The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-09-12

Shortly after | was put on the fly
force,'" said the old detective, "the
chief sent for me. On entering his office
| found there a man | recognized as
banker Of repute. Since then he has
become famous. The chief told me to
listen to the story, for 1t was my case.
The story was brief. The banker kept
some personal securities In a safe at
his own home and some were missing.
They had disappeared one by one at ir-
regular intervals. The one singular
thing was that on one occasion he had
set out to watch the safe all night, and
between and had dropped asleep
for half an hour. In that half hour
another had disappeared. The lock was
combination, the secret Of which, so
far as he knew, was wholly his own.
Il went up to his house and made a
careful examination without hitting on
any theory that would seem to unravel'
the mystery. So | said to the banker that
he must go right along in his mode of
living, do nothing to let any inmate in
the house suppose they were under sus-
picion or observation, and that would
conceal myself and watch the safe. For
was satisfied that the thief was one
of the family, and | fancied 1t was the
son, who was high roller.
This the banker agreed to, and
helped me rig up place where / could
conceal myself. began the watching
that night, but nothing came Of 1t for
five nights. On the sixth the banker
went out to dinner party, but he was
back home shortly after midnight, and
the house quletetd down by o'clock.
An hour and half later | heard
soft step in the room adjoining the IL
brary and presently form stole into
the room, and going to the safe, swift
ly unlocked 1t and distracted a single
security, closing the safe again.
'The room was so dark that | could
distinguish only the outlines of the
form, but the darkness enabled me to
follow the thief as he turned from the
safe. did so, and with step as
stealthy as his own. He led me through
the adjoining room, out into the hall,
down the basement steps and into a
lumber-room, where there was an old
box for firewood. To this box the thief
went, and, lifting the cover, put the Sc
curity In 1t.
"Then he turned, and so quickly that
he nearly struck me, and hurried up
the stairs l was close behind him and
at his heels when he climbed up to the
second story, where there was a night
lamp in the hall, giving sufficient light
for me to recognize the features Of the
man who had taken the security. From
here he turned into room, closing the
door after him. | went down into the
library and found the easiest chair for
nap.
''The next morning as the banker ap-
peared for breakfast l took him down.
stairs, saying to him: Examine that
box and see what you find
"To his amazement he found every
one Of the missing securities and some
papers besides which he had not
missed. He was dumfounded. After a
moments hesitation he turned to me
with a severe and most stern air and
asked:
"'Who is the thiefT
"'You are l replied, complacently.
"He started violently, and for a mo-
ment thought he would strike me. But
he asked, instead, ferociously:
"'What do you mean by thatY
"'Only that you are sleepwalker,'
| replied. That's all. / followed and
saw you take the paper and place it
here
"He stood still, as one paralyzed.
Then he said:
"'Keep my counsel. Say nothing
"a week later he sent for me to his
Office to tell me that his physician had
told him It was a case of dyspepsia,
and that when he had come to look
back he found that 1t was only after
late-course dinner that paper had been
missed. Then lie added:
"'You've been discreet so far. Con-
tinue to be, and you will see that you
will not lose by It,
Il continued to be, and that's the rea-
son why have retired so early, can
drive down the road just as fast o
stepping pair as anyone does, and can
have an automobile If l want one."-