Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-08-14
A THOUSAND ODD.
6 6670 OLD on, Fred! Got some
thing to tell your

6670 OLD on, Fred! Got some
Fred Harkins turned, and
seeing his special chum Charley Green
sprinting toward him, stopped and
waited for him to come up.
"Why weren't you at school this
forenoon, Fred?" asked Charley,
ibreathlessly.
''Too busy" answered Fred, with an
important air. "Jerry's sick to-day and
fathers away, so I'm boss at the store.
But what have you got to tell me,
CharleyT
why, caught that big woodchuck!
He's smasher, Fred! Come and look
at him, just a minute?"
"Oh, I can't shirk business that
way" replied Fred, as glancing around
he saw well-dressed stranger on the
piazza Of the village hotel near by.
Though bright and sensible, Fred was
over-fond of Showing off," as the
phrase is, and he thought this a good
chance. So winking at Charley he
went on: Besides, there's all the
money fathers going to put in the
bank tomorrow lying there in the
safe. A thousand-odd's too much to
fool with"
'That's sop' said Charley, catching
up the Joke. "Well, come over after
you close up, then"
"AIl rightp' and the boys separated,
Charley for afternoon school, and Fred
for his fathers grocery.
Fred had often helped about the
store, but he had never been "boss" be-
fore. Like the average boy of IA he
was very proud Of the position. He
hustled round, initiating his father and
Berry the clerk, and feeling every inch
q man as he waited on his customers.
Finally closing time came. The
youthful proprietor, having put every
thing to rights was just preparing to
leave when the door opened and a man
stepped inside.
"Give me change for a five," he said,
abruptly.
At glance Fred recognized the we'll
dressed stranger on the hotel piazza.
But something, perhaps the shadows
from the f1aring lamp, now gave his
face hard and even desperate look.
Instantly the boy recoiled.
Everything put away" he objected.
s'It's too late for business"
"Not for my kind of business, I reck-
on" answered the man with a harsh
laugh. "Come, out with it," There
was the click Of a key in the lock, a
sudden gleam Of steel, and Fred found
himself facing a revolver not three
feet away and pointed straight at him.
Fortunately he was brave and quick
witted. ''Out with what?" he repeated,
trying to gain time to think. "What do
you want? Change for five dollars?"
81 want the thousand-odd in the
SAFE" was the impatient answer. "And
be quick about ity'
In an instant Fred realized what his
silly boasttng had done. The we'll
dressed man was evidently a criminal
IN disguise. What would he do when
he found himself disappointed?
Fred braced himself up to tell the
truth. why" he said, forcing laugh,
"the money isn't really there. That
was just joke of mine"
"Oh, yes" Knocked the stranger.
~And this is a joke of miner pointing
the pistol nearer. But unless 1 have
that money inside of two minutes twill
be the worst joke you ever knew, my
boy"
This completely staggered Fred. How
was be to convince the robber? Per-
haps by showing him how small a sum
there really was. Unlocking the safe,
he took out the money. Forty-seven
dollars, all told.
''There," he said, pushing 1t forward.
That's all there is. You can see for
yourself"
Still keeping his aim, the man stuffed
the bills into his pocket with his left
hand. THAT'S the odd," he said. "Now
where's the thousandY'
But there isn't any thousand"
Look here, kid" interrupted the
robber. "If you don't hand over thai
money before count fifty, I'll let day.
light through your
Felt felt that the desperate was in
earnest. A cold sweat broke out over
him. His heart beat like a drum in
his ears. Yet still his wits kept at work
as he mechanically followed the fatal
numbers.
Thirty!How many more seconds
now?1Thirty-fve faint sound sud
denly reached his ear. Had his father
eeturnedf Now If he could only gain