /.
hurry that night for had an appoint-
ments and l may as we'll state here
that it was with young lady. who.
hoped. would be my wife before many
months.
/ fastened TO my boarding. place. ate
my supper. and then went to MIR. War
| ner's wearing the overcoat with the
! money in il. as did not feel easy
about leaving it in NV room. Carrie
was at home. of course, as she WAS ex-
pecting me- and, leaving NV coat and
hat in the hail. l went into the par;or.
do not think repetition OF our
conversat on would be very interesting.
SO | will pass over it, merely remark
ing that nothing occurred to disturb
me until arose 10 take my leave.
Carrie went into the entry for my
coat aud hat that I might put them on
by the warm fire, but she came back
with only my hat
"Why. Fred. you certainly did not
venture out on such q night as this
without an overcoatp"
mo coat?' L excla aimed. in dazed
sort Of way. for the thought of the
money. flashing upon me suddenly. had
almost stunned me.
The next moment tore past her
| like a mailman, as l was. The coat
was gone!
Then was unnerved. l grasped at
the stairraii. and caught it just in time
to support myself. Carrie came run
ming out her face pale with alarm.
''Oh. Fred are you sickP Let me
call mother aud the doctor! You are
rs white as a>sheet"
mo. nc. Carried" entreated.
There AM better now
Aud | was better. was strong. all
at ouoe-desperately strong. And
what brought about this changer The
simple receipt which l had in my
pocket Anderson had nothing to
show that the money had been paid;
aud was not my unaided word as good
as hiss
was foolish enough to believe that
| could brave it through, and / grew
confident and quite easy at once.
There. Carrie, l am much better
| now. The room was too warm. /
| guess. Some sneak-thief has
lodged in and stole NV coat. Well,
let II 90. 1t was only an old oae. and
| I'll have a better one
"But was there nothing ia your
| pock etsp" asked Carrie.
1t is arrange how suspicious guilt
will make us. / really thought that
Carrie suspected me. and Az angry
reply was on the end of nay tongue.
1 sRppre ssed it. however and uttered
a falsehood instead
Nothing OF Consequence. Carrie.
A good pair OF gloves and some other
tr ii ~ notions
I am glad it is no worse. Fred
Nov. ii you will wa just Il moment |
wIl get YOU one OF fathers coats TO
wenr home
Thus equipped left her.
You may guess that my slambers
that night were not very sound. nor
very refreshing. | never passed a
more miserable night and in the morn
ing my haggered looks were the SUBJ
| ject of remark.
why. fred. you look as though you
had met a legion of ghosts last night
said Winston. What Is the matterP"
Il bad q bad night of it," ans wered.
with a ckly smile
1 a. Won n hav. auoibar ,n,,' N
not careful. You had better keep
quiet to-day. By-the-way, did you
write to AndersonP'
l don't know how | managed to re-
ply, for the quest on set me to SILVER
my from head TO foot and | was so
weak that could scarcely sit ia my
| chair.
/ must have answered in the ai!irma-
tive. however, Tor he ga d.
Then We may look for something
/ from him tomorrow. or next day?''
Immediately after he added:
'Why. Fred. you SILVER as though
YOU had the sgue. and you are sweat
ing like butcher! You're sick, man!
Come! jump toto my cutter, and I'll
take you home"
l was glad of the chance TO get
away. and reaching my room, / locked
myself in.
Winston sent doctor round. but |
refused to see him. Then Whist on
came himself, but would not open
the door. The landlady came, then
some of my fellow boarders. but l
turned them all away.
ALI! those were terrible hours that
passed and the night coming on
brought me no rel eff. Can you not
guess what 1 was meditatingp Coward
that was, l had at last resolved upon
self-destruction.
commenced my preparations with
the same calmness and elaboration
that l would have used in the most
common transaction. l wrote short
explanation for Carrie, another for
MIR. Winston, a third for my poor
mother; and sealed them all. In
fourth envelope l enclosed the receipt
to Mr.. Anderson.
All this accomplished. went to my