Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-01-25

~ sou AHedH tnat tulS plrtIcular
case has no interest to you:''
why should it interest me? Because
happened to be ON the train and was
compelled to submit to being searched
10y an order from q laundering detect
ive?''
There is more reason than that for
attracting your attention. Any man with
grain Of sense and with the knowledge
Of your wager must see your hand in
this.
lin which, the robbery OF the muir
der:''
My God, don't know. You and I
have been the best OF friends ever since
we first met. have stood by you and
believed in you in spite of all that your
enemies have said against you. But
now
"Well?''
"Well, I don't know what to think.
You bet me that you would commit a
crime. In few hours there is a robbery,
and little later woman is killed i'll
the very house where the Remsens lived.
1t is known-there is another account
i'll another paper here-it is known that
You We're i'll that house for an hour after
] 30 at night and that while you We're
there woman was heard to scream
from that apartment where the corpse
was found. Then here they find the
jewels, and the case had your name on
it."
"The woman's name, you mean. The
paper made that deduction, I think
''That is true. did not think of that.
Of course it was her name, but don t
you see am all inuddled up and excited?
came here to ask you to say outright
| that you have had nothing to do With
| this thing
"That is impossible
"What, you refuse? You will not
claim that you are innocent? Then you
practically admit that you are guilty 2"
81 do not. neither deny nor admit
anything. Do you remember our wager?
told you then that this crisis would
arise-that you would hear of some
! crime and come to ask me about it. ]
| warned you that would refuse to en-
Tighten you. I simply keep my word"
| This was followed by a silence. EIr
Randolph seemed much disturbed. jam
ming his hands into his pockets he went
and looked out of the window. Mr..
Mitchell locked at him for some minutes
with a smile of amusement lowering
about his lips. Suddenly he said:
Randolph, does your conscience trou-
bic you?'
''Most decidedlyp' answered his COM
parion sharply, turning toward him.
why not go and unburden your soul
to the police:''
81 think it is my duty to do SO. But
l feel like coward at the idea. 1t
seems like betraying friend''
"Ah, you still count me your friend
Then, my dear friend-for l assure you
l value your good will will show you
how to act so as to satisfy your con-
science and yet not injure me-
81 wish to heaven you wculdv'
Nothing easier. Go to Mr.. Barnes
and make 4 clean breast Of all that you
know
''But that is betraying you to the pc.
lice
| NO; Fir. Barnes is not the police.
He is only private detective. If you
remember, he is the very one about
whom we were talking when the wage,
was made. You were boasting of HI:
skill 1t should satisfy you then to have
him on my track, and it will satisfy me-
If you agree to talk with no other. Is i,
a bargain?''
Yes, since you are willing. mus,
tell some one in authority. 1t is impos
slble for ne to withhold what may bt
the means Of detecting criminal"
MIR. Randolph, upon leaving the no
tel, went in search of Mr.. Barnes
Meanwhile that gentleman was holding
a conversation with Wilson.
"You say" said the detective, "that
Mr.. Mitchell gave you the slip agai1
yesterday afternoon:''
Eyes; he doubled so often on hi.
tracks On the elevated read that at las
he eluded me, getting on train which
l failed to board. You see, it was i1npos
sibie to tell, till the moment of starting
whether he would take a train or not
He would mix with the crowd and seen
anxious to get on, and then at the las
moment step back. l had to initiate
him at the other end Of the coach, ant
Inally he got on just as the guard q
my end slammed the gates''
This was at Forty-second street,"
YES; he took the down train
Did he notice you in any way:'
II suppose so, but no che would hav,
guessed it. He appeared entirely igno
rant Of the fact that he was followed, S,
, Tar as watching me was concerned"
! You are not to blame Go bacl, (,
his hotel and 90 the best you can Leav
the rest to me. l Will discover where i
Is he goes on these mysterious trips"
Lett to himself MIR. Barnes thought
! took this form:
Wilson is 10 match for Mr. Mitchell
That is evident. Iwonder whether Their
} Is any real object in this game Of hid
and seek, or whether it is simply an in
, timation to me that he cannot be shad
, owed. If the latter-well, we shall see
Now let me think about those Jewel
found in New Haven. They tally exact
" with the description. Their discover
. complexities the case once more. Iba,
. almost concluded that those in the safet,
, vaults were the ones stolen and that a