Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-02-11
With his teeth and then sucked the


marrnw.
"Now for a punch!" he cried.
"1'here is no hot water. richard
tentured to say.
"N alter! Who asked for water? Bring
me lemon, some sugar aud Kettle.
The kettle was pf1ced on ilo hre'
The stranger filled it with Lranfy, add
ing lemon and sugar to suit his taste.
AS the liquor boiled over it caught Ire,
setting the whole in blaze.
Richard jun ped up to take 1T Ou'
The stranger caught his arm and hung
him back us if he had been child IN
stead of substantial citizen OF 2OO
pounds.
/ NV hat are you about?" he exclaimed.
"The punch is doing we'll enough
~ was only afraid the house ml9h1
| be burned. "
Bother the housed" replied the lit
tie man, "There' IS no danger.
"Your health, Dick, at length he
said, and raising the kettle all blazing
to lis lips he drank like dlomedary'
".And now, Dick, it's your turn ne
said, after long breath lyon must
, d my he@llh cow. -
lt,ctard drew lack.
"D.lnk'' shouted tho stranger, hold
ing ont the vessel
Poor Dick took Il single gulp He left
the skin of his mouth on the brlm OF
the kettle lis throat was scorcbed as
with LIQUID fire ana lis hair was sln1ed
by the blaze.
"And now to business, said the
etrai ger, rcsuming his seat and leaving
Dick to sit or stand as he chose
"You knew John Walter, believe"
"Ye-yes, stammered Richard. ~
once knew person of that name
"You and he went to California to-
gether?'
Richard acknowledged the fact.
"Yuu made money. aud he didn' t?'
81 believe | was the more fortunate
of the two "
"You and he started toreturn toseth
er, and he died at san Francisco"
Richard bowed
"Hls wife and children are now desti
tuttl tHo stranger PCiSA"lSN'
81 CANT help that. y
"Cf course not 1t was his boy You
gave tie good advice to today hope
the young scamp will profit by it. y
The scene with the little btggar,
Richard was quite sure, had been wit
ness,d Lyno one How the stranger had
fourd out was past comprehension
you're quite sure John Walter died
poor" the stranger went on
"Oh, quiter' said Richard II paid
his funeral expenses myself y
"That's a lie!' retorted the little
man "They were paid by the public
It's another lie that he died poor lie
had $40, 900 with him which you stolel"
81 deny it, " Richard fairly screamed.
and defy you to prove IT,
"Prove it! v bat etfrontery Why. I
saw you do it p
"It's talsei There was nobody pres
entl'
BE careful Dick, or you II commit
yourself saw yen do another thing.
Richard sank shiveriLg into chair
but S. id nothing
"John Waiter would have survived
his Illness, but you put poison in bis
medicine!"
A sudden fury took possession Of
Richard WhlustoA e when he saw the
secret q bis Il ida i. auo.heg s keeping
The carving HIire lay within his reach
He seized Il and springing on the
stranger with desperate plunge
sought to bury the blade in his heart,
but it glanced as from plate armor and
III an instant tho little man was on his
feet
SOW. hn' That's your game, is it,
And with a trip that sent his heels
spinAlng III the air Richard was thrown
h>aGlcLg with a force that shook the
b use to its foundation The club foot
was planted on his stomach, and what
a horribly ugly foot it was! 1t was cleft
like the Auof of an OK and seemed to
weirh a ton
"Then You are''-
pray keep Il civil tongue in your
head and come along" said the little
man
Richard tainted.
When be came to himself. day was
breaking The old house keeper. who
had found him groaping and spraw ling
on the floor, had with much difficulty
shaken him into consciousness She as
sisted him to bed. but Richard never
was himself again The surfeit of ZIG |
had brought Oh a fever. of which he |
died III eight days His last Rational act
was the execution of will, by which
he lett the bulk Of his fortune to John
Walters widow and child which. aft
er all, was simple act of justice, for
the demon of nightmare had told the
truth Cincinnati Post