Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-07
DAILY SHORT STORY
"Set Thief to Catch Thief"
lOriginal.1

"a few women and one man-that
fellow Reynolds. l dot like him, and
1 should prefer TO have you monopolize
her time rather than that he should
have a chance TO do So
'But, my dear boy, why not leave 1t
| to her to-
shes young, unsophisticated and
woman. / don't believe in temptation
for any one. How do we know that If
you or T.
Rats, We're not women. Id trust
| you or myself anywhere. But III do
my best for you, old man."
Robert Young left on u two months
| journey. and on the evening Of his de-
| parture his bosom friend, Archie May,
called on his wife. He had barely
been seated when Mrs. Young raised a
| pair of mild blue eyes to his and said:
bob told me before he went away
that l was to be guided in my assOci-
ates by you. 1 think you'd better tell
me just whom to avoid"
what childI thought May. zone
| would suppose l was her papa" Then
| he told her he wouldn't presume to do
| such a thing.
I'm very anxious" she said. Ito SO
conduct myself that you can conscieu-
| tiously make n good report of me to
| Bob when he returns. If there is any
| one he would have me avoid wish to
know it."
May fenced with her for awhile but
she cOaXed and leased till at last she
got the secret out OF him that Martin
Reynolds was the man of all others to
be avoided.
Now, there was nothing against Mar
tin Reynolds except that he was very
attractive young man and a general IA
| vorite. May kept his promise to his
| friend to take care of his young wife
| by calling regularly three times Il
week. At the end of ten weeks the
nights when he didn't call became u
bore to him. Then one evening he
| called and found Reynolds in his place.
May looked sternly at Mrs. Young, who
cast down her eyes in self reproach-
| full manner, but when Reynolds left
she explained that circumstances had
led to Reynolds visit and she couldn't
| have avoided inviting him without ap-
pearlng uncivil. May still appearing
| dissatisfied, she began to coax him not
| to blame her, at last begging him to
| excuse her with tears. That ended
| Mays fatherly sternness, and he for
| gave her on condition that she discour-
| age any further visits from the objec-
| tionabIe man. The GOODNESS between
| May and the lady was followed by
very happy reconciliation.
Ten days after this episode a friend
of Mays said to him: .....
Seems to me Mart Reynolds is get
| ting pretty thick with that little Mrs.
Young"
what makes you think so?"
"Well. my sister has been in to see
her two nights during this week, and
my cousin has been there another
| night Reynolds has been there all
three evenings"
May was startled. He had been to
see his charge every alternate evening,
| therefore Reynolds must have been to
see her on every other alternate even
ing.
| When May went to see Mrs. Young
| again there was scene. She admitted
| everything. but declared that she was
a victim of circumstances. May was
| convinced that she needed protection
from Reynolds. and his blood boiled to
| protect her. Mrs. May begged him not
| TO tell her husband Of Reynolds atten-
tons and managed to find an opportu
nifty to bring In an admission that she
| infinitely preferred him May to Reyn-
Odds This Modified May, and the dam
ger from Reynolds seemed less terribly
| Ing. From this time very tender rela-
| tons existed between May and his
I charge till a dSly or two before Robert
Young's return. Then May and Reyn-
olds met at Mrs. YOungs, and she
| turned the cold shoulder on May, de-
voting herself exclusively to Reyn-
| ODDS May deliberately insulted Reyn-
olds by ordering him out of the house.
Mrs. Young after vainly endeavoring
TO restore peace, begged them both TO
leave. which they did.
The next morning Mrs. Young hired
detective to watch the two men and
report every movement. At noon he
brought her in a report, and she sent
him to a telegraph office with a dis
patch for her husband, to which n re-
ply was received that he would be ut
| home by the midnight train.
| At 3 o'clock the next morning he was
awakened by his wife, and half an
uOuT idieT lueN were III d CdTTldSe Univ
ing to the suburbs, the detective on
the box. Just before sunrise they
turned into a wood and soon came to
| an open space shut in on all sides by
| trees. \ small party was there, In
Guiding May. Reynolds. two friends
| and a surgeon. Mrs. Young held her
! husband back till May and Reynolds
! Were placed facing each other with
pistols in their hands. when she rush
ed forward and threw herself dramat-
ically between them.
what in thunder does all this
meanT exclaimed her husband, COM
ing up.
1T means, Bobby. dear, that the next
time you go away and leave me in
care of one OF your fascinating friends
to keep of one of your fascinating enc
mics you'd better put a watch on them
10 keen them from SHOOTING ono nm