Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-01-30
A QUARTER PAST SIX.

mo, | can't get TO sleep with one in the
room. And yet clock once saved nv life
after 1t had come near making me lose
it."
As he spoke, Lieut. Halford lifted n
dainty little timepiece from its position in
the center OF the mantel, and carried It off
to the closet, where he deposited il on one
of the shelves.
Nonsense, Frank" rejoined his room
fellow for the night, an old time school
mate, Grant Young. YOU'VE the last man
would ever accuse of being fussy."
Not having heard my clock story, you
are, OF course, ignorant of the fact that
was once tried for murder"
See here, Frank, don't triie with a fell
lows nerves on a night like this
Then, seeing that his friends face was
deeply serious, Young added, $50 on.
Frank"
1T was shortly before Joined the army,
and when was out in Arizona prospect
ing with party from Denver. We had
struck a good thing near the little town
with the most inappropriate name of Blue
bell. 1t was a newl settled place, and set
tied with some pretty poor material. too
vein OF silver had been struck in the hill
close by, and the town sprang up like a
sky rocket. on needn't knit YOUR bro VS.
Grant, and try to recall the place; the vein
proved very short one, and Bluebelrs
soaring soon came down like stick, and
now doubt if there are dozen families
left there.
AT the time of which | sneak. however
Bluebeil was Il city of considerable pref en-
sions-for its kind, 1t boosted hotel
with two rooms, shaving saloon with a
regular BARRIERS chair, and small tailor
ing establishment, as the sign had it.
which we fellows of the Baby Mine found
great improvement on amateur darn.
and button fastenings
This tailor shop was kept by a German.
named Bilsing, one of the most repulsiye
looking men l have ever seen. He was
short, almost dwarf in size with fingers
like talons and a nose that was almost a
perfect beak. Ee was surly and disagree
able, but being a good work man. and h ay-
ing monopoly Of the trade, he did thirty
ing business. Rut he was avaricious to a
degree, and resorted to ali sorts of devices
TO extort pay that was not due him
"One afternoon | had gone to his place
10 nave n rent IN my coat lining sewed IIp
While he was at work on it, not WISH NO
20 be detained in the shop longer than
could help, asked him how much it would
be, and on his answering % cents took a
quarter from my pocket and laid it on the
table in front of him. When the job was
finished put on my coat and was about to
hurry off when Bilsing called after me:
say, you go off mitout leaving me some
dings. 1t cost twenty-five cent
paid you once, l retorted.
No, you did not he insisted, and then.
rather than have a fuss with the man. /
paid him over again, and took occasion at
the fn toll -,
knew he was cheating me,
Jack Darling and Nate GRAY, two min
ers from Bluebell, happened in while Bill
sing and | were in the thick OF it, for ne
impudent fellow answered back and CO u
sidered myself lucky to get out of the place
without having to resort to my muscles to
defend myself. AS / walked back to our
claim Vowed never to go to the shop again;
you can imagine, then, how annoyed was
when discovered that had lost a locket
from my watch chain.
''It contained picture OF my mother
which priced most highly. had noticed
that the ring by which it was attached TO
my chain was wearing perilousiy thin, and
had determined to file it through, take the
locket off, and put it away safely till had
an opportunity of having it fastened on 10y
a jeweler. But / had delayed to do this,
and now the thing was gone.
Gould have lost it at Rilsings shop?
| asked myself l remembered that | had
been leaning against the work table, the
edge of which would come just about
where the locket had been. / resolved 10
return at once and make a search, deeply
as disliked the idea of interviewing tie
man again.
Il turned and retraced my steps, walk
inc slowly with nv pvaS IN tine Ground
But / saw no sign of my locket on the way.
just before l reached Bilsing's place /
looked at my watch to see how much time
had before supper, and saw that 1t was
twenty minutes to 6.
THE irascible German was seated cross
legged on his table busily at work, when
| entered
Veil, vat you want now?' he grunte1
out when he saw me.
L think 1 dropped Iocket on the floor
here l answered, and began to search
among the litter under the table. You
didn't see it, did your added, when a
three minutes hunt proved barren OF re
suits.
"'Yur dink / steal him, eh?' he snarled,
dropping his work and beginning 70 glare
at me.
"'No; l didn't say SOL I returned. i
might have added that / thought so, bu5
he scarcely gave me any time to do any
thinking, for all at once he burst out with
torrent OF brutal invective-
He sprang down from the table, and /
thought he was going to strike me. 1
squared off and made ready to defend my
self, and in that instant the door opened
and man entered the shop. He was quite
young fellow and had pair Of trousers
over his arm, which he flung down on the
counter, raging something in German, ano
then got out rs quickly as possible. Bill
sings attention was momentarily diverted
from me by this episode, and seized the