The Florence daily tribune., 1899-03-27

"Now for a puncbl" he cried
There is no not water, " Richard
ventuIed 10 cay
WATER Who asked for waters Bring
me lcm "a, some sugar and kettle.
The krr,le was placed on the lire.
The stranger filled 1t with brandy, add
ing lemon and sugar to suit his taste.
As the liquor boiled over it caught fire,
setting the whole in blaze.
Richard jumped up to take it OF.
The stranger caught his arm and flung
him back rs if he had been child in.
stead Of a substantial citizen of goo
pounds.
Nv hat are you ahout?" he exclaimed.
"The puuch is doing well enough"
81 was only afraid the house might
be burned "
Bother the housew replied the lit
tie man "Thoro's no danger.
"Your health, Dick, at length he
said, and raising the kettle all blazing
to bis lips he drank like dromedary-
"And now, Dick, it's your turn, =" he
said, after long breath. lyon must
drink ny health now. D."
Richard drew back.
DiAuA hhhhAtl Alo nblu7
ing out the vessel
Poor Dick took a single Fulp. He left
the skin Of bis mouth on the brim of
tho kettle, his throat was scorched as
with liquid FIRE and his hair was singed
by tho blaze
"Aud now TO BUSINESS, said the
stranger. rosuning his scat and leaving
/ Dick to sit or stand as no chose
"You knew John Walter, believer
"Yo-yes, stammered Richard ~
once know 4 person of that name. "
''You and ne went To California to-
ge,hcr2'
Richard aokuuwl lodged the fact
{" on made money, and he didn't?'
"a bolieve was tho more fortunate
of the two.
"You and he started to return togeth-
or, aud he died at San Francisco?"
bicnard bowed.
"His W ife and children are now desti.
tute, the stranger persisted.
~ can I help that -
"Cf course not. 1t was his boy Won
gave the ltod advice to today hope
the young scamp Will profit by it, -
Tie scene with tho little bcRgar
Richard was quite sure had been wit
messed by no one. Bow the stranger had
founu uut was past comprehension
90 You re quite sure .lohn Walter died
poorN the stranger went on.
"Oh qpite' said Richard "l paid
his funeral expenses myself,
"Thut's he" rcturted the little
man. "They were paid by the public
It's another lie that he died poor lie
had $40, GOO with him which You stoler
IL deuy It Richard fairly screamed.
and defy you to prove it'll"
prove it'll Whit effronteryl Why, /
saw yuu do itl'
It's false There was nobody pres
entr
" Pc careirl, Dick. or you'll commit
yourself saw yon do another thing
Richard sank shiyering into II chair
hut snid nothing
John Walter would have survived
his illness, but you put poison in his
medioiner
a sudden fury took possession of
Richard Whinstone when he saw the
secret Of his life in annther's IS keeping
The carving knife lay within his reach
he seized IL and, spriuging ON the
stranger, with desperate plunge
sought to bury the blade in his heart,
but it glanced as from plate armor and
in an instant the little man was on his
feet
"oh, hoi That's your game, is it?'
And with a trip that sent his heels
spinning in tho air Richard was thrown
hendlorr with force that shook the
house to its foundation The club foot
was planted ON his stomach, and what
a horribly ugly foot it wasl 1t was cleft
like the hoof of an OK and seemed to
weigh a ton
"1hen you are'-
Pray keep civil tongue in your
head and come along" said the little
man
Richard tainted
When he came to himself, day was
breaking Tho old housekeeper, who
had found him groaning and sprawlng
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 pig
mad brought ON a fever, of which he
died in 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
when spurseon First Preached.