The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-04-17

CUT MY ARM.
yet met We found q rough crowd
indeed. and the evening was not half
over when a burlY big fellow delibei.-
ately picked a quarrel with me. was
giving him the worst of it when he
drew a knife and rushed upon me.
Duchene, who was standing quietly by.
Knocked the scoundrel senseless, and.
to my surprise, we were not moIested
by the half dozen friends Of the vic
tim who had been urging him to fin
ish me. came to know later on that
the whole thing was a put up job. but
/ looked upon it then as a brave action
on the part of my acquaintance and
gave him my gratitude and friendship.
I had never questioned him as to why.
he was in Paris. where or how be.
lived or what aim he had ii life. and
he had never dropped hint. had
a secret belief that lie was a gambler
and sharper. but to me lie was as.
raightforWard as could be hoped for
About two weeks after the event at
the dance hall Duchene told me his
story. or a part Of it. He was. IA pro-.
fessional gambler, or had been up to
few months before lie met me- Then
his eyesight had gone back on him and
he bad been obliged to abandon the
business. i had observed that he was
nearsighted and had been obliged to
favor his eyes.
year before meeting me Duchenes
and q partner had .reped' asrich young
fellow into a game and skinned him
out Of what would be about SIT. 600 in
American money. They we're then &C.
cupylng rooms ii a certain house he in
dicated. 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 aud while Duchene
got a year in prison. the ether 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
ti6cial flower maker who held a lease.
The place could not be entered and
searched. and the $4,000 still rested
I beneath the floor of the front room. 1t
would take S1.500 to buy the lease and.
GUST the. flower maker and another $500
to put in a stock of something to throw
the police off the scent Duchene could.
not raise the money, nor had he yet
met asman be dared trust His propo-
sition to me was thai furnish the ST..
600 and receive SIC, 900 Of the hidden.
money as my reward. Had he offered
to go halves think / should have look.
ed upon it as plant and thrown it
over, but in Offering me a sixth portion
he seemed to show good business tact.
It was a big return on the invest
4 big enough % satisfy any. one and 1
gave him a favorable answer at once.
B He had already sounded the flower
maker as to the lease. and il my mon
ey was raised the papers could be sign
led three days later. had good bit
OF cash at my bankers, and on the sec
ond day after hearing Duchene's story
I drew out $1,000 IN gold and placed
the BAG II my trunk. Next day the pa
psrs were to be signed, and q week lat
er the fopr would be IN our possession.
That night the two Of as attended
the theater and afterWard had supper,
and haven the highest doubt that
my wine was drugged. While was
not made helpless, my head seemed as
big as q barrel. could hardly keep
my eyes open, and lie Duchene had not
put me in s. cab and instructed the