Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-06-14
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
A QUIET BIT
~ ~ OF WORK
copyright. 1902. by C. B. LewIs.l


was produced which gave NEST of his
property TO his valet. This will, as it
was proved, was made by lawyer of
shady reputation, but was in proper
form in every respect and had to be
admitted. The valet, whose name was
Marks. had been in service about three
years. y reputable law firm had drawn
up n will for Sarsfield five years be-
fore his death. This will could not be
found, but in place oft came the will
in favor OF the valet and dating back
only n year. The lawyers engaged by
the son felt sure that there were n con-
spiracy and n plot and that the. first
will had been destroyed or suppressed
and the second will was deception.
II he had destroyed the will, he
would feel perfectly safe and perhaps
boast OF ii. As he had not done so. the
conclusion was reached that the paper
was still in existence. 1t is n curious
fact that criminals are loath to destroy
certain evidence against them. Dozens
of instances can be cited where papers
which would convict them offhnnd
have been preserved for years instead
of promptly destroyed. do not propose
ply to admit that l am Il pretty slick
man. l had called on young Sarsfeld's
attorneys for legal advice. and by acct
dent the case came up to he talked of.
did not enter into their employ. They
said it would be worth so much TO them
If the will was found, and l set out to
find it, | heard all that had taken
place, and retired TO think the mat
ter over.
Let me ask the reader where he
would have looked for that paper?
Every inch of the house had been
prObed. The will was not in Marks
strong box nor yet in safe deposit in
a bank. 1t was not lying in a book
in the library, hidden under floor nor
concealed in n secret drawer 1t was
not among the rubbish in the garnet
nor yet in an empty wine cask down
cellar. The search of the house had
been too thorough TO have overlooked
it. My first move was 20 get sight of
Marks. As soon as l saw him read
craft and cunning in his character and
got my line. If he had not destroyed
the will, he had realized that il might
be searched for. and he would avoid
the mistake of hiding il too securely.
1t may surprise you TO learn that you
cannot hide shilling piece in your
house against II systematic search by
detectives. You may bed it into
plank or plaster it into n wall, but it
must come to light. Marks had the
natural cunning to realize this and he
would therefore go to the opposite ex-
treme. His coachman was in the en-
nlnu of tho n onH hoH only
three or four questions to ask the man.
Did Marks ride or driver He never
used a saddle horse. but drove n good
deal in a dogcart. What had he bought
new since coming into possession of
the property? Nothing of account ex-
cept the dogcart. Three nights after
my interview with the coachman 1 was
admitted to the carriage house to over
haul the cart. There was nothing to
overhaul except the cushion OF the Gin
gle seat, and 1t had not been in my
hands two minutes before 1 found
where the lining had been cut open
and neatly sewed up again. 1 ripped
out the stitches, thrust my hand I'm
among the curled hair, and behold the
Will 1t was wrapped in oil silk and
not damaged in the slightest. it had
TtDOSeu III us nest BOT over u year anu
was right at hand while the house was
being searched as IL for needle.
When the paper was placed in the
hands of the attorneys, they did not
rush with it to Marks and give him an
alternative. They wanted to trap and
punish the fellow. and so they began
suit and finally got him on the witness
stand. There he perjured himself over
and over and added to the penalty, but
he was game TO the end. He charged
that IL was a put up job to ruin him
and denied with the greatest earnest
ness that he had ever seen the paper.
The jury sized him up for what he
was. however. and after a sharp legal
fight the will was admitted. and the
impostor got twenty years in prison.
II you wonder over the line OF reason
ing that enabled me to discover the
will, let me make it clear to you.
AS n doubtful man have to study
human nature and pay more or less
attention to criminology. On several
different occasions i have had my
apartments searched by the police for
discriminating evidence. They never
found anything, simply because l had
concealed nothing. In the matter of
the official communication from the
German government. which. 1t was
claimed. had purloined from the for
eign Office, they first arrested and
searched my person, even ripping off |
the heels OF my shoes. Then four keen |
witted detectives spent a week in my |
apartments and actually tore some of |
the walls out and went over every |
piece Of furniture inch by inch. They |
found nothing, and 1 laughed in my |
sleeve. During all the search, and for |
two weeks after, the letter was lying |
among n heap of cards. invitations and |
bills on the center table of my parlor, |
and because it was in plain view the |