Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-16
DAILY SHORT STORY
A QUESTION OF LIFE OR DEATH,
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ALI oCd1s
A man In a dazed condition had en-
tered a rural police station Juggling
coffin and stood before the sergeant's
desk His skeleton figure. his livid
skin, his shrunken eyes. all went to
prove that he was u corpse, voice and
motion alone Indicating the contrary.
The sergeant drew back, and some
thing like shiver passed over cou-
pie OF roundsmen who were lounging
by the desk.
What do you mean" stammered
the sergeant.
The man put his hand in his pocket
the policemen fancied they could hear
his bones rattle as he did so-took out
clipping from a newspaper and laid
it on the desk 1t read:
tember. John Leonard Kirkham. aged
twenty-six.
Il see" said the sergeant. What
did you die of"
The corpse replied - drawing forth
another clipping, which read:
At midnight on the 2ith inst. young
man named hlrkndrn Ddue SOOQ nlSnt 10
friend at the ferry to cross the river.
1t proved a Styx. for he never reached
the other side. 1t is supposed he fell
overheard and was drowned. since he had
no cause TO be weary OF life. Indeed. he
was about to be married to Il very es-
Unable young lady. His body has not
been recovered.
You are the body?" asked the ser
geant, looking up after reading the
item.
Yes
We'll, tell us about it."
When l entered the ferryboat." the
stranger began, Il had just hidden good
night and given my final instructions
to my best man, for l was to have been
married the next day to the loveliest
girl in the world"
The speakers voice trembied. and he
was obliged TO pause. Then he gave
a frightened glance at the coffin, which
he had stood on end beside him, and
proceeded:
"A fortune had been left me by an
aunt whom / have not seen since l
was a little boy, on condition that l
marry her adopted daughter, my aunt's
object being to keep the property in
the family and benefit the girl she had
brought up and loved like child of
her own. l was her only blood rela
ton living. Just before entering the
dock on the far side of the river 4
man stepped up to me and said:
'''Can you tell me. sir, what that is
burning back of us I'm the cityY
''He led the wayne were on the
lower deck-to the stern, and 1 followed
him. Since we were about to enter
the dock every one had gone forward.
On reaching the extreme stern, while
was leaning over the rail looking for
the fire, he suddenly grasped my legs
and tumbled me overheard. I was
rescued by two men in a skiff. The
man who had thrown me over jumped
into 1t, and the others pulled away"
The sergeant looked at the rounds
men knowingly and remarked, There's
a clew for ferryboat disappearance"
The stranger proceeded:
II was rowed TO a dock where
carriage was waiting and forced to
enter 1t, the man who had thrown me
over getting in with me. I saw him
hand the men in the boat a roll of
bills and concluded they had been
simply hired for the job. The carriage
was driven till dawn, then stopped, and
l was bIindfolded and led into house.
At last the bandage was taken from
my eyes, and found myself in room
from which the only view was chimney
pots.
For several days / lived, without
seeing any one, on bread and water
that was handed in to me. On the
third day my kidnaper came in and
showed me the notices l have shown
you.
YOU'RE dead he said, and / pro-
pose that you shan't come to life again,
at least on this side Of the planet
HE did not tell me what he was 60
ing to do with me, but gave me to I'M
derstand that resistance would be use
less, and, whatever happened, IL l
failed to play any part that might be
expected of me I would be murdered.
When he went away he forgot to take
the clippings 1 have shown you, and
put them in my pocket.
THAT night smelled a strange odor
and slept like log. The next morning
was in a stupor, but conscious. My
kidnaper came into my room with
another man, who looked me over, then
sat down at table and wrote some
thing, the kidnaper showing him an
envelope he had taken from my pocket
All that day / was under the influence
of the drug, and the next l must have
been given an extra dose, for / was
unconscious.
Il felt a shock and opened my eyes
was lying in the road with my legs
in this coffin. / heard horses galloping
away from me. l got up, walked n
short distance and found myself here.
Now I'D like to know il l am a dead
man or a live one"
You're alive and will continue to
live till we've tracked your kidnaper
Are you sure that your aunt had no
relation living who, In case of Your