Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-11
CHAPTER VI.
AN ECCENTRIC STRANGER .


seized from behind and heard the strange
voice ringing in his ears his heart seemed
to stop its beating, and he would have
fallen forward on his victim had not the
stranger with quiet strength that was
irresistible, twisted him around and
backing him up against the low park
wall steadily looked him in the eyes.
eyes, - he said slowly as he looked at
him; 81 thought you had q devil in your
eyes, and q cOwaTdly one, too, that
why l followed you. Now, If you were
in my part CT the world, ID throw my
lasso round the nearest branch that
WOdld bear your weight and string
you up. But in this Cody town, l
guess IN have to march you to the
nearest police station. Didn't I tell
you to 20 home? Think what a lot of
trouble you ID have saved if you had
taken nay advice.
Lemuel' teeth chartered with fear.
what did You 90 it for? went on
the tormentor. ''Yo on don t look n man
that had to steal watches for a living.
81 did it for revenge, murmured
LemueI.
"Oho! For revenge, eh? Well, then
| mayn t be so hard on you. That's a
feeling 1 can understand, but it's
clumsy way of gongs TO work, this, -
and ne pointed TO the body at his feet.
&c Nv notion Of revenge is the Jewish
one. An eye for an eye, and tooth
for tooth. L q man has wronged you,
wrong him in the same way. 1 don't
suppose this old man hit you on the
head Why don t you try to get even
in q sensible way?''
Lemuel had recovered his wit which,
Il IL
he saw he had an eccentric sort of a
character TO deal with
81 wish to God I could, - he whined.
"Why, what has he done to you?'
"Treated me like a dog ana worse, -
and lie began to pour out the tale of his
wrongs, skiIfulIy avoiding any reference
to the part, that he had been false to his
trust, and only dllating on the way in
which his request for the unconscious
man 5 daughter had been received.
''What did you say his name wasp
careIes sly asked the stranger who had
listened with cynical smile TO his out
pouring.
- dim t say. p" said Lemuel sullenIy,
"but If you must know its Nugent David
Nugent. -
''The HI you say, - was the startling
response, and releasing his hold on Lem
uel the stranger quickly turned to the
PROSTATE figure and turned It over so
that the face was exposed to view.
Yes, - he murmured, "'he's telling
the truth. He's grown old though very
old, but so have I, - and he peered into
the still face with a savage eaTnestness.
Then he drew himself up and addressed
Lemuel again.
''LoOk here, - said he; "you say this
man has treated you badly, and perhaps
he hash t. l neither know nor care.
do know this, that if you do what L tell
you without asking any questions l IL
show you how to take such a revenge as
would make a devil ont of hell envious.
Do you consent?''
There was a fierce inherent sincerity
about the man which, in spite of himself,
impressed Lemuel, and he at once an
swered in the affirmative.
''Then we must be quick - SAID the
stranger, for he IS coming to his senses.
It was the fall, [ guess, more than the
tap you gave him which stunned him.
Quick! I see someone coming; a police
man, fancy, by his gray coat; and it
will not do for US to be found here, - and
taking the unresisting Lemuel by the
arm he led him quickly forward for q
few yards, making him walk backwards,
and tFeading heavily in the snow, and so
accentuating the footprints. Then lift
ing the astonished man off his feet, he
stepped lightly across the road, this time
walking backwards himself. They
found themselves at the corner of one of
the cross streets, and down this the
stranger hastened, followed by LemueI,
until they had reached Third avenue, the
pavement of which, late as it was, was
beaten down by 4 multitude of footsteps.
Meanwhile Nugent lay stretched on the
snowy sidewalk UneaslIy turning his head
from side to side, but evidently not yet
conscious. The quick eve of the stranger
had not deceived him and in q few min
utes gray coated park policeman came
walking quickly along and almost Stun
bled over the fallen man. He stopped
over him rs the stranger had, but with q
different motive, for, after cycling HIM
closely TO be sure he was unconscious,
this saiaried law breaker deity removed
the watch and chain from him, and the
pocketbooll, and whatever else of a ne
gotiable nature there was in the pockets.
These he carefully slowed away under
his heavy overCoat and then, bat not I'M
I'll then, began TO use his best endeavors
to restore consciousness in the animate
figure by rubbing the temples briskly
with snow, loosening thecollar and so
forth His efforts were soon successful