The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1898-01-07

eu, anu, Walking up the Saline street,
TO my establishment, who should / see
standing Immediately in front of me
blu. Harrington himself. He approach
ed me familiarity; spoke about the
hardness of the times, the ordinary
topics OF the day, and kept so persist
emily near me, that l began to be
bored. / at length caught the eye Of
In officer, and nodding him to look
after him. escaped. There was not
much done by him for the next three
or fOur hours that was known OF, but
to the surprise of everybody he went
to the lodging house, secured a bed
and went to sleep. Having got my
man fairly housed | felt safe, and set
to work to ecove the missing gem.
His extraordinary powers as an i'm
promptu talker at once suggested 4
possible confession, and |, determined,
without exciting his suspicious. to oc-
cupy the same room with him. Being
a temperate man, | scarcely hoped TO
impose upon him by feigning drunken
ness, but trusting to his ignorance of
my character, | tried it. There for
tunately happened to be two beds in
the apartment, and about an hour aft
erward / was carried up on the should
erS of two stout walters, singing Justify
a medley Of Champagne Charley" and
I'VE Won't Go Home Till Morning"
They soused me down with a
thump, tucked me in, boots and all,
and in five minutes | was snoring loud
ly, apparently iii q bcastly state of in
toxication. I supposed no great time
could elapse before my room mate
wCIld mmenc his sleep talk, and
sure enough he did. He started cut
about his mother and an cid house
somewhere in Pennsylvania, and then
he touched On q girl he went to school
with, and, of course, loved desperately.
He talked about going to New York
as a clerk. There was more than 4
piece OF rascality touched on that
opened my eyes, and not a few in
stances OF brutality that made me
shudder. At last, as I knew it would,
out came all about the diamond.
He and Collier, just as I supposed.
saw the broker and the owner of the
gem go into a jeWelry establishment
to have it weighed. Heard the clerk
say just what it was worth. Followed
the two back to the brokers' office.
When the diamond was lying in an
open case on the counter the two
thieves stepped up. Collier drew out
some city money to have it discounted,
and Harrington, having first put q
piece of wax on the handle Of his walk
ing cane, laid it carelessly across the
box. A dispute arose regarding the
rate OF discount, and both left in a
huff, the diamond fastened securely on
the end of the cane. Both saw the
special follow them down Royal street,
and when they turned the corner OF
Bienville, Collier, who had the diamond
in his mouth, to prevent any acct
dents, swallowed it. You can imagine
my state of mind at being compelled to
listen to all this, and yet lie idle.
For a time I had pondered over the
policy OF finding Collier at once and
cutting him open, but a sober second
thought determined me On trying the
virtues Of tartar emetic.
There is a barroom in the Second
ward well known as the resort of every
thief who comes to town. The pro-
prietor is as deep as the shrewdest of
them, and l could get no assistance
from him; but there most probably l
would find Collier the next morning,
and there l went. Stopping at a drug
store, as soon as I got out, l purchased
a good strong dose of the emetic, max
ing up my mind to take a drink with
my man, and by some hook or crook
slip it into a glass. About 6 o'clock 1
met him. Pretending to be looking up
the points of a burglary which had
never taken place, 1 engaged him in
conversation, and we slowly rambled
up to the drinking saloon in question.
I invited him to drink, he accepted,
and both ordered a gin cocktail.
The first glance at the proprietor
convinced The l could do nothing Sc
cretly. So taking out the powder, re-
marking I was compelled to take
something for a cold, I dropped it into
the cocktail and stirred it up. I made
up my mind to change glasses with
him, and with this object stood talking
for some little time. The proprietor
| started to the banQuette to bring a
lump of ice just left by the cart, and.
drawing Golfers attention to two men
on the opposite side of the street, 1
changed the position Of the two
tumbiers. He eyed them curiously for
perhaps half a minute, and just then
who should come up but Harrington, in
a violent controversy with another
man. l went to the door to see what
was the matter, and fearing there
would be trouble, returned, and we
hurriedly swallowed Il drinks.
Scarcely had 1 reached the spot where
the two men were before l was seized
with violent nausea and vomiting, and
in another minute l was lying on the
%hanquette deathly sick.
l had swallowed the emetic myself.
My illness at once dispelled this i'm
pending quarrel, and the men, calling
a cab. sent me home.
But the diamond?' you anxiously
inquire.
The diamond was eve found. Bob