Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-10-22
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Disappointed Robber.
Copyright, 1903. by c. B. Lewis. ]

with Aunt Mary and do the chores
and go to school. Just previous to my
coming she had sold a piece of land
for $1,000, and as she did not believe
in banks she retained the money in the
house.
1 had been with her about a month
when one afternoon cousin living ten
miles away arrived with horse and
buggy and reported that his wife was
at deaths door. Aunt Mary instantly
decided to return with him, and l was
asked TO remain all night in the house
alone. 1t wasn't much of a test of
courage. for hardly a farmhouse door
was bolted at night and no one could
remember when a theft of any conse-
quence had been committed. l made
no objections and half an hour later
was left alone. Aunt Mary simply eau
toned me about fire.
/ had the COW to feed and milk, the
chickens and pigs to look out for and
the firewoOd to get in, and l was not
feeling a bit lonely when night came
on. Just before dark l saw some one
hanging about the gate, but the fact
gave me no uneasiness. The rule was
to feed every tramp who came along
and give him lodgings in the barn, and
none of the fraternity had ever made
any trouble. The man, whoever he
was, did not come in, however, and l
gave him no further thought. 1 had
had my supper, put away the dishes
and was popping corn when the kitch-
Ell door suddenly opened and in walk
ed a man who addressed me with:
"Bub, 1 am Mr.. Holt, the county
sheriff AS 1 know that your Aunt
Mary went away this afternoon have
called to see if that money of hers is
all right. With you here alone the
house could easily be robbed"
Il don't know anything about the
money SIR I replied, wondering how
the man could have learned that it
was in the house.
But Aunt Mary didn't take q tin
box with her, did she?"
Il didn't see her have any"
"Then it's here in the house, of
course, and l will take charge of it. 1
suppose you know where she keeps it,"
mo, sir, don't
''Well Wen take a look around.
Aunt Mary is a good soul, but she
ought to put her money where it won't
tempt anybody. There were two sus-
picious characters hanging around the
village this afternoon, and heard that
they came in this direction
1 didn't question his being the sheriff
and 1 didn't dispute his right to take
charge of the money. 1 had no idea
where the box was hidden, however, if
there was IA box, and so l could make
4hr
sitting room, and l followed. Five
minutes exhausted the search in that
room, even to pulling up the rag car
pet on the floor and upsetting the
lounge. There were but few places in
any room in the house where anything
like a tin box could be hidden.
In the parlor he simply gazed around,
speaking very kindly to me all the
while, but in the three bedrooms he
made close inspection of beds, bu-
reauS and chests. In the course of
half an hour he satisfied himself that
the box was not on the first floor.
There was half story above, and he
searched that and on descending the
man began to growl and curse and
finally said to me:
boy, we must find that box. l be-
lieve you know where it is hidden. If
you don't out with it at once I'll slice
off your ears with my knifeY'
He was so fierce about it that l told
him 1 thought it was buried in the eel
lar. He ordered me to find a spade,
and as he went down the cellar l car
ried a candle in either hand to light
the way. The bottom of the cellar
was not cOncreted and a part of the
wall was formed of planks.
While 1 held the lights the man dug
here and there or pulled down the bins
and rolled the barrels about. l expect
ed every minute he would find the box,
for had got the idea that it was down
there but after long hours search
nothing was revealed.
Then Mr.. Hollis patience gave out,
and he showed himself in his true col
ors, though l had come to the conclu-
sion that he was a robber. Selling me
by the arm and brandishing a wicked
looking knife before my eyes, he swore
he would murder me if did not reveal
the exact hiding place. Had known it
should most certainly have told him,
but 1 did not know. and he was prob
ably satisfied of the fact.
He wasn't willing to let me off alto
gether or thought he could continue
the search without me. He turned and
struck me a blow on the temple with
his fist that rendered me unconscious.
and when my senses returned l was
tied hand and foot and lying on the
cellar bottom. l heard him walking
around on the floor above for a long
time, but it was long after daylight
before / dared move. l worked the
cords loose after awhile, and it was
just o'clock when crept upstairs and
ran outdoors to give the alarm.
Aunt Mary came home at midafter-
noon to find half dozen neighbors at
the house and everything turneCs~opsy
turvy. The real sheriff had been there
and heard my story and gone in pur-
suit. but ''Mr. Holt had got such a