Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-30

ME 49, " TX &uI0Q8s
his eyes rested on me, and coming di-
rect to my chair, while my guests stared
in amazement, he bowed and said in
low voice: "Mr. Bidwell, am sorry to
disturb your dinner party or to annoy
You in any way, but I am forced to tell
you have warrant in my pocket for
your arrest upon a charge Of forgery
upon the Bank Of England. The war
rant is signed by the captain general of
Cuba Everything is in due form, and
you are my prisoner. am John Curtin
OF the Pinkerton force
Every man who enters the arena and
joins in the struggle Of life has more or
fewer takedowns in his history. But
my wish is that between this hour and
my last I may have no more takedowns
SO near the freezing point as this was. I
shall never forget the look ON my wife's
face. First she gazed at the intruders
with indignation, then turned to me
with a look of eager expectation, as
much as to say. "Wait till my husband
raises his arm and you will all 20
down." But instead of seeing me rise
indignant and angry, driving the in
truders out, she saw me talking quite
calmly to Curtin. Then her face grew
deadly white. None of the guests heard
Captain Curtin s words; but, as will be
easily imagined, there was painful
silence, which I broke by standing up
and saying that there was some mhap-
py mistake; that was arrested upon
the charge Of furnishing arms to the in
surrectionists in the eastern provinces.
I requested my friends to withdraw at
once and everything would be explained
on the morrow.
There were five soldiers present, Mr..
Crawford, the English consul general,
and Captain Curtin, my servant Num-
being in custody Of the latter 1t was q
strange and unhappy scene, and every
one felt extremely awkward and ill at
ease, especially the writer. In the rear
OF the dining room was q large sitting
room, where I kept my valuables in
trunks and did my writing. I turned to
Curtin and said. "Will you come in the
other room?' Certainly" he replied
without the slightest hesitatlon. The
room was brilliantly lighted. Notion
ing him to a seat, said:
Twill you have glass of wine"'
eyes, but / never drink anything but
Cliquot, replied the captain pleasantly
A servant brought in a bottle and
glasses, and I turned the conversation
upon the subject of money. The captain,
being stranger to me, guided by for
mer experiences with Irving & Co.,
fancicd might DO bribed. Sometimes
the police are susceptible to this form of
temptation, and was at bay and des-
pcrate. intended to offer him fortune
for .ribe. If he refused to take it,
g we'd to shoot him and dash out of
The window, for at my elbow was an
open drawer with loaded revolver
ready at my hand.
said, lyon know the power and
value Of money!
eyes, AMI I need and want plenty of
it."
Pointing to trunk, I said: 81 have
fortune there. Sit where you are ten
minutes, give no alarm, and will give
you $4,000"
Then scene ensued that if put upon
the stage would be deemed farfetchetl
II not incredible. When I said this, the
captain never moved muscle, but look
ed at me seriously, earnestly, then drop
ped his eyes to the bottle. As he did SO
placed my hand on the revolver. He
took the bottle up, filed his glass, and
looking steadily at me drank it off, and
replacing the glass ON the stand coolly
remarked:
"Why, sir, that is 81, 900 minute -
eyes, and good pay, too" said.
"But won't have it," he interject-
ed and sprang to his feet as he saw me
make movement, but was too quick
for him.
fred point blank, and down he went
as if by lightning.
rushed to the window, when the
venetians were torn violently down, and
William Pinkerton, revolver in hand,
sprang from the outer darkness through
the window into the room, and the 9TH