Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-06-01
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Girl From the Country.
IOriginall

formed n line on either side. and the
passengers alighting came forward. y
man dressed in the clothing OF gen
tIeman. though his features were those
of q commoner, carried a suit case in
either hand. the two articles differing
somewhat in size, though of the same
drab hue. Beside him was a young
girl. She had been travelling alone,
and On getting out of the car the man
had offered to carry her suit case for
her. Just before reaching the gate lie
looked ahead, and his eye evidently
lighted on some one he knew.
I'm sorry l must hurry, MISS he
said, and, putting down one of the suit
cases, he went on ahead of her. When
he reached the gateway and was pass
ing through it man tapped him on
the shoulder.
III carry your hand baggage for
you, Mike Conover." he said.
The traveller looked at him without
any marked surprise and willingly re-
linquished his baggage. The other led
the way TO Il hanson, put the traveller
in and got in himself with the case.
"Wen go to headquarters and have
a peep at this" he said as they drove
away.
Meanwhile the girl took up the suit
case the traveller had put down, pass
ed through the gate and on reaching an
exit was accosted by Il man from be-
hind.
Carriage, miss?"
The girl walked on without noticing
him.
Carriage. miss:' he repeated.
NO, thank you. I'm going to take
a street car"
"I'H take you cheap he said, max
ing a grab for her suit case.
A policeman standing on the side
walk saw the act and, taking the man
by the collar, threw him into the
street.
You'd better take n carriage, miss"
said the officer THAT fellow is a well
known crook and was trying to get
your baggage"
"Oh, 1 can't afford a carriage" re-
piled the girl. but the policeman in
sisted, and before she had recovered
her equanimity he had called a cab
and put her in.
When Mike ConOver alighted from
the hanson ut police headquarters he
went upstairs with his captor. and the
latter said to the inspector on duty ut
the desk:
Il think I've got the funds taken from
the - National at Albany. They're
probably in this suit case; but, not hay
ing key. 1 couldn't open it,
Then the suit case was pried open
before the inspector and found to con
tain ladies underwear, combs, brushes
and like articles.
The inspector and the detective look
ed at each other with a disappointed
expression.
Wen hold him anyway" remarked
the former, and Mike Conover was
locked UP.
Mabel CroXton, the young girl who
had come in on the train, reached Il
boarding house in which she had en-
gagged board by letter and was shown
to her by . apartment. She sat down
on the only chair and, as girls put it.
had "a good cry" She was country
girl, barely eighteen years Old, who
had come TO New York to make her
living behind counter, and the cheer
less look of her new home. together
with her unpleasant episode in having
narrowly escaped robbery, had rem
dered her very hOmesick. But her poor.
old mother would be looking for re
mittance, and it behooved her to keep
stout heart. So she lifted her suit
case on to the bed with Il view to max
ing her toilet before dinner. Taking
out her key, she inserted ii in the lock;
but, attempting to turn it, it came to
dead stop. Then she looked ut the suit
case and noticed that it was larger
than her own. After all she had been
robbed. The polite man who had car
ried her hand baggage had exchanged
with her. She sat down on her bed
and had another good cry"
After dinner she took her landlady
into her confidence and told her of the
exchange. The good woman advised
her to report the matter to the police.
So without waiting Mabel took the
suit case and in company with her adj
wiser got into car and started on her
quest. The landlady knew a bit about
New York and took her to the police
headquarters in Mulberry street. Once
there the two were ushered before the
inspector.
"Mr. Inspector" said the landlady,
this young girl has been robbed"
And she proceeded with the story. AS
soon as the inspector heard the words
exchanged suit cases" he pricked up
his ears. Then he saw the case in the
girls hands and, Selling it, picked up
a screwdriver, the same that had open
ed Mike COnover's case that afternoon,
and ripped the thing open. Remov-
Ing some linen, he exposed large pack
ages of bank bills pinned in narraw
strips of brown paper.
What luck he exclaimed, and.
rushing TO telephone, he called up the
president OF a bank in Albany and re-
ported that he had secured a find
which he believed to be the whole of
the banks boss. Then, taking the hand
Of the timid girl before him, he said: