Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-05-10
CHAPTER lv-lcontlnuedl.

CfRP Elk IN-(Contlnueu).
BY Jove, | had my own opinion
about that! knew he must have
seen one before; but | just went on
questioning, to gain time, you know,
and wondering all the while how
should ever be able to break the truth
to the poor fellow.
Tell me again what he was like"
said. How did you know he was a
Chinaman?"
why, by his long black pigtail.
SIR and his onery color. But | never
saw no Chinaman as ugly as this one
mo sir. Oh, he was just too awful
horrid to look at, sir. His forehead
sloped away back, or maybe the front
part of his head being all shaved
made 1t look that way And the skin
about his eyes was painted white with
red streaks shooting around like rays
of light
mo beard or mustache l suppose?"
/ suggested, feeling my own smooth
shaven face. Jenkins reply was
surprise:
Yes, sir; there were long black
kind of rat tails that dropped down
from the sides of his mouth, And
then his neck-ugh-all thick with
woolly hair"
"Oh, 1t was, eh?" I,said drily, think
ing of the long red stripe that my
collar concealed. 81 suppose you felt
this, eh, when you jumped at his
throat?"
Jenkins rubbed his chin with a puz-
zled air.
why, that's uncommon queer, sir;
but now that you remind me, do re-
member that his neck felt perfectly
smooth-and 1t wasn't so big, either.
Why, should say 1t felt just about
like yours would sir"
eyed him ruefully.
by Jove, / don't doubt 1t min
ute!" | commented with some dis
gust.
We'll, go on with your yarn. You
were telling, when interrupted, about
rushing into my bedroom"
Yes, SIR" he resumed with anima-
ton. And when 1 didn't find you, 1
was just frantic, for / didn't know you
had gone out, sir-never thought OF
that; | went for the ugly monster
with the big pistol there in the cab
inet--which, by the way, sir, the low
down villain stole when he locked me
up and lit out"
| had an inspiration.
~ see," | broke in carelessly; land
then you demanded to know where 1
was-that 1t? Then you backed him
to that window, and he told you he
had chucked me into the street
whereupon you tried to blow off his
head and knocked the jolly daylights
out of the lady with the fencing foil"
Jenkins, his mouth agape, viewed
me with distended eyes.
81 didn't tell you that, sir" he fall
tered How"
And when you dropped the weap-
on" | went on, this chap collared it,
iabbed the beastly thing into you, and
told you to look at him And by Jove
you wouldn't"
Jenkins groaned slightly. The
apologetic cough with which he strove
to mantle the sound was dry and
spiritless.
mo, sir; 1t seemed easier to die,
SIR" he muttered-"what with him
grinning like fiend and mis- long
teeth a-sticking out over his lip
ugh" Then he added wonderingly:
But what gets me is how you should
know, sir"
/ looked at him gravely.
Jenkins" I said gently, 81 know,
because it SO happens was here all
the time"
His eyes bulged incredulously.
You sir? You mean in this room?"
nodded slowly, 81 mean right In
this room-I was witness of the
whole thing"
Jenkins just gulped. | motioned to
chair.
You may sit down, Jenkins. my
poor fellow" l said compassionately
] poured out some whisky and gave
1t to him.
You must brace yourself for
great shock, my poor jenkins" / said
soothingly. And then thought / had
best hurry on, for could tell by the
way his eyes rolled and the blue color
of his lips that probably / was Just
IN time to head off another attack
And then I told him all.
And here" concluded, "are the
marks of your fingers under my col
lar, and the pistol is on top of the
bookcase"
Jenkins just sat there. kind of hud-
died up. you know, and his face as
white as the what-you-call-it snow.
Didn't seem able to say word. BY
Joye 1t was too much for me; my
heart just went out to him.
ITS all right. Jenkins" said kind