The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-02
after II Midnight.

Thomas Nedham, of the firm Of Ned
ham & wilkins. was no fool. He wa
reDuted 10 be 4 cute man OF business
who knew how to keep his counsel whel
his money was at stake. and yet here n
was tonight. on the front seat of I
Crowded omnibus, boasting to ais neigh
Dor that MS stlver-psate was the heav
lest in all Hampstead.
'Burgiars?" he laughed in answer Il
a question. 4 have been thirty year.
q householder, and never one Of tbs
gentry has deigned to visit me. You dit
nor know my partner. wilkins He.
been dead these dozen years. and befors
things went wrong with him, and
bought him out, he had a collection oil
coins worth 1900. Well. ne kept tbs
treasure IN room whose windows were
| sheathed nightly in heavy shutters bot
ed and belted again. But, of course. h
rose one fine morning 70 find the lot
! gone That broke the old fellows heart
As the old gentleman proceed in 9
| lower voice 70 tell stories Of the bur.
| glaries that he had known befan his
| friends, the tall young fellow immediate
~ behind him showed evident signs Of
I nervousness. When the merchant left
/ the bus with a hearty good nightp' II
all and sundry, the stripping rose and
( slipped off too.
Twelve midnight had long since boone
/ from the church steeple opposite, and
i stiH Thomas Nedham, city merchant and
| Importer. lay wide awake Usually he
was heavy sleeper, but tonight slumber
! mad deserted him. His active brain in
| sisted on scrutinfzing and disseeting the
stock and share list Of The previous day,
| and gamboling through his now silent
city warehouse. The old gentleman
chuckled as he held his eyes tight. and
conjured before him the thousands of
great, bales that numbered every inch OF
his stores.
Wonderful he said, audibIy. only
thirty years ago and I was wondering
how I could ever meet a bill for 60 15s.
Now, new blocks added, six and fifty
warehousemen, piles OF paying work and
still growing, growing, growing. Wonder
what Wilkins would think of ii all If he
were looking up now? Poor wilkins.
They tell me he died declaring that I
had robbed him. That was a hard thing
to say. No robbery, say I, but bust
ness transaction smart business trans
action. But fer Wilkins I should not
have been bachelor" Then he slept.
How long he slept he hardy knew.
but he woke with start He had the
distinct impression that he felt warm
breath on his face, and, sprfnging out
Of bed, he switched on the electric light.
No trace Of an intruder was In the
room.
He reached heavy riding whip from
the wall and stumbled downstairs. AS
he opened the drawing-room door there
was the shuttle Of hasty feet and when
the light went up, a tall young fellow.
shabbily dressed, stood revealed. The
two men faced each other across the
table, Nedham gripping tight the whip
handle
Now" he said, in a wonderfully com
posed voice, i've caught you clean.
What in all the world may you want
here?"
The youngster removed his battered
hat.
"A straight question demands
straight answer" he replied "I am in
quest OF some Of the silver plate YOU
boosted about on the top Of the Hamp-
stead bus last night. I overheard that
conversation.
You young foolp' he said you do
not know Tom Nedham, or you would
not have tried this mugs game on" He
rubbed his hands. tom Nedham has
never been known to be caught mapping
-never!'
II have heard ssid,'' replied the bur
glsr, nervously, that you are a smart
man of business very smart man of
business
You fatter me, young man." chuckled
the porty merchant. And who. may
I ask, reported so favorably Of me?"
MY name, replied the STRIPPING. lean
ing over the table-''my name is Wilkins;
my father was your partner And hav-
ing fired that shot he awaited results
Nedham shivered slightly and his face
changed color.
All" he said, lightly, ARE you the
boy I've heard him speak so often
about? How strangely people meet some
timesI Who could have dreamed that
should have had the pleasure of see
ing you at such an unlikely hour and
place? Sit down, sir-sit down. It is
cold as an iceberg here. Let me get you
whisSy-and-soda- And he passed
over to the sideboard.
ITO tell you the truth he said. laugh
ng, you've given me quite turn
need something TO still my 1uttering
heart, and I make 1t a rule never to
drink alone when there IS company /
about"
So saying he handed wilkins the froth- I
ng stimuIant. and filing up his own +
glass to the brim. he raised It with:
well. sir, 1 drink to you, and I sin /
,erely hope I have not disappointed YOU +
" appearing so Unexpectedly on the
Gene tonight