On the Spot

When he started the guard called, "Halt!" This officer turned back into the yard. When he did, it left me standing out in the open. The goon threw a clip in the gun and drew a bead on me.

I stopped and looked down the barrel. I even turned my side so he would hit my arm rather than straight in the heart.

The seconds seemed like eternities. But the men saw what was going on and screamed.

The guard must have been afraid; for he dropped the gun, and I went on back in our yard and hurried up to the loft and lay down on my sack. I shook for an hour or more. That in my opinion was the nearest I had been to death.