The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-09-04


safe
You'll force me to commit an afro
cious deed" came the remorseless re-
ply.
"'All right then-yes, I'll pay, but
to whom?
1T is now Sis exactly. At this
very moment my confederate has en-
| tered your Office to receive the money.
You will pay him and he will tell you
the watchword agreed to between us,
which You will telephone to me at
once
"Mr. Maxwell turned around. A
! stranger of pleasant mien, dressed in
the height of fashion, stood before him.
Said the visitor:
4 have called to collect a little
matter of ten thousand dolls. for a
friend of mine, Thomas jefferson
Odell.'
1 understand replied Mr.. Max
well, who went to the safe, took from
it two packets containing ten thousand
dollars, and handed the money to the
stranger.
The latter ascertained that the
amount was correct, and placed it in
side his breast pockets.
And the watchword?' demanded
Mr. Maxwell.
"'Do right and interfere not replied
the burglars confederate, with an as
sumption of dignity, and strobe ont of
the office with all the grandeur of a
Spanish hidalgo
"'Do t and interfere not. joyful
ly shOl Mr.. Maxwell through the
telephoI And now you'll leave my
premises, OIr. Odell, won't you? And
as for my wife
"'llave no fear, Mr.. MAXWELL re-
piled the man at the other end, you
have to deal with burglar and gen
tleman'
Mr. Maxwell locked his office, en-
tered his carriage, and galloped to his
residence. The more closely he APP
preached, the keencr his fear of a
catastrophe became But as he stopped
at the gate he noticed nothing out of
the way. He sprang up the stairs, and
entered the pretty boudoir of his pref
tier wife. She was quietly reading.
"Ilow you must have suffered my
angelr he cried, and a sob shook his
voice.
THE young wife looked up, aston
ished.
"'Suffercd? I?'
THAT burglar, you know-it must
have been awful. Oh, you poor darl-
ing
"'Why George, dear what is the
matter? You speak in riddles
But didn't he gag your he asked.
"'Now. my dearest George, wish
you would talk sense. What do you
mean?'
After Mr.. Maxwell had finished the
recital of his adventure, he asked:
Wasn't there somebody here using
my telephone?'
"'Why, yes, there was, replied Mrs.
Maxwell. A young and well-dressed
man came in, introduced himself to
me as Mr.. Thomas jefferson Odell.
Spectator and business friend of
yours, and requested permission to
make use of your private telephone to
send you most important message on
business. OF course | gave him per-
mission. lie used the telephone but q
short time and then came back into the
drawing room, thanked me for the IA
vOr had done him and went away. say
ing the telephone was most useful
and admira Bile inYention-it facilitated
business so much.
"'And that was all?' queried Mr..
Maxwell: he didn't gag you and the
servants? He was alone, and did net
offer violence toyou?'
Not at all. He was most polite and
gentlemanly-quite as much as you are
at this moment, George
:" Great Scott" exclaimed Maxwell,
with wild outburst, how scientifically
I've been sold. Excuse me. dear, but
can't help it. I'll drive over and inter-
view the police.
And that's what he did" concluded
the detective, and that's the way |
came in possession of the facts. But
after talking the matter over and con-
sulting with the smartest detectives in
my service, we arrived at the conclu-
sion that there was little chance of re-
covering the money. The pair were
too adroit. In spite of all our efforts
since we've heard nothing more of the
$4,000 nor of Mr.. Thomas jefferson
Odell and his confederate boston
Globe.