Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1901-03-14

THE FELLOW STRUGGLED FURiOUsLY AND
CUT MY ARM.
yet met. We found rough crowd
indeed, and the evening was not half
over when burly big fellow deliber-
ately picked quarrel with me. ] was
giving him the worst Of 1t when he
drew n knife and rushed upon me.
Duchene, who was standing quietly by,
knocked the scoundrel senseless, and,
to my slrpriGn- rua s"A-e-s'~t 'srviootcd
by the IInlf dozen friends Of the vic
tim who had been urging him to fin
ish me. | came to know later on that
the whole tIing was put up job, but
looked upon It then as q brave action
on the part Of my acquaintance and
gave him my gratitude and friendship.
| had never questioned him as to why
he was In Paris, where or how he
lived or what aim he had in life, and
he had never dropped n hint. had
secret belief that he was n gambler
and sharper. but TO me he was as
straightforward as could be hoped for.
About two weeks after the event at
tire dance hall Duchene told me his
FlDlyt vi "a IItilt VI ils I+f MhH a DlO-
fessional gambler, or had been up 10
few months before he met me. Then
his cyesight had gone back on him and
ne bad been Obliged to abandon the
business bad observed that he was
nenrsighted and had been obliged to
favor his eyes.
A year before meeting me Duchenc
ard partner had "roped" rich young
fellow into n game and skinned him
out Of what would be about $4,000 in
American money. They were then oc-
cupying rooms IN II certain house he In
dicatcd, and fearing trouble from the
victim, who had declared himself de-
! frauded, the money had been hidden
under the floor. Trouble came. Both
men were arrested. ard, while Duchene
| got year IN prison, the other man died
OF pneumonia while waiting his trial.
| on leaving prison Duchene at once
took steps to secure his money. but
found the floor in possession OF an ar-
! ti6clal flower maker who held a lease.
! The place could not be entered and
searched and the $4,000 still rested
beneath the floor OF the front room. 1t
would take 81 800 to buy the lease and
Oiist the flower maker and another $500
\ 60 put I'm n stock Of something TO throw
Inc police off the scent. Duchenc could
not raise the money. nor had he yet
met man he dared trust. Ills propo-
Bition 10 me was that ! furnish the ST.
900 and receive $4,000 of the hidden
money as my reward. Had he offered
to go halves think ] should have look
! cd upon II MS plant and thrown II
over, but in Offering me sixth portion
! he seemed 10 show good business tnct
| II was n big return on the investment
big enough TO satisfy any one-and I
! gave him favorable answer nt once.
| He had already sounded the flower
maker as 10 the lease and If my mon
cy was raised the papers could be sign
| cd three days later. | had good bit
Of cash at my bankers, and on the sec
ond day after bcaring Duehene's story
| drew out $1,000 in gold and placed
! the bag In my trunk. Next day the pa
! pers were TO be signed, and week Int
er the floor would be I'm our possession.
That night the two OF us attended
the thcatcr aud nftcrward had supper.
and / haven't the slightest doubt that
my wine WIS druRged. While I was
not made helpless, my head seemed ms
| big na barrel. could hardly keep
my eyes open, aud If Duchcne had not
| put me IN cab and instructed the
driver | should never have found my
way 20 the hotel ! had TO be helped
10 my room. and ! fell upon the bed,
| dressed ~ ! was and was instantly
| hslccp. / had been asleep two hours
| when nwokc rs keen ms n fox. The
effects of the drug had vanished, and
| az got out Of bed TO undress ! found
my legs aii right again. | was fully
| undresscd ana ready 10 get between the
sheets when my ear caught sound
from under the bed. at once stopped
down for look, md my eyes rested
upon n man lying on the broad OF his
| back. I Ind him out in n second. II
seemed 10 me as If / had five times
my ordinary strength. and, though the
fellow struggled furiously and cut my
arm with knife. | grasped his throni
md cholcd him til he lay like one
dead It was only when | bad struck
light that I found the intruder &c
bc Duchcuc. lie had come In through
l the window which opened on We