Middletown transcript., 1898-05-21

1G0r IN every d6bal1. b6IOI6 answering
him be quickly arose, stepped to the
door of his apartment and locked iti
| then locked The door to the bedroom.
Goodencugk began to feel that he vas
in for an adventure. He was not abso-
Eutely comfortable.
The young man came back, stood in
front of him, and, letting hisright hand
swing round toward his hip pocket re-
marked with great deliberation, "I have
nothing to do with any estate, have
never been an executor and know moth
ing whatever of the subject of which
you speak.
"Perhaps, y returned Goodenough.
little lamely, but acting on the inspira-
tion of the moment, sit may have been
your wife who is the person interested. "
The young mans expression showed
trace of irritation, but his GOODNESS
did not forsake him. ST have no wife
and never had one. Will you please
state at once who the devil you are and
what the devil you are after?"
These questions were put sayagely
and were rendered unduly or at least
unpleasantly emphatic by his drawing
q small six shooter from his pocket
with businesslike manner. He held it
with his finger on the trigger.
81 am afraid, said Goodenough, feel
ing.a movement of temper himself, but
striving to retain his composure, "that
am tremendous fool. You may help
to convince me of it. But, first, do you
object to telling me what that box Of
documents is doing on top of your fold
ing bed?''
He was SO confident that Mr.. Wheel
er had seen the box, from the fact that
it had been moved, that he hoped to
force his hand by showing thus abrupt
ly his own knowledge of it. Despite the
young mans control his countenance
betrayed the most utter surprise. Re-
covering himself quickly, he raised the
revolver, covered Goodenough with it
and said sternly: "Take the key out Of /
my pocket and open that bedroom door.
Take down the box and bring it here.
If you make the slightest movement ex-
cept to do this promise you l will
shoot, and there will be great likelihood
of my killing you. That would be high
ly disagreeable at this hour of the night
and here, especially as am more than
half disposed to take you at your word
and believe that you are only fool. !"
ct can assure you that I have no
doubt on the subject now," replied
Goodenough with conviction. "But if
you will allow me to explain''-
"I shall assuredly do that, " the other
replied emphatically, "but later. First.
this box-how came you to know it was
there?"
.'I put it there myself, " blurted out
Goodenough sheepishly. He had opened
the door, and as he glanced at the box,
which seemed to his excited vision even
nearer the edge than when he had first
seen it, he said boldly, "You must know
that it is there, for it is much closer to
the side than where put it. -
The young man glanced quickly at
the box. His nostrils fared, and though
he retained his astounding GOODNESS the
color in his cheeks grew fainter.
"We will discuss that later, he said
inoisively. 'Since you put it there, you
can tab it down and throw it into the
street through the bedroom window.
You have as much interest as in ham
ding it carefully"
Goodenough got the chair, climbed
up and possessed himself Of the box. I'm
pressed as he was by the other mans
manner, he was not without distinct
sense of foolishness. The box was near
" foot nearer the side of the foot
board. Of course it could not have trav-
eled there by itself. 1t might all be a
splendid bluff on the part of this cool
young man for some reason best known
to himself.
He took the box carefully, however,
being as much concerned with carrying
out these second explicit directions as
to its disposition as he had been the
first. AS he took it he felt little crawl
ing movement under his fingers, which
were grasping the bottom of the box.
In his wound up condition it was al
most enough to make him drop it. But
the set, white face of the young fellow
and the fidelity with which he kept him
covered with the pistol were aids to
control.
s'Hold it as steadily as you can and
don't let it drop. Pitch it out Of the
window, but put your arms through
first Do not throw it from the inside
of the room, said his host.
Heartened by which advice, though
trembling with excitement, Goodenough
reached the window, stretched well out
and flung the box into the street.
A frightful detonation followed. This
was accompanied by the crash Of shat
tered panes of glass in the neighboring
| windows and its sharp crackle as the
fragments dropped to the sidewalk. The
windows of Mr.. Wheeler's apartment
ratified with the conclusion, bat were
not broken.
With face as white as sheet and
his legs so weak he could hardly stand
Goodenough tottered to the nearest seat
and fell into it speechless, regarding
the young man with an expression of
HORROR fhe ot1er still still kept The The pistol
pointed at him, but seemed much more
| at his ease, as if relieved notably.
"You will not object to my searching
you probably after this little episode,
which apparently, he laid stress on
the word, 'has been more of a surprise
| to you than to me. You must admit
that I have reason for mistrusting a
stranger who kindly provided me with
such companion for the night as that
little box. Do not be alarmed, /" he con-
| tinued lightly. 81 am nearly certain
that you were only dupe. But one must
take ordinary precautions.
He quickly went through Good
enough's pockets with his left hand
while he kept the cooked revolver aimed
at him all the time with his right.
Naturally the pockets revealed nothing
more dangerous than match safe and
pocketknife. Goodenough had kept his
arms stretched straight up all the time
with the most earnest spirit OF CO.
operation.
Yes, you are only fool, think, -
the other remarked when he had satis-f
fed himself as to the contents of the
1 RI