The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-13

- After the day of his doom he was
not so good. and the police rather
lost patience with him. They complained
that he was getting careless and reckless,
and was no longer a good revenue producer.
All this, however. was afterwards. On
the evening of the day that fate, all UNI
suspected, held death in store for him, Bill,
according to custom, called the chief
of police to make his little monthly con-
tribution He was in the best of health,
and the chief complimented him upon it.
Its all because you're such a sober and
industrious workman, though" added the
chief You surely dc attend to your bust
ness all right
Its a hard lfe," said Bill, shaking his
head 1.-The hours are mighty inconvenient,
and I'm getting so tired of night work that
/ have big notion sometimes to quit
Don't think of itI' expostulated the
chief "You are cut out for the burgling
business If ever a man was. The men on
the force are all proud of your work. Take
Il in the matter of clews alone. Why since
this reform administration first took hold
we have never had a professional who was
so clever and ingenious in the matter of
leaving clews on a job. The public isn't
through yet talking of that lace handker-
chief clew you fixed up for the Skinnem
National Bank burglary"
land yet it was simple enough" said Bill,
smiling. att was the easiest thing in the
world to get lady's handkerchief embroid-
cred with the initial M and tie it on the
knob of the Safe
| Simpler" cried the chief. "Why, man,
| it was genius! The public was so interested
| in that lace handkerchief that it forgot all
| about the burglary. 1t was really classic
| in clews. No, old man, you stay where you
are. When does the Shiver job come off?"
"This coming morning., replied Bill.
'Shiver told Patrolman Jenkins to be sure
and keep close watch on his house tonight,
| as he should have quite a sum of money on
hands,"
YES" said the chief, Jenkins asked this
afternoon for me to change his beat to-
night. and I've done it. Good man. that
Jenkins. I suppose you have arranged to
leave us some nifty clews.'
| 'Well, they're fairly good" said Bill
modestly. I'll leave some bloody finger
prints on the window sash with an old
| glove. That will keep people interested
| and amused for about three days. Then one
of your detectives-say you let Casey have
| that trick-will find a dark lantern in an
old opera hat under the front porch. I
| think well of that opera hat idea. 1t gives
| the job a romantic touch that will make the
| public glad it happened, and it gives a
chance for the tireless police and detective
| force to be mentioned. Then I'll hide a
| common black mask and bloody knife
| in flower bed. You can use that or not,
| according to the way the public feels about
the case Probably by that time something
else will break loose, but you want to get
that mask and knife, even if you don't
mention them. L can't afford to waste
clews. They are too hard to think up
"Great!" said the chief. "Bill, you're a
wonder. You're smart enough to be a cor
poration promoter, or something like that.
| Why don't you try it? There's big money
in it,
mot in minew replied Bill. "T'm too
| honest"
You always was too particular for your
own good" growled the chief. ST guess
this man Shiver won't do you any harm,
will hep
mot him. laughed Bill. "Why, man,
he keeps a loaded revolver under his pill
low! OF course he's afraid 1T will go off.
If he was just plain ordinary man, now,
that left all his windows unfastened and
didn't have any weapons but his fists and
his teeth 1 might be afraid of a tussle.
Well, so long. I've got to go and get some
| sleep. Have the roundsman on my beat
wake me up at IL tonight
Good luck to you!" the chief called after
him.
And so Bill Uggler went to his doom.
That his doom got twisted little was no
fault of his.
1t was past midnight. Bill had carefully
placed his clews, had stuffed promoter
Shiver's roll in his capacious pockets, had
secured the SILVER diamonds and silverware
and was about to start home when he met
a white-robed vision in the upstairs hall
way. He crouched in the shadows, but he
was too late. A clear, childish voice ac-
costed him. 1t was the voice of little Edith
Shiver.
"Oh, sir," she exclaimed, "are you a bur-
glar?''
II am, little MISS" he replied in husky
voice.
Poor man." went on Editha, pityingly
Doubtless you need the money, but you
would not rob my papa, 1 know. Haven't
you a daughter or little sister who looks
| like me?"
Eyes, little miss" answered the burglar
with a catch in his throat. 'I did once
have a dear little sister that looked like
you. She is in the chorus of 1.-The Giddy
Girl from Gayville' now Front row at that
third from the end. Where is your tin
bank, little miss?''
"Oh, sir, 1t is right in that room on the
mantel." she said with a pathetic trust
fulness. But you will not take it, / know
l am not afraid OF you, you see."
| "Of course not Bill responded, clearing
his throat of a big lump that seemed sud.
denly to settle there. II would not harm
hair Of your pretty head.
So he quietly choroformed her and went
in to get the s2.S7 in the little tin bank
The delay was a costly onei
AS he turned 10 go he stopped still in his
tracks. for there in the doorway stood Mr.
SILVER clad in his pajamas and holding
loaded revolver in his hand. That was
the moment Fate had planned for Bill Ug
glerl
Mr.. SILVER was wishing he was not 81
brave, and trying TO keep the revolver from
planting a bullet in the calf of his les
when, in his nervousness, he accidentally
pulled the trigger and the death-dealint
| A..flo sct.s g..