Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1908-08-07
A Good Use Of a Flask.
IOriginal.l

coat. l was sure Bill had taken it and
had him arrested, but since there was
no evidence against him he was dis
charged.
My new office was on the second
floor, apart from other offices. One
afternoon when I was sitting there
alone at work on my books Bill open
ed the door and came In. He had not
been paid for his services and asked
for the money. l gave 1t to him and
said:
"Bill, perhaps you know who stole
my overcoat. Try to find 1t and bring
1t to me. If you do. I'll pay you well
for your trouble. If not, I'll send the
man who stole 1t to state prison yet"
I'll try" he said as he pocketed the
money l paid him and went away.
I had advertised my loss. and the
next day a woman and a little girl
came into my Office with the missing
coat The woman said that q negro
had sold 1t to her for So and that she
would know him IL she should see him
again. | had Bill rearrested. She
identified him, and he was tried and
sent to state prison for two years.
After 1t was all over I learned that
Bill was a very bad man. He had been
a slave, and his former master had
said that he was the only negro he
had owned that he was afraid of.
That Bill had ever been a criminal be-
fore stealing my coat did not learn.
Upon getting this information 1 re,
membered with some feeling his visit
to me when l was alone in my Office.
l am a small man; he was a large and
powerful one Indeed, I had been
completely at his mercy. 1t occurred
to me that after he had served his
term he might make me another visit
for the purpose of taking his revenge
for an enforced residence In prison.
I was sufficiently impressed with
this to note the time of expiration of
Bill's term, so that when he was re-
leased I might be prepared for him,
but l didn't count on time reduced for
good behavior. One evening just before
I was ready to shut up my Office and
go home the door opened and In
walked Bill. He assumed the same
cool, lmpudent manner as before. ]
sat looking at him from my desk.
"You don't remember me, do you,
boss?" he said.
Eyes; l remember you very well
You're the nan who stole my over
coat"
i'And the man you sent to state
prison"
Eyes. l remember that too"
he was looking about him, glancing
out Of the window. taking in the stu
alton. / knew ne nud rurne c6ktlfr-1rH me
and was only considering the question
of my surroundings with a view to do
ing the job without It's being known
who was the murderer. Hearing q step
In the hall without, he delayed. All this
1 could read in his eyes as plainly as If
1t had been written In capitals on the
desk before me. The step was lost In
the distance. and Bill's n indi-
Gated that he considered an obstacle re-
moved. Still, he must have fully appre-
ciated the many possible dangers Of
being tracked, II not caught In the act.
He kept his eyes and ears open for any
thing without. There was a coal stove In
the center Of the Office. neal where he
stood, and a heavy Iron poker. l saw
him take in the poker, and I knew by
his expression that he had chosen 1t
for a weapon. 1t would make no noise.
I also inferred by this that he was
probably unarmed. He doubtless had
no money with which to buy a weapon.
A door slammed on the floor above,
and there was a step on the stairs.
Some one was coming down. Bills
eye changed in a twinkling.
"I'm gwine to try m do better, boss"
he said.
$50 l would advise you"
Couldn't you help me a leetler"
Here was a ray of hope. Not from
the passing person. dared not risk
calling. In the right hand drawer of
my desk 1 remembered having placed
a brown glass flask shaped like a re-
volver and commonly called a pocket
pistol. Bill had given me an excuse to
open the drawer.
81 might give you a few dollars" 1
said, "to keep you till you can get a
job. I keep stamps and petty cash in
this drawer. You needn't come inside
the rail. I can hand 1t to you"
The person coming downstairs had
gone out into the street, and all was
still. Watching Bin's eye, 1 saw that
my time had come. Grasping the
poker, he started for the gate In the
rail. I opened the drawer, seized the
pocket pistol, brought it to bear On him
and cried fiercely:
Glands upg"
His hands went over his head as IL
worked by a spring. Fearing that If L
delayed he would discover my trick. L
cried:
"Face the door,
Again / gave the third order:
Move forward!'