The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-31

manner or hberating Niger Jim from Inn
prisonment I'm the chicken-house. could not
have invented a more complicated plan for
gaining possession OF those diamonds The
villain had appeared on the stage continual
ly during the first act, rubbing HIS hands,
biting HIS mustache, and telling himself i'm
low gutteral tones that when the right
opportunity arrived he would rob the desk
and make good his escape And all the
while he made these desperate statements.
the weak-minded old man had his back
turned, being engaged in adding up"
something in his account books. That was
all the old man had 10 do during that first
act-add up. 1t was never explained clear
ly just what he was adding up. or why he
was adding up. He was supposed TO be a
man of intelligence and refinement, but he
turned his back on everybody who came
into his office, while he devoted himself,
heart and soul, to adding up.
The villain waited until nightfaII TO make
his raid on the desk, although goodness
knows, he could have carried of the desk
itself hundred times II he had only pos
sessed sense enough to do it. But no; he
waited until darkness set in. and then he
came sneaking into the Office bored hole
in the desk filled the hole full OF powder
and blew up the thing. The desk having
been prepared to topple TO pieces by the
property man, could not stand the strain
of being handled and ii fell TO smithereens
before the explosion took place. But this
wasn't noticed IN the excitement OF the
climax. The explosion. 1t seems, awakened
the old man. who had gone to his magnlh-
cent palatial residence uptown--five miles
from the office. as he himself had said,
early in the act, and he now appeared on
the scene, only TO be shot down by the
cold-blooded villain. The hero at this in
slant came into the Office. Why is Il that
heroes will insist upon turning up just in
time to get themselves in trouble? Well,
the hero was banged on the head by the
butt end of the revolver in the hands OF
the villain and he toppled over 10 the ac-
compartment of slow piano music, near
the form Of the dead millionaire. Then
what did the villain do but raise the hue
and cry and bring all OF the other char
acters in the play to the scene OF the
crime, after placing the revolver in the
hero's helpless hand.
Just as the comic man. the soubrette.
the faithful friend. the adventures and
several minor characters put I'm an ap-
pearance, the hero came to his senses and
stood up. facing the newcomers, with the
tell-tale weapon in his grasp.
who done this deed?' yelled the comic
man.
And here il was that the stage manager.
almost foaming at the mouth with rage.
stopped the action of the play long enough
TO tell the comic man that II he couldn't
remember TO speak that line correctly. he
would lose his job. I've cautioned you a
dozen times, now, and ! don't want TO he
obliged TO do II again." said the stage
manager. Now, go on with the scene"
''Who did this deed?" the comic man
cried. with less enthusiasm In his voice,
and with his face showing quite plainly that
he thought there had been a good deal OF
unnecessary commotion over a trivial mat
ter.
There stands the author Of the BASTARD
ly crime said the villain, pointing 10 the
hero, whom he had always hated-just be-
cause he was hero "Can any one doubt
that he killed the old man? See-the re-
volver is still in his hand" All OF this
time the villain was tucking the bag OF
diamonds under his vest, unobserved. OF
course. by the other people of the play.