The herald., 1896-01-12
click of a pistol, and I shivered-not from

click of a pistol, and l shivered-not from
cold.
"And at or T. or whenever he does wake,
continued the voice, ''tell him you picked hint
up drunk in the street and carried him IN
here out of compassion for safety, and yoh
will easily convince him that he was robbed
out of doors. But mind I have done my part
in plying him with drink and in decoyng
him here; see that you do yours in gracefully
relieving the poor fool of his hundred dollars -
Here step on the stairs warned me to
! close the door, and l got back to bed. Hear
| ing the knob of the door turn, l began to
| breathe heavily, after the fashion of drunken
| man, and the next instant, shading the candle
with his hand. there appeared the form of
| a strange man, who was soon peering fixedly
| into my face.
| Satisfied apparently with his examination,
| my visitor searched my pockets, pounced upon
the gold, of course, and quickly transferred
| it from its erstwhile resting place to-wherc
| do you guess? He went to bird cage, which
now, for the first time, 1 observed hanging
up drew out its slide. and-undressed and lay
| down beside me. He soon asleep, and
| hope sprang up within me; but, alas! of all the
| light sleepers, he was the lightest l ever knew.
| Whenever l moved he appeared to be on the
| alert: 1t was impossible to crawl out of bed
| without his being conscious Of the fact. Be-
| sides under his pillow, l knew, the pis-
| toll. and in despair I had veluctanty to rest
| on as calm and unconcerned as l possibly
| could.
All wakeful, I passed that horrible night,
and the slow hours dragged on interminably.
But at length project presented itself to my
now sharpened senses, which project l put
| into execution when O'Clock struck.
| sFailure" said l to myself, "means simply
| death; success means saved reputation with
my employers and VOW of strictest So
briefly"
| Everything being perfectly quiet, smu-
| lated gradual waking up, and my first yawn
| opened the eyes of my bedfellow The second
had the effect of raising him from his re-
cumbent position in the bed, and when | slow
| ly and painfully awoke he was bending over
me- all soicitude.
| Daylight was now stealing into the room.
"My poor fellow" exclaimed the assduous
one, chow do you feel now? You will wonder,
no doubt, at being in my bed, but the fact Is
YOU were ill last night, were you not?''
.Il?" I said, ''ill?' and put my hand
mechanically to my head. 'Well, think !
must have BEEN my head does ache so"'
| He smiled, and replied: "Well, my dear fell
low not to put too fine a point upon it,
| found you late last night in the gutter, just
a. little bit the worse for liquor, and two
somewhat disreputable looking men who were
with you asked me if l could manage to look
| after you for the night!'
| I expressed my profound thanks to my good
| friend for his unselflsh kindness, but he
modestly waved them aside. saying depre-
| catingly:
equity, sir, duty! I cannot neglect genu-
| inc case of human suffering or danger without
| some attempt, however slight, at succor."
| / thanked him again.
81 am ILL., said. "I had too much brandy
yesterday. I must have a hair of the dog thai
bit me: I must have a nip now. 1t is the
only thing which will put me right. If yor
have any brandy in the house, for heavens
sake, sir bring me q DROP"
He hesitated moment, and then rejoined:
Certainly; lie there, and I'll be back will
| it in moment" and disappeared.
Much quicker than I can relate it. I sprane
up, went to the bird cage, drew the slidins
tray. transferred all the contents into my
handkerchief and thence into my coatpocket
finally replacing the tray. Not moment toe
soon was | back between the sheets, for il
an instant my good Samaritan arrived with the