Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1893-01-12

ready to be ignited.'
You scoundle! shouted the agonized
husband in an excess OF emotion.
Don't excite yourself. Now, sir.
here is my proposal. 1t You disappear
from the telephone without acceding to
1t shall set FIRE to the house. It's no
use applying to the police, for we'd be
o quick for them. You will see, Mr..
Maxwell, that you are utterly in my
power. The only sensible thing you
can do is to listen to my proposal and
to agree to it,
On, wish l had nv hand at your
throat, You william |! shouted the mil
l'onaire, shaking with rage.
But YOU know you hayen t, 80 what s
the use of your talking that way LIT
us talk business instead. need Il loan
of $40 600 cash. | need 1t ut once. Ii
YOU are inclined to lend Inc that sum
without guaranty shall leave your
house with my men in exactly the same
condition IN which found it,
You are running me, groaned Max
we'll. Aud l don't think | haye that
much money In cash IN the Office safe.
You'll force me to commit an afro
cions deed, came the remorseless reply.
All right, then-yes, III pay, but to
whom:
1T is now 5:l5 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 mlen. dressed IN
the height Of fashion, ,tood before him.
Sau the visitor:
- have called TO collect little mat
ter of 10000 dolls. for friend OF mine,
Thomas jeff, rson Olell.'
II understand replied Mr.. Max
we'll, VINO went to the safe, took from II
two packets continuing $4,000 and
handed the ncney to the stranger.
The latter ascertAintd that the
aroount WAS correct, and placed it in
side his breast pockets.
And the watchword :: demanded
Mr.. Maxwell.
'Do right and interfere not re
piled the burglars confederate, with an
assumption of dignity, and strobe ont
of the cflice with all the grandeur Of a
Spanish hldalgo.
DO right and interfere not joyful
lv shouted Mr.. Maxwell through The
telephone. And now yon Il leave my
premises, Mr. OdrIl, won't you: And
az for my wife
"Have no fear, MIR. Maxwell. re-
piled the man at the other end, you
have to deal with Il burglar and gen.
tleman.
MIR. Maxwell lock,d his office, enter
ed his carriage, and galloped to his res
;dence, The more c.osely he approach
ed, the kerner his fear of a catastrophe
became. But. as he stopped at the
gate, lie noticed othing out of the way
He sprang up the stairs, and entered
the pretty boudoir Of his pre'tier wife
She was quietly reading.
How you must have suffered, my
angel he cried, and Il sob shook his
voice.
The young wife looked up, astonished
Suffered? |?
''That burglar, you know-it mus
have been awful. Oh, you poor dAr
ling"
why. George dear, what Is The
matter? You speak in rldd.es.
But dldn IT he gag yon: he asked
Now. nv dearest George, | wish vo'
would talk sense What do vou mem,
''Afler Mr.. Maxwell had finished
the recital of his adventure. he asked
Wasn't there somebo y using my
! telephone
why, yes, there was, replied Mrs
Maxwell, IL young and well dressrt
man came in. introduced himself to m'
as Thomas jefferson Olel', Il specn'a OF
and busin. S. friend Of yonrs, AMI re-
uueSted permission to seni von a mos
imr"rtaEt message ON business "
course | gave him permission. He nss'
the telephone but IL short time and the'
came back into 'he drawing room
thanked me for the favor had done
him and Went away saving the telpphon'
wils IL most useful and admirable inven
tion-lt facilitated business so much
'And that was all ? qneried Mr.
Maxwell ne didn't gag yon and the
servant? He was alone. and did not
offer violence TO von 2
Mot at all. lie WAS moat polite and
gent'emanIy--quite AS much AS you al
th!s moment. Ge ,rgr.'
Great Scott / exclaimed Maxwell
with wild outburst how gi gantica IL,
I've been sold. Excuse me, dear, bu
cant help it. I'll drive over and
interview the police,
And that $ what he did, concluded
tie detective, and that y the way cam,
IN possession Of the facts But after
talking the matter over. and consulting