Rock Island Argus., 1896-01-18

1Ic0 NJ tBo emu OF one year auO Gun pSOV0
to You that I committed crime within
the stipulated period, win the wager.
If am in Jail awaiting trial, the bet
cannot be settled until the law has had
its way and am either proved inno-
cent or guilty. Is that satisfactory"
Perfectly. But what class of crime
will you commit?"
My friend, you are inquisitive. The
wager is on, and my boasted caution
must begin. Therefore must not tell
you anything of the nature of my in
tended crime
"Why, do you suppose for an instant
that I would betray you:"
"Well, yes, that idea does occur to
me. Listen. As said before, the ne
cessities of the criminal prove his Men,
esis. The necessities involve the object
Of the crime. That is always good
starting point in following up mysteri
Gus case. The more unusual the object
the better, since it will fit fewer people.
Plumber is the commonest and there
fore the least promising to trace from.
Revenge is common also, but better, be-
cause the special revenge connected with
the deed must lead to the special indi-
vidual most likely to execute such re-
venge. In this instance-I mean my
own case-the object of the crime is SO
unique that the detective who discovers
it should be able to convict me. a crime
committed to decide wager is perhaps
new."
''Its very novelty is your best safe
guard
Yet there are two ways by which
it may be discovered, and that is two
too many. Had undertaken this affair
secretly there would really have been
but single way for one to learn my
secret-my own confession. As men have
been weak enough to do this before now,
l should even in that instance have tax
en- precautions. But with my secret in
the possession of a second party the posi-
tion is more complex.
Il assure you OIL my honor that Twill
not botray you. l will agree to forfeit
five times the wager III such an event. ]"
81 prefer that you should be perfectly
at liberty in the matter. expect it to
be thus. In your own mind at present you
do not think that l shall carry out my
purpose. Therefore your friendship for
me is undisturbed. Then you count that,
if do commit crime, it will be some
trivial one that you may bring your con-
science to excuse, under the circum-
stances. But let us suppose that q really
great crime should be reported, and for
some reason you should suspect me. You
xr-il1 f, hot Il
| Of bed and ask me fatty whether am
guilty. As fatty should refuse to en-
tighten you. You would take this as a
confession of guilt. You would perhaps
argue that if your surmiso were correct
You would be an accessory before the
fact, and to shield yourself and do your
duty you would make clean breast of
| it."
81 am beginning to be offended, Bob.
did not think you would trust me SC
| littlen'
Don't get angry, old man. Remem-
ber that only few minutes ago you
warned Inc that you would. cut me dead
after the crime. We artistic criminals
must be prepared against every contin-
gency."
II did not think when spoke. I did
not mean it"
Eyes, you did, and I am not at ali
angry. Let it be understood then that
you will be at liberty to repeat the fact.
about this wager should your conscience
prick you. 1t will be best for me to ex
pect and be prepared for such action
But you have not asked what the second
danger Of discovery is. Can you guess?'
met unless you mean as you sug
gested, your own confession.
"No, though that really makes thirt
chance. Yet it is SO simple. Have 20,
noticed that we can hear a man snor
ing:"
"Now
"Listen moment! Do you not hea
that? 1t is not exactly a snore, but rathe
a troubled breathing. Now that man i
in the third section from us. Do you se
the point:"
II must confess that I would no
make detective"
"Why, my dear boy, if we can hea
that fellow, why may not some one il
the next compartment be listening t
our tete-a-tete:" Mr.. Barnes fairl
glowed with admiration for the fellow
careful consideration of every point.
"Oh, l guess not! Everybody j
asleep"
"The common criminal from neces
sity takes chances like that withou
counting on them. shall not. There
a possibility. however remote, tina
some one, in No. 10, say, has overhear
, US. Again, he may even be detective
and, worse yet, it might be Your Nj
Barnes himself"
"Well, I must say if you prepar
against such long odds as that you d.
serve to escape detection!'
"That is just what I will do. Bu
the odds are not so great as You imagine
I read III an afternoon paper that Nj
Barnes had remained i'll Boston in col
nection with properly securing his pri'
oner during the day, but that he woul
leave for New York tonight. OF cour;
the newspaper may have been wron,
Then in saying tonight it may ha,
been inaccurate, but supposing I'll
statement were true, then there WEI
| three trains upOu which he might ha,