Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-01-15

the aQ0a1zed Rro8n WHICH eSc8Pco niU
but too plainly indicated the severity
OF the blow. Ruin, utter ruin,
confronted him. No matter how
innocent he might be his rep
utation was forever blasted should be
fail to recover the gems, while II be
attempted to make good the loss II
meant for him the sacrifice OF . lie.
time. Little wonder that his mental
agony was intense.
Out in the clear, cold air Willis
walked TO calm his perturbed feelings
and to formulate some plan that might
aid him in tracing the thief. Long ago
he had come to the conclusion that the
man with the yellow mustache was re-
sponsible for the crime, but how to es-
tablish that theory and recover the dia-
monds were problems difficult to solve.
By this time the robber was probably
a hundred miles away, In
what direction who could tell? Yet
stay! Why should the fellow fly when
no danger threatened? From his atti-
tude on the train IL was apparent that
he supposed Willis had never seen him
| before, thus clearly indicating that he
had escaped observation In the iewelry
store at Minneapolis. Arriving at the
hotel alone, an entire stranger TO every
| body, he manages in some way to secure
room. and having performed the rob-
berry secretly, concludes that IL Is safer
to remain quiet than to arouse suspic-
ion by hasty retreat.
PLANNING FOR VENGEANCE,
YES" exclaimed Crandall to himself
after following the above line OF thought,
"the thief is still 10 the hotel, and | will
get back what he has stolen or die In
the effort. Meantime / will say moth
ing about my loss for fear IL may defeat
my plans"
Refreshed by his walk, and with 9
mind made easier by his coeitations,
Willis returned to the hotel In time TO
eat fairly hearty dinner, after which
he examined the register, TO lind the
name of Felix Chambers, st. Paul.
written 10 sprawIing hand just be-
low his own neat signature. The man
had been assigned to room 33, which,
as Crandall knew, was on the floor
above him. Wondering how a trav-
eler arriving still later than himself
could have been accommodated, be
hung about the Office until the night
clerk went on watch and then, while
casually scanning the register, laugh
ingly observed that Chambers was pretty
lucky TO get room the night before.
The clerk looked puzzled until Willis
pointed to the last autograph on the
page Of the day previous.
80 yes! the man with the yellow mus
tache," he rejoined. Registered short
| ly after you did and then kicked hard
when he found we were full. Ran into
q delegate who came TO give up his room
and fell right Into the snap. He was
lucky. you bet!"
Willis echoed his former observation.
"By the way" be continued, 'doa't for
get that you stored me away In dingy
little back room. Wish you would make
a change first chance you get"
The clerk turned TO his room list.
mo. 35 will be vacant after o'clock"
he remarked presently. "Let you have
that II you'wish; It's good front room. A"
Striving to control his voice, which he
was fearful would betray him by It's too
eager ring, Willis answered that he
would be mighty glad to get II, and
after few commonplace strolled OF In
a corner to think.
FORTUNE FAyoRs TIE BRAVE.
No. IS. That must be the room ad-
Joining the one occupied by the man
whom he believed had stolsn his dla-
monds. The opportunity for which he
had been praying was suddenly thrust
upon him, and In the most unexpected
manner. he would lose no time in ex-
ecuting a plan OF reprisal which had
darted into his brain the moment the
clerk had announced the number OF the
room to be vacated. 1t should be case
OF retributive Justice wherein he would
not trouble the officers OF the law for
assistance.
The key to 80 was in the rack at the
| Office when the clerk turned over room 80
| to Willis Crandall. The bell boy OF the
previous night helped bin make the
| transfer from No. Is, and this time Willis
allowed him TO carry his yalIse up the
| single fl ght OF stairs to his new quar-
| tiers. For this assistance he received q
shining quarter, much to his astonIsh-
ment, as he had already sized Willis up
as "ohe O. them grumpy, stingy ducks
| from back east"
Left to himself Crandall turned the
| key In the lock and then stealthiIy APP
| piled his eye TO the keyhole In the bolt
ed door, which, as be had foreseen, sep
| aratvd the two rooms. The gas burned
low, indicating that the occupant had
gone out, so after q few moments OF
waiting Willis ventured TO try the han
die OF the door. or course the latter
was locked; he had expected nothing
less, but what particularly pleased him
was the discovery that there was no
bolt on the. inside. He ascertained this
by the loose action OF the door, which
ratified easily to bis touch. Providence
was favoring his plans.
Applying the key OF bis room TO the
lock in the partition door, he was scarce
" disappointed TO find 1t did not ct and
was by no means discouraged. He had
picked the locks III bis fathers house
| back In Poughkeepsie many q time, as
a boy, Just for the fun OF the thing.
and knew he would have no trouble
with the common pattern before him.
| A stout piece OF bent wire was oil he
needed 70 perform the trick, and this
he could obtain at any hardwar store.
Hastily retreating downstairs. Willis
made his way outdoors and In q few
minutes had bought just the article be
needed. The key OF 80, be noticed,
was still on the rack, so that be felt
sure the occupant had not Jet returned.
With pair OF plyers purchased at the
same time Crandall quickly gave the
wire the desired crook. and Inserting IL
in the lock, snapped the bolt back In q