Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-05-04
A STAMP DEALERS
STORY.
EY RUDOLPH c. BACH.

Oue cOlu ulSuU III NoNemDef, looI,
two men were seated in small room
in building facing the mighty st.
Lawrence river. Montreal was a small
city then. The principal firms had
their offices and warehouses at the
river front, in some instances almost
at the brink of the mud wall which
protected the city from foods in the
springtime, and this house was one of
them. You could throw stone from
its window with case into what was
then one of the deepest parts of the
river in that vicinity for there was
the wharf where the Quebec boat
moored.
The night our story opens, the river
was covered with thin sheet of ice.
The men in the little room were hav-
ing hot argument. On a small table
stood an iron box, a small affair, the
lid of which was open, showing it to
be filed with documents of various
kinds. Beside this box lay large
package with many seals, addressed
and stamped. The stamp on it was
the twelve pence black
This package was evidently the bone
of contention between the two men.
They were strangely contrasted. One,
an elderly man with q firm, resolute
look. his hair streaked with gray, and
the other dissipated looking fellow
of about thirty or SO. 1t was he who
was walking angrily up and down,
while the other was standing by the
table, his hand resting ON the pack
age.
"No. Clement" he said, 81 cannot
let you have any of this money. 1t
does not belong to me. 1 was en-
trusted by Francois Rochette of
Quebec to collect his accounts here,
which have done. Tomorrow the
money will be mailed TO him. No man
shall ever say that Charles Goodwin
betrayed his trust"
"But," here broke in Clement, 81
must have money!" and under his
breath he added, 81 will have it, too"
''You are always wanting money
Clement Hanson" retorted Goodwin.
"Ever since helped you up, you have
been drawing money out of me, and
it has got to stop. When your father,
words to me were, Charles, take care
of my boy. promised him to do so,
and have done SO. gave you posi-
tion, gave you money whenever you
wantod it, and now, because I have no
money on hand, you demand me to
rob those who trust me-"
He had got excited while lie spoke,
and without knowing it, had taken his
hand off the package on the table.
Clement saw this, with sudden
spring he reached the table, seized the
precious package. Quick as he was,
however, Goodwin was nearer to the
door, and reached it first. He faced
round and cried
''Thief, would you make me ruined
man? /, who have done so much for
you? Give me back that package, or
shall take it from you."
''Ah!" laughed Hanson, 81 have it
now and l am going to keep it.
Goodwin made spring at him,
grasping him by the neck, and
wrenched the package from him.
Struggling to and fro, they upset the
lamp, which fell to the floor with
crash, the burning oil quickly setting
fire to the wooden partitions. Good
win, seeing the place on fire, released
his hold on Hanson, and throwing the
packake into the iron box, he slammed
the cover, and grasping it in his arms,
made for the window. Hanson who
had reached the door suddenly pulled
out pistol, and levelling it, fired.
and saw Goodwin fall. Then he turned
and fled down the stairs, for the fire
was spreading rapidly, muttering to
himself
''In the morning when they search
the ruins, the box will be uuinjured
and will pass into my possession.
But Charles Goodwin was not dead,
although badly wounded. With a
snper human effort he reached the
window, and lifting the precious box,
put all his remaining strength into a