The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-07-02
Stories of an Inland State.

and then down upon them again and then
abetractly at the bowl Of the lamp with its
red bit Of flannel in the oil, Peter Wattles
had a strong revulsion towards his young
visitor. He began to feel that as a Chris
tan, he was wandering into the old forbid
den fields N a most objectionable way. and
there was a tinge Of warning bitterness in
his voice as he brought his eyes to bear on
the young man and asked curly: "Well?"
Dick Thomas placed both hands upon the
table, stretched his long. white fingers out
and then with a graceful movement Of his
arms intertwined his fingers and guiding
the jewels over a crack in the table gather
ed them together. Then he said softly and
slowly: Il stole them, Mr.. Wattles. Shall
I weary you with fiction-no." with little
wave Of his hand. These are not the
swag Of a single haul, nor was driven TO
it the first time. I have my consoiing
philosophy about it all. Mr.. wattles. that
Is quite as effective as your religion. As I
have found them pawn-brokers are heart
less, but there is no heart, performing the
functions of pumping the blood in a man
ner propulsive enough to keep human
being alive, who will say that those gems
are not worth, down to the taper end OF the
last squeeze, twenty thousand dollars"
Peter held up his hand to signal that he
wished to speak, but the young man grow
ing percept;bly steadier and more select in
his language with his eyes riveted upon
Peters face prevented him by continuing:
"You have been a thief"
1t was harsh word and Peter wished he
had not used it. But he could not deny Il.
You have been the hay-seed end of a
panel game with my father. now deceased
and as such You were paid well for your
services. I shall accept your confession
fvnr ir>
dence."
The light fell on the wrinkled, worn face
Of Peter as he bent forward watching the
boy with something that resembled fero-
city.
II understood before coming here that
your touch Of religion was merely the within
Of an Idle day and not serious resolution.
I beg leave to still hold TO that opinion.
That, however, is neither here nor there
with my present concern which is for you to
save me from term Of some length IN the
penitentiary. I have these jewels here
and must rid myself Of them or 1 will be
taken with them on me. The great arm o.
the law like scythe is sweeping the coun-
try for me- They are after me, fly cops,
brass buttons, city detectives OF the third
class and Psnkertons of the first, country
sher!fYs and rural constables. everybody"
He lifted his head and glanced at Peter
saying with a pride which thrilled Peter In
spite Of himself:
so far have outwitted them all. Now
| they've hemmed me in. 1 am out Of breath.
Tomorrow ] may be gone. Arrest is al
most certain. And I must not be found
with these jewels on me-"
He gathered them up and replaced them
in the pouch.
Naturally you would ask me, IL you
were not restrained by religious motives.
why do not plant them Thieves usual
ly set their own traps. The plant, IN my
observation, is trap. ! shall not explain
now and you may differ from me. What
I want now is a partner. I shall be per
fectly fair with him-half shall go to him.
He shall have minimum Of risk. In fine,
Mr.. Wattles, propose that you take all
these Jewels, sell them at your leisure and
that half the proceeds go to me. Wait-I
shall listen to you when am done. trust
in YOU perfectly-you shall take all the
gems. If you are square-and l 90 not
doubt II, shall never approach you again.
Shall l go on?"
Peter with q look Of annoyance dropped
bis head.
st take 1t you assent. leave you all my
! swag We shall assume that they VIII
| bring at the lowest twenty thousand dol
| lars. I produce here check book on the
Second Commercial bank Of Chicago You
| shall write me out here checks as follows:
Ten two hundred dollar checks. fifty one
hundred dollar checks, forty fifty dollar
checks and forty twenty-five dollar
checks"
The young man spoke this rapidly. It
was an old calculation with him, represent
| ing checks agYregating $4,000 and Peter
| Wattles smiled as the young man paused
| for breath and then continued: You snail
| date those checks one year ahead. l shall
take them tonight and ledve this country.
One year from today 1 shall begin to liqui-
date those checks given in your name to a
fictitious name which I shall assume. II
Is needless for me 10 enlarge on the advan-
tage of such an arrangement In the first
place my arrest reveals nothing VIII be
turned loose speedily for the jewels alone
are evidence against NE"
The hard professional look OF the crook
was back in Wattles' face when he asked:
why do you leave them in their set
tinss?'
Tho young man frightened at Nattles
concern which he felt to be propitious:
THE thief Of today" he said, is some
thing OF an artist. ] leave them in their
settings because they bring moro 80, and
because other thieves do not and the very
exception to the rule / expect to be a pro-
lection to me-to you. But to continue
with the advantages Of which / spoke: 1
go free. You sell the jewels, probably for
great deal more than twenty thousand
dollars, and deposit the money. There Is
outstanding only ten thousand dollars In
checks against that sum. The virtue IN
the check arrangement is that I viii not
cast suspicion on you by communicating
with YOU by person or letter. You give
your checks. Professional banking secrecy
does the rest. There is one thing more"
Peter felt he knew wha. was coming and
he raised his hand in protest
'This-your religious whim is the toucn
that peffects the scheTne-no one would sus-
pect Peter wattes, the reformed and con-
verted gambler Of"
Peter wattles arose to his feet, trembling
visibly. with luminosity in his watery eyes
which s,gnailed to the man before him that
there had been a war within and that the
spiritual sense Of right had won over the
worldly inclination to evil Peter Watles
arose trembling and raising his hands and
pushing them forward as though he would
rrapp,e his visitor about the throat he
cried huskily:
Stop
An expression ofkeenvexatoa swept over
the Young mans face and he threw his
head back with show OF annoyance and
cried:
"Whatr'
Peter Watties swallowed hard. Re had
been tempted The thing seemed 50 simple
and tie haul was such large one II was
beyond the detection Of the minions OF the
law. Peter bad lived always IN the terror
of the law But now doomed the spirit OF
q strange protest. q protest that filed Ills
breas; uneasily. thai coursed rapidly with
the n,,:rkenad h,oni through his veins TIA.