Year: 1878

| Schrobiker was detained at hi
place of business the other nigh
until after the last car had left
and was obliged to walk home. Whe1
very near there he concluded to Gu
through an alley to save considerable
walking, but shortly after he entered thu
same he felt something like streak O.
cold air go all through his frame as hi
noticed a dim figure approaching in tn,
distance. Schrobiker is not what might bt
called coward-though little woman
scarcely tail enough to chin the mante
rules like law in the house HI
pays rent for-but still, he didn't exactly
like the idea of facing foot-pad in s
dark alley, for he was unarmed and
had some money with him. He
didn't give so much thought to that
though, as he did to the uDpleasantness
of being banged over the head with a
slung-shot, or laid up with pistol-ball
wound in hot weather. Neither did he
like to beat an inglorious retreat, with.
out at least getting good view of the
antagonist he was running from. II
would take tolerably good-sized man
to make him crawfish in daylight, and
he didn'tlike to be haunted forever after
with the suspicion that he might have
skunk away from little weasel he could
pitch over the fence with one hand tied
behind him. These thoughts went
through his head like women in spring
hats scudding before a shower, and put
his heart in high futter, but he kept
on until he came within some fifty OF
sixty feet of the approaching mystery.
Then he paused and breathed hard.
The other man did the same. He re.
vived his courage little, and took a
few steps forward. The figure progressed
about the same distance, and came to a
stop also. Schrobiker then put few
more steps behind him, and took posi-
ton as close as he could get to the fence
on the right, keeping close eye on the
dark object before him. The other
party likewise moved up a little eau.
tiously, and hugged the fence on the
left. Schrobiker again advanced few
PAGES, and steadied himself against the
wall. His breath came quicker and he
realized that the conflict was near. The
adversary made slight and very stealthy
advance, and Schrobiker would have
sworn he could see fire swapping from
his eyes. The man paused. made a
quick melton with his ri ght hand, and
sneezed! with loud, quick and exl To-
siye sound.


Schrobiker jumped back about six
feet and clapped both hands over his
mouth to keep from screaming. For as
much as second he thought he was a
murdered man, dead sure, but he didn't
feel the ball strike, and felt easier the
next instant. The other party slipped
with the recoil and fell backward to the
ground, but just as his victim was
tempted to risk all and dart by on run,
he jumped to his feet, pulled his hand
kerchief and blowed his nose with a
bugle blast. To Schrobiker's strained
Imagination it was a signal for reinforce.
ments, and he felt his knees giving away
in despair beneath him. He took another
step or two forward, and felt his breath
growing chilly, but the next moment
glorious hope was again in his breast, fol
out of the darkness came voice shaky
with agitation, saying:


Do you want my pocket-boek? In
heavens name take all I've got and let
me go home!"


With an overpowering feeling of JOY
and relief Schrobiker sprang forward
toward the other man, who seeing the
movement, dropped on his knees with
despairing cry, and begged for his
life.


"Oh, get up" said Schrobiker grab
biDg him by the collar, and fetching him
to his feet I" wouldn't harm hair Of
your head for thousand dollars. Here
take my hand and shake, stranger; shake
hearty, for you've saved me by just
about fifteen seconds, from making one
of the confoundest asses of myself that
ever wore breeches. If you'd a kept
still another minute I should have been
offering you my pocket-book. But
don't you never lisp it, or I'll lay
for you with a shotgun. That's just
what I'll do.'


And an cid head in a night-cap poked
itself out of an upper window and
wanted to know what two irredeemible
fools meant by going round disturbing
peaceful slumber, laughing in that rip
roaring jackass fashion.