United States or Germany ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
You always come up as soft as a spook!" "Yes, that's me. Where's Sam?" "Sam's gone to Shady Creek on an excursion with his lodge. My wife went with him." "I wanted to see him. I think a heap of Sam." "So do I. Sam is a good fellow." "Excuse my making so free, Mr. Matchin, but I once thought Sam was going to be a son-in-law of yours." "Well, betwixt us, Mr. Offitt, I hoped so myself.
I'm your friend, if you've got one in the world. You mustn't lose a minute more. You've got time now to catch the 8.40. Come, jump in a hack and be off." His earnestness and rapidity confused Sleeny, and drove all thoughts of the hammer from his mind. He stared at Offitt blankly, and said, "Why, what are you givin' me now?" "I'm a-givin' you truth and friendship, and fewest words is best.
The thought in his mind was, "I don't mind being killed; but I thought he might tear off my coat, and show them my money." From this moment he kept his hand in such position that he might feel the packages in his pockets. Sleeny was still panting and screaming execrations at Offitt. The justice turned to him with sternness, and said, "Silence there!
Then he would go to Dean Street and get a last look at Maud, if he could; then his business would be to find Offitt. "If I find him," he thought, "I'll give them something to try me for." But finally he dismissed the matter from his mind, for this reason. He remembered seeing a friend, the year before, fall from a scaffolding and break his leg.
His voice was that of Offitt, as he said, "Ladies, we don't want to do no violence; but, in the name of the Revolutionary Committee, we have called to collect an assessment on you." This machinery was an invention of the moment, and was received with great satisfaction by the Bread-winners. "That's what's the matter," they said, in chorus. "Your assessment, and be lively about it.
Offitt drew off his shoes, leaped upon the platform, and entered the library as swiftly and noiselessly as a panther walking over sand. Alice Belding was seated before her glass braiding her long hair. Her mother had come in from her own room, as her custom often was, to chat with her daughter in the half hour before bed-time.
The patriotic witness who, yesterday, with a bleeding heart, denounced the criminality of his friend, paid last night with his life for his fidelity." In another column called for a "monument, by popular subscription for Andrew Jackson Offitt, who died because would not tell a lie."
Offitt was shown into a small room, barely furnished, with two doors; the one through which he had just come, and one opening apparently into the main corridor of the building. Offitt, as soon as he was alone, walked stealthily to the latter door and tried to open it. It was locked, and there was no key. He glanced at the window; there was an iron grating inside the sash, which was padlocked.
"The first charge against Sleeny will be dismissed, though of course he must be held for this homicide." A few weeks later Sleeny was tried for the killing of Offitt, on which occasion most of the facts of this history were given in evidence. Mrs. Belding had at last to tell what she knew in open court, and she had an evil quarter of an hour in the hands of Mr.
"Well, what's the matter?" asked Offitt. "Have you heered about Brother Bowersox?" "Never mind the brothering that's played out. What is there about Bowersox?" "He's dangerous; they don't think he'll live through the night." "Well, what of it?" This was not encouraging, but the poor Bread-winner ventured to say, "I thought some of the Brothers " But Offitt closed the subject by a brutal laugh.
Word Of The Day