The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-02-25


himself. ("
"You villain" Missed the colonel be-
tween his clinched teeth.
"No use to call names. might call
you an old brag and blowhard. but that
wouldn' I help the case any. It's always
better to argue point. What is the ex-
act time, colonel?"
cts time 1 called in the police and
had you out of this and here goes'-
Click, click! 1t was the man under
the bed getting ready to fire on the
colonel's legs, and the colonel happily
realized it and fell back into his chair.
"There won't be any police called in
here before I'm gone" said the stranger
in his cool, calm way. "After I'm out
you can raise all the racket you want
to, and no doubt You'll give it to the
papers very strong. Make hero of your
self if you can, but should you bear
down on me too hard I might pay you
another visit.
"You-you rob me, threaten me and
would assassinate mel" groaned the
colonel.
"Then don't threaten me. My desire
is to treat you like a gentleman, but
you make it impossible. When you get
ready to talk like reasonable man, I'll
take my departure and you can finish
your nap"
"But I'll call the police! DO You
think I'll let you escape me?'
81 do. colonel Let's reason mo-
ment. You have done any amount of
Dragging about those window locks and
you don't want your friends to call you
down. People always guy man who
has been neatly done up, and you don t
want to be guyed. The plumber is be-
yond reach Of the police, and were / to
be arrested and tried my identity might
be revealed
"Blast your identityp' howled the
colonel.
"There you go again! You'd never
do in my trade if you lost your head
that way. About those window locks,
colonel, the principle is all right, but
not being practical man you failed to
apply it. I'll come around in day or
two and show you the defect and reme-
dy it. And about your nerves, I've
heard you spoken of as a man who
wouldn't look surprised if the earth
opened and took him in, but like all
other clubmen you affect that. It's the
proper caper, I've heard, but they ought
to have seen you half an hour ago. Hold
on, or I'll shoot"
The colonel had jumped up in his
wrath to make bolt for the door, but
the man arrested him and he sat down
with the muttered exclamation:
"Ye gods, but must I put up will,
this?''
"You must, colonel" said the man
under the bed. "I've been ready to
come out for ten minutes past, and you
alone are to blame that I'm keeping you
up. Why not hold on to that peppery
temper of yours until we can come to q
mutual understandings"
"Let robber go after he has plum.
dered me?'
"That's what it must come to, colonel.
AS soldier you see the situation. i
can't get out on account of you, while
you can't stir from that chair on ac
count of me. We have got each other by
the short hair, so to speak, but neither
of us is happy over it. "
"Should l let you CO." said the
colonel, after moments reflection, 81
should always feel that had disgraced
my record. No, sir I'll sit right here
till doomsday but what I'll give you in
charge"
"Still on the warpath, old man?''
laughed the man under the bed. "There
may be question of honor involved,
but think you'd better waive it. The
amount of stuff my pal took away won't
fetch $500 at the outside figure. For
such sum as that are you going to
have the police and the reporters over
run you with column after column in
the papers and caricature of yourself
held up to the world? You are too sensi-
BILE for that, old man. Never give your
self away for a cheap price. Besides"
Besides what?" snapped the colonel.
who was rapidly taking the robber g
view OF the case.
1.-THE family honor, you know
"WEat do you know about my fam
ily STRIP
"a great docl, colonel You had a
brother George
"But he is Cead. "
"Well, hardly. He was supposed &c
have died several years ago. but as a
matter of fact he is very much alive to-
day"
And you know him?''
Like book. Ee's the chap vino
carried off the swag just before you
came in.
"You are lying, sir won't believ,
word of it!' exclaimed the colonel.
"Of your base again Your brothers.
middle name is Yates. He has light
hair, blue eyes, small hands, hand
some mouth, and there is scar on his
right cheek from a wound received when
boy. The last you heard of him he
usas in Dakota. Aw right. colonsI,