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

| ber Ia close proximity. quickly Win
drawing to his own apartment and
slipping the bolt, Willis shortly heard
key fumbiing in the lock Of the ad-
| joining room and 10 another minute he
saw, through the friendly keynote, the
owner of the yellow mustache stagger
into the room.
uoIsTED BY HIS OWN PErARD.
Crandalls heart gave an exuItant
leap. The man was Enthusiastically
drunk. So much the better for his plan
of action. Continuing his vigil be
watched the fellows clumsy efforts to
undress and finally saw him crawl into
bed only partially disrobed, leaving the
gas still burning low.
Receding from his peephole Willis
again went down stairs, and on this oc-
cssion visited drug store several
blocks distant, where he had a small
vial filed by a sleepy night clerk, who
asked no questions. Ascending TO his
room he carefully locked and bolted the
door, and, taking of his coat and shoes,
sat perfectly still until the sonoroas
breathing Of the man with the yellow
mustsche assured him he might safely
venture inside.
Pushing back the bolt and opening
the door, with quickened pulses Willis
crossed the threshold on his hands and
knees and crawled 10 the side of the bed
wheron lay, in q drunken stupor, the
man whom he firmly believed had
stolen the diamonds entrusted to his
care. The stentorous breathing con-
WINGED Willis he had nothing to fear,
but TO render himself doubly secure
from interference he had purchased
bottle OF chloroform, which he now
extracted from his vest pocket. POUR
ing a quantity OF the fluid on a hand
kerchiei that lay on the floor he
allowed the sleeper TO inhale the strong
narcotic Crandah did this with some
mental computations. but he could not
afford TO take any chances.
Leaving the handkerchief on the pil-
low Willis stood upright, and by the
dim light gazed on the features OF the
senseless man. IL was not bad ap-
pearlug face, but rather that OF one
whose designations had driven him 10
extremes. The scrutiny, short rs 10
was. rendered Crandal's convictions
stronger than ever, and with feverIsh
activity he began Ills search.
THE MISSING GEMS FOUND.
From a bunch OF keys found In the
trousers pocket OF his victim Willis Sc
lected one that unlocked the yalise,
which he 1ung open with nervous
hand. Nothing that Interested him
was In the first compartment, but on
the other side, rolled up In pair OF
underdrawsrs, he exposed 10 view the
missing diamond case. He was not sur
prscd at this lnd, for all along he had
been confident OF the Identity OF the
thief, still he eagerly clutched the mo-
rocco leather aud, pressing the spring
that held the lid, for moment sus-
pended breathing I'LL It few open.
The case was empty
Willis groaned In spirit at this revela-
tion aud, utterly overcome, sank to the
carpet In respondent a.. Then recov-
ering his nerve, he began systematic
search through the pockets and Innings
OF the clothing lying Ia confused heap
on the floor. but to no purpose. The
diamonds were still as far from his pos
session as ever.
Once more approaching the bed, VIII
liz thrust his hands under tho pillows,
roughly displacing tho head OF the
sleeper, whose heavy aud laborious
breathing might have alarmed any ono
whose nerves were less. hlghl~ strung
than were Crandall's al thu gnent.
The search proved frvitIesS 80
swaying OF the mans neck expos
string which had PREVIOUSLY been con-
cealed by his biehcut undershirt
A tug at the cord met with sharp re-
sistance and whipping open the WOODEN
garment the excited searcher discover
ed the cause OF the obstruction. A
chamois.skin bag lay ensconced under
the left armpit OF the theft against
which 1t was tightly pressed. To sever
the string and seize the sack was tho
work OF an instant and the next moment
Willis was standing under the gas Jot
gazing with wide-starting eyes on thu
recovered diamonds. Sinking to the
floor and oblvious OF the big beads OK
perspiratlon which poured down his
face, Crandall opened the morocco case
and one by one counted into II tho
precious gems. Thank heayenl there
were none missing. AID his honor and
reputation were safe. Locking the
rIhed valise. be restored the keys 70 the
pocket whence they had been borrowed.
buttoned the mans undershirt and 9TH
erwise carefully removed all traces OK
his visit. Then with last look toward
the bed he returned 70 his room, boiling
the door 10 his wake.
Utterly exhausted by this ordeal VIII
lis dropped on the bed, and strange az
II may seem. fell into deep slumber,
from which he was not aroused until
next morning, when he heard Toe
chambermaid trying the door OF MA
room. To spring oct OF bed. put on
his shoes and make a hasty toilet oc-
cupled but few m's"tes, and then
with his precious case buttoned
ia bis vest pocket, he was ready Tor
breakfast. As he stopped into the hnii
he noticed the cham bsrmaid's pass'key
In the lock OF the door opposite. Itsug-
gesied an idea. Deity Withdrawing IL,
he re-eptered bis room, and In moment
had relockcd the partition door. thus
completely removing all traces OF bis
burglarious action. Replacing the key)
he passed down the stairway ADD INFO
the dinIng room.
At 1890 o'clock that forenoon Willis
Crsndall was speeding westward from
Helena TO the Pacific coast, which ex-
plains why he failed 20 read In tho
Helena papers OF the succeeding day the
story Of the finding OF dead man Ia
room 80 OF the Grand Central hotel.
who was supposed TO have taken an
overdose OF chloroiorm while suffering
from an attack OF delirium tre-
mems. A small bottle OF the nuid,