Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-11-15

he uetu OUT letter 10 me WIFI
what could have sworn was my own
name written on it The John
vii" was plain enough and the three
last letters ended of in an illegible
dash as mine did.
Nov" said the man, "this paper
Is transfer of property by John
Wilson to some parties who have a
law suit against him. If you will
sign your name to it it will pass as
hls-and here are your $50"
He opened his pocketbook and
showed ne a roll of bills
why" l gasped, as the meaning
Of the affair burst upon me, This is
forgery"
"What if it is?" He was cycling
ME coollY.
II won't do it"
Before l knew 1t l was sitting in
the chair and he was standing before
me with a pistol aimed at my head.
"Yes, you will," he said. "I'll
give you three minutes to decide, or
you die"
was helpless, without a weapon.
staring into the mans cool, deter.
mined face, knowing that at the
slightest movement he would un-
doubtedly shoot me. The worst OF
it was that my strength seemed to
be gone. | felt sudden drowsineSs
and could only stare into that mans
eyes 1 remember that he had a cast
In. one of them, and thinking that he
would be quite good looking If his
beard was trimmed in a point. All
this time the man was raging and
swearing and threatening my life.
Suddenly there was 4 sound down
stairs as if something had beer
thrown against the frort door. Ny
adversary turned. AS he did so ]
made quick movement and piniOned
him, He was powerful fellow, but
/ got him underneath. In the strug.
gle the pistol went of, the bullet
striking the ceiling. / knocked the
man down, gave him 4 blow on the
head, enough to have settled an OK.
then picking up his key i rushed
down stairs unlocked the door but
forgot the key and left it in the lock-
The street was full OF people but l
did not dare to ask for assistance
from any Of them. My hat was gone,
my clothes torn in the struggle, but
went on several squares looking for
4 policeman. Not one came in sight
until l found myself in the Bower.
"Comeswith me-" said to the first
one met
Where tU?" he inquired.
'GOme. come" l said breathlcsSly
lie looked at my wild condition and
evidently thought that l was ejthor
crazy or drunk, but he came, while ]
told him as best l could, about my
adventure, ne seeming very skeptical.
After making several turns Ifound
myself hopelesslY lost l couldn't
find the place. The policeman was
about to take me in charge as a dan
gerous luuatic when l caught sight
If the little bakers shop. We turned
into the alley and went to the empty
house. The door was locked and the
key was gone.
THE baker will know about it,
said the policeman.
We went TO the little shop and
found a fat, honest looking German.
"Who lives in the empty house?" l
asked.
THAT house belongs to me. 1t is |
empty. N6o1e lives there now. A
man rented it for a week and he was
good man-paid in advance. lie
tame in just little while ago and
said he didn't want it, and brought
back the key. He was a good man
and paid in advance"
The policeman told him the story
and he was horrided. Taking the
Key he went with Us TO the house II
vas dark and stuffy inside as If the
house had not been opened for weeks. |
We went upstairs to the back room. |
l must confess to tremOr as we
opened the door. / struck a match |
and lit the half burned candle on the |
table. The room was Just as / had
eft it. There was my hat on the !
table, the bullet ole in the wall, bat |
the vaIise and the red-ha!rei man
we're gone
While the policeman was eXamin- |
ing the room sat down on the chair !
overcome by that strange sensation OF |
exhaustion. Death seemed to be in |
the atmosphere OF the place, aud | |
believe it was the effect Of the cigar |
which had been given me, that it had |
been poisoned.
The policeman and the baker made |
a thorough search but could discern |
no clue The rest Of the house was |
vacant and evidently no other room |
had ever been occupied. 1t was the
mans intention to lure me to this |
place merely to get my signature, and,
evidently, to make away with me |
afterwards
The policeman reused me from my |
torpor, took down the particulars Of
the affair, the appearance Of the man
and my address but said there was no |
hope Of ever finding him.
made my way to my own room |
about 3 o'clock in the morning and |
without undressing, threw myself on
the bed like log, to sleep of the ef-
feet OF the drugged cigar.
1t was late in the afternoon Of the
following day when l awoke, and in
tensely hot. l went to the wiadow
and sat down to think over the evehts
Of the evening before. AS 1 did so l
where had first seen
that man-at the window of the
house back
Looking over I saw sitting at that |
Identical basement window, writing, |
that very same red-bearded rascal |
and would-bc murderer. 1 watched !
him closely and saw how easy It
would be for me to jump out of my
run across the courtyard and |
seize him.
Looking around to see if there was
l man in sight to come to my assist
lnce in the struggle, sense of coin
,ideuce overcame me. Everything
vas the same as 1t had been that first
afternoon when / saw him. The
woman was lifting up
Jhe top of the box out of the window
, nd calling ont.