Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-24
DAILY SHORT STORY
AN ATTEMPTED BURGLARY.
[Original.l

One evening Anthony Sawyer, detec-
live out Of employment and consequent
" on the scent for business, saw negro
wheeling a box along a street in n
large city The negro appeared 10 be
talking to himself. AT least there was
no one near for him to talk 10. and
since he was talking this was the
natural inference Sawyer sauntered
along after him, expecting him TO take
the box 10 some express office, ware
house or other such place and was sur
prised when he turned into first class
dwelling street and rolled the case
into the basement door of II handsome
residence. Just before descending
few steps leading To the basement Saw
yer heard the negro say Brace. Then
he lowered the box as carefully as II
it contained bouquet of wax flowers.
Sawyer was in ecstasies. 'As sure
as there is water in the sea- he said
to himself, there is Il man in that
case. There Is to be Il burglary in
that house tonight. Just what l have
always claimed, thieves are introduced
into houses by the servants"
During the evening Anthony Sawyer
rang the dOOrbell and asked for the
gentleman of the house. who appeared
in the person of Edward Frances Ford,
well to do banker. and the detective
informed him that he had reason 10 be-
lievc that u robbery would be COM
mitted on the premises that night.
Mr.. Ford asked the cause of his sus-
picions, whereupOn Sawyer Informed
him that he was 4 detective and had
81 I.af
had led up to the proposed burglary.
However, he had knowledge of but
one burglar, whom he proposed To take
in the act, allowing time for his con-
federate to be caught in the same trap.
In other words, Mr.. Sawyer proposed
to secure rewards for as many burglars
as possible. So it was arranged that
Sawyer and n couple OF assistants were
to remain all night in the house.
about 10 o'clock Mr.. Ford was sit
ting in his library smoking ana waiting
for the burglary when lie heard Al step
in the hall and going there saw his
daughter Dora, aged seventeen, stand
Ing with her hand on the Danister
trembling like Il leaf.
"Why, my child, what are yOu do
ing here"
ooh. papa, I'm afraid of the bur-
glars
"The burglars. We're perfectly pre-
pared for them, If there is anything In
the scare. which | very much doubt,
but the proper place for you is your
room, not providing about the house"
Dora went back to her room, and her
| father returned 10 the library wonder
| ing at the strange timidity which led
| her toward danger rather than away
| from it Sawyer came In and proposed
| that Mr.. Ford should 40 to his room
and the light be put out In order that
the burglars might have full Opportu-
nifty TO begin their work. This was
| done and the house was as dark as
Il dungeon and as still rs graveyard.
| AT II o'clock Sawyer went to Mr..
| Ford's bedroom and asked him to fol-
low him to the cellar. They went
| there on tiptoc and stood IN Il corridor.
y light tapping was heard in the add
joining compartment, followed by
what sounded like the removal of 81
| board. At this juncture Mr.. Ford.
who kept a dark lantern in the house
for just such Il purpose and had
brought 1t to the cellar with him de-
spite Sawyer's efforts to prevent him,
flashed it toward the point whence the
noise proceeded.
No climax in the third act of Il melo-
drama could have been more startling.
From behind came shrek, and Dora
| Ford threw her arms wildly around her
fathers neck. The dark lantern il
Illuminated the upper part of the body
of young man, the lower half being
in Il big box. No burglar ever looked
SO surprised, so crestfallen. The pale
face, the terror stricken eyes of this
one were those of Roger Atherton,
aged eighteen. and sutton for the
hand OF Dora Ford.
What in thunder does this mean? -
asked Mr.. Ford.
Hands up" cried Anthony Sawyer
simultaneously.
Atherton's hands went up, and he
stood half out of the box, n picture of
terror and despair.
Spare him. papa" from Dora.
! You young fooI"' exclaimed the
father to Anterior. Come out of that
Drop your gun. detective; that's no
burglar. He's boy who has been try
ing TO marry my little girl before she's
old enough TO marry any one. l sup
pose, Dora, he's been persuading you
TO run away with him, hey
Il told him the plan wouldn't sue
coed"
And you were going down to warn
him when found you in the hail.
Dora hung her head
Are you sure about this:" asked
the detective, almost as crestfallen as
the intercepted lover.
Surely" replied the father. "Wouh
you take that beardless boy for a
burglar? But l say. detective, l wank
to see you upstairS- Come aIong.
Roger
The party adjourned to the floor
above. Mr.. Ford took the detective
into his library and drew a check for
$500. for v nich he exacted a promise