Rock Island Argus., 1896-01-18

berth of No. TO-"
Mr.. Barnes began to think that he
would have exceedingly difficult work
to detect this man in crime were he
really to commit one in spite of the fact
that he knew SO much in advance. The
conversation continued:
"Thus, yea sec, there are two ways
by which my object may become known,
a serious matter if unguarded against.
As. however, recognize the possibilities
in advance, there will be no difficulty
whatever, and the knowledge will be Of
no value to any detective, even though
he be your Mr.. Barnes"
"How will you avoid that danger?'
"My dear boy, do you suppose for an
instant that l would reply to that after
pointing out that detective may be lis
tening? However, l will give you an
idea. will show you what I meant
when I said that Pettingill had blum
dered. You said that he had lost only a
button and thought it clever in Barnes
to trace him from the button. But a
button may be a most important thing.
If should lose one Of the buttons of my
vest while committing crime, Mr..
Barnes would trace me out in much less
than ten days, and for this reason they
are tie only ones Of the kind in the
world"
"How does that happen? I supposed
that buttons were made by the thou
sand''
"Not all buttons. For reasons which
III fol fl,a ly- is,4a 10
tective, friend travelling abroad had a
set made specially and brought them
back to me as a present. They are hand
somely cut canoes, half the set having
the profile head of Juliet and tho others
similar face of Romeo"
ga romance:''
"That is immaterial. Suppose that I
should plan Il robbery in order to decide
this wager. As necessity would not urge
me either as to time or place, should
! choose my opportunity, let us say, when
but one person guarded the treasure.
That one should chloroform and also
tie. Next, should help myself to the
designated plunder. Suppose that as l
were about to depart sleeping, meal
| culated for pet dog should jump ont and
bark furiously? reach for it, and it
snaps at me, biting my hand. I grapple
| it by the throat and strangle it, but in
its death throes it bites my vest, and a
button falls 70 the ground and rolls
away. The dog is at last silenced. Your
| ordinary burglar by this time would be
| so unnervcd that he would hasten off,
not even realizing that he had been bit
| ten, that blood had flowed, or that the
button was lost. Mr.. Barnes is sent tc
the house the next day. The lady sus
poets her coachman, and Mr.. Barnes
consents to his arrest, not because he
thinks him guilty, but because, as the
mistress thinks SO, he may be, and thel
more especially, his arrest will lull the
fear Of the real culprit. Mr.. Barne.
would observe blood Oh the ground, OIL
the dogs mouth, and he would find til,
button. From the button he would fine
MIR. Thief, with his hand bitten, ant
there you are"
| but how should you avoid all that?'
| SIN the first place, were really wise
should not have telltale buttons abou
me at such time. But let us suppos
that the time had not been of my owl
choosing; then the buttons might hav
been with me. Assured as should hav
been that the only person i'll the hous
lay chloroformed and tied, I should no
have lost my nerve, as did the other in
dividual. Neither should have allowe,
myself to be bitten, though if the acci
dent had occurred Ishould have stoppe,
to wash up the stain from the carpe
while fresh, and also from the dog
mouth. l should have discovered tn
loss of the button, searched for and re
covered it, united the victim and opene
the windows, that the odor of chloroforr
could pass off during the night. In fac,
in the morning the only evidence G
crime would have been the strangle
dog and the absence of the pelf
1T is easy enough to explain your at
nsunder supposititious circumstances
But doubt if in Pettingill's shoes yo
would have been able to retain you
presence of mind and recover the 10.
button which led to his final arrest
at is possible that you are right, fc
had been Pettingill l should have bee
| SCSlSeu uy EeCcssilttS aS lie was. eG
think I should not have planned such
robbery, choosing my own time as b
did, and then have taken with me sue
q baton. But from Mr.. Barnes stant
point, as said before, very little of IL
artistic was needed. The button w;
constructed Of a curious old coin. NJ
{ Barnes went the rounds of the dealer
l and found the very man who had sol
, Pettingill the coin. The rest was routir
work"
well, you are conceited, but don
e mind making thousand out Of yor
egotism. Now am sleepy, however,
good night
GOOD night, old man. Dream of
way to earn an extra thousand, for
shall win
For Mr.. Barnes himself sleep W;
: now more impossible than ever. He W;
d attracted to this new case, for so
9 counted it, and was determined to tr;
!. the individual who wagered against h
g acumen. 1t was long step toward su
cess to know as much as he had owe
9 heard. He would not lose sight of Ii
O man drrjnp the n llot.ed month uo a.