The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-04-14
A SMART CRIMINAL.
Why He Secured an Easy Job in
the Wardcn's Office.

The train stopped for a few moment'
at 4 small town and a young girl gotin
She was tall, slender and pretty, a tru'
village lass, dressed in n neat gown
but one which, nevertheless, bore evi
dence of home manufacture. TIL,
coach was rather crowded and she
looked this way and hat for "a seat
Then her bright glance rested upor
two men seated in the of the coach
and she gave an exclamation as she
came toward them.
why, George Coomer," she said, n.
She stopped near the younger of tn,
two men and extended her hand cor.
daily.
He was 4 good-lookinQ young fellow,
dressed with great taste, and was evi.
IDENTIFY a friend of aud lang syne with
the young girl. by his side was seated
an older man with coarse features, a
hard expression resting upon his face.
He wore a SLOUGH hat. lie was power,
fully built and would evidently be a
hard man to handle where physical
force was called for.
why, little Grace Shaw" exclaimed
the young man. But he did not rise,
nor did he extend his hand. lie reached
over with his left hand and turned over
a seat
Won't you sit down hereP" he
asked.
with pleasure. 1t is so long since /
have seen you, George"
YES. about ten years" Then allud.
ing to his companion. he said: This
is-this is my friend, Mr.. Charles
Grove"
The young woman bowed stifly, but
she made up her mind that she would
not like the companion of her old friend.
There was something forbidding about
him to her.
What have you been doing, George,
since you left town.
'Oh, a little of everything and n good
deal of nothing"
1t was unkind not to have let any
of your old friends hear from you all
this time"
Well, Il man is SO busy, or rather SO
occupied in town with doing what little
he has to do, hat he"
"Forgets old friends" she added. re-
proachfully.
Well. not exactly. But tell me about
yourself"
There is nothing 10 tell l am
ways wondered. all of us, how you
were getting on. Some Of us said that
You were always so smart that you
would do very well in New York. Have
YOU done well?"
The young man laughed.
ASK my friend here" he said.
"He has done very WE'LL" said the
gruff man. Very well, indeed. lie
is going to retire from business for a
few weeks just now and rest up a bit. "
How lovely! Have you made your
fortune then, George?'
"Well, l am on the road"
lie is going to live in one Of the big
gest houses in the state" said the gruff
man.
How fine"
Smart boy is George" chuckled the
other man.
Suddenly there was a jolt as the train
stopped. and n newspaper which had
been carelessly spread over the knees
of the two men fell to tine floor. The
young girl gave an exclamation of ter
ror. for there sat the men h~andcuffed
together.
The young man recovered his suave
tanner.
Don't be alarmed. Oracle" he said.
You can now understand what he
meant when he said he was going to n
big hoase. ] am going to take him
there. | am n United States marshal
and he is 4 criminal. That is all, so
cheer up, my girl"
The other man gave a grunt and n
snort.
We'll, | am bowed" he said.
What has he done?" she asked, eye
ing him with terror.
"'Oh, not very much. He is 4 gener-
ally bad man. He would as soon bur
glarize as sandbag a person; he would
as soon pick your pocket as IL a faro
bank; he would just as soon enter a
front door and help himself rs he
would to climb a porch. lie is simply
I good all-rornd crook. and | am taxi
ing him TO Jail"
"Whcw. whew!" whistled the other
man. regarding the young fellow with
amaZement
But don't be alarmed, my dear. He
won't be ugly to-day. He knows that
I've got him and hell keep quiet Just
hand NE that newspaper, will you?
1t is ss well that people should not
know what bad company I'm in"
well, I've z good notion TO punch"
began the other man.