Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-04-30
DAILY SHORT STORY
COriginal.l
A Resurrection.

crossing the bridge, but 1 had been
absent for months, had just alighted
at the station half a mile away and
was in a hurry to reach my home.
"My clothes?" l exclaimed, aston
ished. 'If you had asked for my valu-
ables, 1 would not be surprised, but
my clothes are an old suit I use for
travelling"
1.-THE age doesn't matter, and the
valuables goes with 'em. Come, get
'em off,"
The man was armed with bludg-
con, while had nothing for defense.
"Oh, / see!" 1 said. You are being
hunted and want to evade your pur-
suers.'
The fellow had a desperate look
about him. and began at once to d.
vest myself of my garments. He hur-
ried me, but hoped to save some pa
pers there were in my pocket and stop
ped to take them out.
"Let 'em alone,' he said. 81 want
'em for Identification"
In a few minutes the man had on
my clothes while 1 was obliged to put
on his or go naked. did leave Off
wear them, doubtless knowing that if
they were found they would betray
the exchange.
"Now," he said when we were dress
ed, you go back to where the road
crosses the railroad, go down the hill
and cross the footbridge. When you
get to the bridge, give me a whistle. I
don't propose to let you get far enough
to give me away before 1 can reach
the other side of this thing, and it IL
be slow waIkin' for me-"
concluded that discretion was the
better part of valor and did exactly as
he directed. When 1 reached the foot
bridge, saw his dark figure in silhou-
cite against the sky standing where
had left him. 1 whistled, and he start
ed over the bridge.
1t was n mile farther to my home by
the route l was forced to take, but
was relieved to get away from des-
perate man and walked briskly, Won
dering what my wife would say to see
me coming in in such wretched clothes.
Suddenly heard the sound of horses
hoOfs behind me Gathering over the
narrow footbridge and knew the rider
must be in a hurry to take such a risk.
In fact, 1 surmised he was after the
criminal. and 1 would have hidden to
avoid trouble had there been any means
of concealment. Since there was none
1 resolved to make virtue of necessi-
ty, and as the horseman came up I
called to him:
eff you are looking for an escaped
villain, he's just crossed the railroad
bridge above"
81 am looking for criminal" he re-
piled, covering me with a revolver,
land 1 reckon you're the man."
He was in police uniform, and with
his revolver close to my face 1 made
the best Of the situation.
"I'll go with you. Do you know the
man you're after?"
81 know that he wears dirty yellow
suit" he replied evasively, and, dis
mounting. he struck a match and exam
ined my clothes.
Not much risk about taking you in,"
he said "Got any weapons?"
NO
He searched me. finding nothing on
me. then. slipping n bracelet" on my
wrists. led his horse and walked me
back to the station. There was a train
due from the direction l wished to go.
and one had recently passed going the
other way. He grumbled at not hav-
ing caught the latter train and when
the other came along boarded it with
me and took me to town twenty miles
distant and lodged me in Jail.
/ was kept waiting several days for
q keeper to come from the prison from
which the convict had escaped. E-ery
hour l expected my liberty. When the
man arrived and looked me over, he
saw that there had been a mistake. /
told him my story and was released. l
was so delighted to get out of a bad
box that 1 refrained from abusing any
one for my detention and. being fur
nished with q ticket. took a train for
home. Reaching the station, 1 took
advantage of my lesson that 'haste
makes waste" and instead of crossing
the railroad bridge took a depot hack
and rode home.
Though it was 4 o'clock in the after
noon. my house was locked and every
shutter closed. supposed my wife
would be at her mothers and drove
there. There was "shut up" look
about the place. but 1 opened the front
door and marched in. A servant was
in the dining room, who as soon as
sire saw me dropped a platter she was
carrying. and it broke into fragments,
accompanied by wild shrieks as she
ran into the kitchen. I followed her,
and she ran out the back door. Dis
daining to pursue her farther, / re-
solved to look elsewhere for a solution
of the mystery that was growing more
and more astonishing. Going again
into the street, 1 met a friend who
stared at me in establishment.
"For heavens sake, Sdvers, what
6oes this mean?' asked.
''Are you really aliveT
"AliveI OF course 1 am"
''You were buried yesterday. know
that, for attended your funeral"
"Come, tell me all about It," ] asked
coaxingly.