Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-06
CHAPTER XVII.
W YEARS. DINNER PARTY.


Is out Of town" When he would be
back or where communication would
reach him could not te learned. A few
days before. however, formal engraved
invitation to the dinner party had been
mailed to his home address. Mr..
Mitchell was annoyed at not having any
notification of whether or not the detect
i've would be present. However, he was
compelled to go ahead and depend upon
the slight chance that at the last mo-
ment he would appear upon the scene
He hoped that this would occur, as 9TH
erwise his scheme for the evening would
DO incomplete.
Tho dinner was TO DO served at 10
O'Clock that night at Delmonico's,
where a private room had been engaged.
1t lacked ten minutes of the hour for
sitting down, and all the guests had ar
rived except Mr.. Barnes. These were
Mr.. Van Rawlston, Mr.. Randolph, Mr..
Fisher, Mr.. Neuilly. who had decided
to spend the winter in New York; Mr..
Thaurot, and several other gentlemen.
IL lacked barely half minute Of 10
when Mr.. Barnes was announced ard
entered in handsome evening dress. Mr..
Mitchefs face wore q look of triumph
as ho saw him, and he hurried forward
TO receive him. livery enc present ur-
derstood why the detective was invited,
for 1t was by this time we'll known that
n wager was TO be decided ut IL o'clock.
After the exchange Of GREETINGS Mr..
Mitchell gave tho walters the order to
open the doors Of the dining room, and
in tho moments interval managed to
get word with the detective.
Tell mo quickly, have you succeed
cd?"
Eyes, thoroughly.
Good! Write The mans name OIL
card, and I will give you one upon
which / have written the name Of my
man"
Mr.. Barnes did So Then they ex-
changed cards, glanced at them and
graspod each others hands significantly.
Tho cards buro the same name. With
tho others they went into the dining
room. Mr.. Tbauret found himself seat
cd next to Mr.. Barnes, while on the
other side Of the detective sat Mr.. Fish
or.
It need scarcely be said chat the din
ner was enjoyable and enjoyed, though
1t must he admitted that all awaited
anxiously the hour of IL. 1t will DO as
well perhaps, therefore, to come imme-
diately to tho denouement, for which
all were assembled. The last course had
been served, and coffee and nuts were
On the table, when tho clock chimed the
hour for which all were anxious.
Promptly nc the first stroke Mr. Mitchell
arose. There was silence till IL was
tollcd, and then he began:
Gentlemen, you have all kindly NC.
copied my invitation to see me win o
rash wager made ID months ago. 1t is
odd perhaps that should have won
for ! announce that have won-when
we remember that the time was 10
months, which number, as We all
know, superstitious persons are inclined
to connect with misfortune. To show,
however, that ! do not harbor such
childish ideas, purposely made the
time Of that length, and tonight ut the
decisive moment we are 10. Here he
paused moment, and one might have
noticed that several persons quickly
counted those present to test the fact.
Continuing. he said: 1.-THE superstition
in connection with 10 Mt dinner is a
we'll defined one, and the superstition is
that one Of thu number will die within
the year. ! offer as n toast, therefore,
Long life to all present-who deserve
IL. ," The last clause, after slight hest
tation, made decided effect. However,
the toast was drunk in silence.
As some present may not entirely
understand what my wager was must
explain that 10 months ago tonight ]
was in a Pullman sleeper with my
friend, Mr.. Randolph. Mr.. Barnes here
had just accomplished neat capture Of
tho criminal Pettingill, who has since
been convicted. Tho papers were prais-
ing him, and Mr. Randolph did so to
me in glowing terms. ventured the
assertion that detectives run down their
prey largely because the criminal class
lack intelligence sufficient to compete
with their more skilled adversaries. ]
offered TO wager that could commit a
crime within month and not be de-
tected within year thereafter. The
amount was to be $1,000 and was &C.
cepted by Mr.. Randolph. I stipulated
for conviction, though had I been ar
rested within the stated period and con.
victed afterward should have consid-
cred that had lost the wager. That ia
why awaited the arrival Of Mr.. Barnes
20 anxiously. had not seen him for
some time, and il was possible that at
the last moment he might be prepared
20 arrest me upon evidence that would
latcr convict me. However, gentlemen,
] have escaped both arrest and conyic-
tion, yet committed the crime as
wagered."
"You must prove that" said Mr..
Randolph, land, according to our agree
ment, il must have been crime which
was much talked about"
"Quite right, my friend, but I shall
be able to demonstrate all that. BY q
curious coincidence q robbery was COM
mitted ON the very night and upon the
same train upon which We made ouz
wager. while another robbery was com.