Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-04-09
DAILY SHORT STORY
A HIGHWAY ROBBERY INCIDENT

There's crOcuS, Salu Oil'e cu-
Enthusiastically.
You're right Wei shall have wild
flowers soon;' repliedtBenedict.
81 love the spring. In the spring
feel as If 1 were expanding with the
buds; in the spring 1 am brave, long
for excitement, adventure. / would
like to have lived in the good old days
of Dick Turpin. Do yo1iknow, 1 have
been reading lately that, often gentle
men in England took to the highway.
I'm sure IF I had lived at that time
and beenta man 1 would have been a
robber."
Luckily; there are several ifs in the
way
"Sou wouldn't have lived that life"
"No''
"Whyf"
at was neither an honest nor a
pleasant way of getting living"
Perhaps you're not brave"
with u moose hanging over my
head I'm sure 1 should be great
coward
"You wouldn't make a good spy IN
war. would your
"No. l would prefer to fight in uni
form"
"Do you see that place we are COM
| ing to down there?" said Olive. That's
where Il man was robbed once. It's n
capital place for the purpose, the road
narrowing between the trees on either
hand"
But 1t would be easy to back out
from. Those big stones just this side
| would be good hiding places"
Hiding places! I'm astonished at
YOU. You should rather call them de-
fensive places behind which to hold an
enemy at bay"
They passed through the highway
mans position, the man apparently I'M
| Interested. the girl casting furtive
glances about her as though robber
were lurking there Mt that very mo
ment Soon after leaving it they turn
ed in the gateway of handsome
country place.
Benedict Everett after dinner lighted
| a cigar and started for the village to
get the evening mail. There was Il
glow in the west following the setting
of the sun, but he scarcely noticed it,
He was much in love with the ro-
mantle young lady who had aspira-
tons to be n highwayman and had pro
| posed to her. She had refused him on
the ground that he was too matter of
fact He wished he could find some
method of getting the romance out of
her. His only objection to it was that
it stood between him and her. Once
married. the cares of wife and mother
would soon draw her away from such
schoolgirl nonsense, but he was not an
Inventive genius, and no method of
curing her occurred TO him.
An hour later he was returning 1t
was quite dark. Suddenly in some
high bushes beside the road he heard a
click and in another moment the
words:
Throw up your hands,
Everett stopped. At the same mo-
ment q masked head appeared above
the bushes, and revolver was thrust
near his face.
Throw up your hands, said the
voice again.
MY friend" replied Everett. ''don't
you think l would look very ridiculous
standing here in the road under the
| stars with my hands sticking up in the
air."
Glands up or I shooti'
"Why shoot? / am perfectly willing
to listen to any demands you have to
make upon me and. if they are reason
| able. to satisfy themN'
"Do as L bid or YOU are a dead man."
MY dear fellow. have no desire to
live / have just been refused by
lovely girl. and life will henceforth be
a burden to me-"
Meanwhile Benedict instead of back
ing away from the robber, was slowly
working his way toward the weapon
confronting him, and it was now with
in his reach. He made n sudden grasp
for it and wrenched it from the rob
ber's hand.
Hands upr' cried Everett, in
changed tone.
He could see pair of hands thrust
in the air. The sleeves We're full and
resembled domino.
Turn about and march. Quickr' ~
The figure lost no time in obeying
the order. 1t stepped briskly into the
road. When 1t was out where he could
get better view of it Benedict saw a
flowing garment of some sort over
other clothes. Everett concluded to
fire a shot over the mans head to
hasten his steps. The pistol did not
fire. He pulled the trigger again.
Again it failed.
what, ne load? If you turn I'll
brain you with it,"
Everett heard stihed sob, then ooh,
Benedictv'
He advanced, caught the figure in
his arms, tore off a mask and in the
dim light recognized Olive.
For heavens sake" he exclaimed,
what does this mean?'
Olive put her hands to her face and
trembled convulsively.
That ended the highway robbery in
cident and II ended Mr. Eyerett;s re-