Smyrna times., 1906-05-02
Z Gcntgen9anly
RObber
Copyright, 1905. by K. A. Whitehead
By C. o. LIE WIS

GS-=-
Miss Lucy Davis. twenty years old
and the daughter Of a widow, was as
sistant bOokkeeper and assistant cash
ier of the Flint wooden mills in the
suburbs Of a certain western city. 1t
was one of the duties of the cashier to
go to the bank in the city every Satur-
day forenoon and draw an amount suf-
ffcient to pay the wages of the employ
ees. and he had never met with any ad-
venture in so doing One was coming,
however.
There came day when stranger
recognized him and tried to possess
himself of the 81, 800. He went over the
ground from the bank to the mills and
laid his plans, and a week before the
event he felt certain that the Doodle
was his.
Look here, Miss Davis" said the
mill manager one SATURDAY. forenoon,
Il have word that Mr.. Samson is sick
and won't be down this morning. At 10
O'Clock you will have to go to the bank
in his place. You can go down on a
street car and come back in hansom."
The young lady was rather pleased
and proud over the errand, and when
the hour arrived she set out with never
thought that it was to be an eventful
day in her life. AS she boarded a car
in front of the mill a good looking
stranger about thirty years old got in
and sat opposite her. Although she
could not say that he ever glanced at
her, she had several sly peeps at him
and was quite favOrably impressed
with his appearance
The check was promptly cashed at
the bank, and with the money in her
reticule the girl reached the door to
find an empty carriage drawn up as if
awaiting her.
'Keb, ma'am| queried the driver.
and next moment she was inside and
being whirled away.
Miss Davis was so occupied with
thoughts of something else that she did
not notice the landmarks along the
way. When the hack suddenly stopped
she looked out and saw that she had
not arrived at the mill. Instead of that
she had arrived at a lone old house
standing alone on the block, and the
| neighborhood was one she had never
seen before
She sprang TO the ground and began
| to question the driver, but he wheeled
and drove off without a reply, and out
of the house stepped the man of the
street car and raised his hat and bowed
and smiled.
Where am 1? What does this
mean?' asked the girl.
''If you will step inside l will eX-
plain" replied the man.
But shall not step inside. Why did
the carriage bring me here? l shall not
stay a minute
But she did. The man stepped for
ward and passed an arm around her
and carried her within in spite of her
struggles. He seated her ON a box in a
bare room and smilingly said:
Excuse me, please, but you were
acting a bit foolish. You have asked
several questions, and l will now pro
ceel to answer them.
You are in the suburbs. You were
brought here to be robbed. You will bC
detained a few hours and then set al
liberty. Had the cashier gone to the
bank for the money he would now have
been in your place. You will be hel(
biameless in this matter. and you mus
sec that you are also perfectly helpless
1 can take the money from you. Bette
take a sensible view of things. How
much money did you draw"
about $780, she replied as sh
handed over the reticule.
'Not a fortune. but fair pay for
5 days work. Now, then, you have go
= TO endure my society for an hour o
two, and hope you will try to max
the best of it,
The door had been locked. He raise
a window, drew up another box an
continued:
J, I'VE may as well be sociable as
sit here and sulk. Has the thought eve
e occurred to you that you would be
heroine some dayY
Il never expected to fall into th
hands of a rObber."
at was foreordained that you weI
to become a heroine that way. Yor
story will create a sensation. The thre
daily papers will send reporters to il
terview you. They will publish yoI
q picture. They will describe the color (
~ your hair and eyes. praise your sma
hands and feet. tell how cool and cal
you were in facing the robber. YC
will be called one of the most beautif
girls in the state"
"You are impudent," said the gil
with a toss of her head.
"Then forgive me. If you are n
engaged you will have a score of o
portunities to become so. You will l
ceive letters from all over the stat
"a As a heroine you will be pointed o
on the street, and the reporters W
follow you home and write articles
Y how you eat and sleep, your old sho'
y your likes and dislikes, whether pick
agree with you or give you headacl
Songs may be composed and sung
your honor, and it Is certain tn
a.