The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-10-11

to take up the case for her. lind OFT
IL she were about to fall In % the hands
of swindlers and, If she were. protect
her.
Permit me TO assure you," said,
that in me you have friend"
II do not doubt it.
"Why not?'
Il can tell Il dishonest man the mo-
ment l see him. You are Trustworthy. ''
THANK you. Now give me an ad-
dress to which | can write you
l gave her bit of paper torn from
a letter had in my pocket and pen
Gil. She wrote Laura G. Ostrander.
127 D street" 1t was the house Of q
friend to whom she had confided her
case.
left her at the door of her own
house and went to my room. Before
| going to bed wrote note disguised
for a feminine hand, addressed to f.
B. Winchell. The letter that had come
to me had no street and number on it..
so none was needed on the note l
wrote. 1 informed Mr.. Winchell that
would find a carriage standing at q
certain place. He was to get into the
| carriage, where he would find Laura" !"
who would hear what he had to say.
Having sealed my note, went out and
posted 1t. Then l went to bed rather
to think Of my adventure than to
sleep.
On the evening in question, covered
with woman's raincoat reaching to
my heels and a woman's hat shaped
like an inverted pot that would con-
ceal my features, I entered carriage
and drove to the place had designat-
ed. had been there five minutes
when a man approached the door and
said:
"Laurap'
YES" l replied in a woman's con-
tralto voice.
He entered the carriage, thinking he
was with woman and ignorant of the
fact that he was with a man whose
hand. in the pocket of the raincoat,
grasped cooked revolver. l had pre-
viously told the driver where to take
us, and as soon as the man was seated
beside me we were driven away.
II am ready to hear what you have
to say" said.
II can restore the will provided that
you will obligate yourself to pay me
$4,000 as soon as you receive the es-
tate which will all be yours under the
will"
For whom are you acting" 1
asked.
THAT l do not care to state"
"Supposing your proposition to be
accepted, when and where do you in-
tend the papers shall be passedT
Whenever and wherever you like"
"Have you the will with you?"
'Yes."
1--WE might close the transaction
now"
"Not here in the carriage"
mo. Thinking we might need q
private place for such a purpose, 1
obtained of a friend of mine in the
real estate business the key to a va
cant cottage on the Centerville turn
pike. There are writing materials
there-indeed, everything we need"
For a woman you have a good head
for business. Are you sure this cot
tage is vacant"
"Yes."
"Very we'll Tell the driver to take
US there"
"He has been told that already"
When we stopped at the door of the
house the man asked me for the key
and told me to remain where l was
till he had explored the premises.
complied. He went into the house,
lighted the gas and after some ten
minutes absence returned and politely
handed me out of the carriage.
went into the house with him and,
conducting him into q room In the
center of which was a table with
writing materials on it, shut the door.
He sat down at the table and filed
out note for $4,000, payable thirty
days after the maker should come
into her estate, then gave it to me to
sign. | read it and while doing so
said: where is the will? Let me
see it."
He took the will from his pocket and
held it so that could see that it was
genuine. This was all wished for.
Putting my hand in the pocket of my
raincoat, quick as a flash l leveled a
revolver at him, holding it within a
few feet of his face.
Drop that" 1 said in my natural
voice.
He stood glaring at me, but power
less. repeated the order, showing
my revolver close under his nose.
Looking down the muzzle of a pistol,
especially with an opponents finger on
the trigger, is not pleasant. The weap-
on might go off even accidentally
The man dropped the will on the
table. l feared to remove my gaze
from him to examine it lest he take ad-
vantage of my looking away to spring
upon me. l was obliged to take the
risk Of its being the genuine document
go out before me-" I said, picking
up the will. still keeping my eyes on