The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-28
THE EVENING STORY
Colonel Mugs and His Luck.

hotel registers. and talked about his 1
mines and ranches. When he reached |
Corinth he strutted q little more than |
usual. He found there an English lord, |
and, wanting to show him that he
wasn't the only prominent parsonage
about, he cut a swash as wide as he
could. Unknown to him, there was an
article in a Greek paper about him. He
was said to be worth S50.000,UV0 and pill
ing up millions more, and that he talked
Of buying up all the ruins in Greece and
shipping them to New York as free
gift to the city.
Your true Greek brigand takes his
] daily newspaper and pays special at
/ tentlon to the society column. It was
/ on account of that newspaper article
/ that Colonel Mugs was taken in. He
hired a carriage and driver and guide
and two hunkies and drove out into the
| country from Corinth to do some in
/ teresting ruins; but before he was hals
/ finished sightseeing he found that the
/ brigands had done" him.
/ The colonel had made his arrange
ments over night, and this had given
! his guide time to send word to the gang.
/ There were five of them. and every man
/ knew his business. They came upon the
| colonel while he was eating his lunch
on a mass of masonry many thousand
years old. 1t was so old that the brig
ands should have felt awed, but they
didn't.
AS soon as they had made the colonel
| understand that he was at their mercy
| they turnedeto and ate up the rest OF his
| luncheon, and wanted to punch his head
! because he hadn't left more. When they
had finished eating and drinking they
| set out for the mountains.
The colonel exhibited a reluctance to
/ go with them but they caused a change
of heart by prickfng him with the points
| of their knives. One Of them could
! speak English fairly well, and he ex-
planned that, while it was the INTENTION
to treat the captive with due considera-
ton until he had yielded up the money,
they couldn't permit anything bordering
on the frolicsome in his conduct.
Say, now, but who do you refers
take me for?' demanded the American,
as he was being hustled along.
I'VE have made no mistake, was the
reply you are the man worth $780,
O.o0O.'
FIFTY million nothings! Where did
YOU get hold of any such rotg
On the newspapers. You shall see
them when we get to camp.
wv ell, you are a lot or IoolS. nave
been swelling around some, and nave
perhaps given a false impression, pQS
it's all been done on cheek. III Ten
Won straight that I'm from MerldeHt
| Conn T. S A. I'm no colonel though
7 hate to admit it to a blamed gang OF
robbers. I'm simply Joseph }. MQgBs'
} travelling salesman for a CLOCK IacloIy-
am over here to intoduce eighl-oay
clocks and I have hardly money
. enough to pay my hotel bill ana ger out
Of town If you've got hold OF me
thinking to raise a stake, you are go
E Ing ?evV W shall see" replied the leader.
while the smile on his face showed
that he thought the colone! was trying
D | to work off old stock on him.
After a fiVe-hour tramp they reacn-
ed HEADQUARTERS in the hill. Headquar-
e ters was a dilapidated hut ana a CAM
p fire in a lonely spot. Some black breao
and roasted goats hesh coilstl l u lee !.
supper. and later on the DrlganoS sd
in a circle around their captive, ana
Z the leader said: ~.
< camp as long as you are with u.s. pu,
some one will have an eye on you AZ
the time The first move you make TO
escape will bring a bullet. In the morn
: ing YOU may write a letter 10 your
e banker. and 1t Will pc sent TO the NO'f4'
What in the devil shall I write to
NV banker about?" demanded the
7 | colonel who was tired and disguised.
2 THAT he shall send US sum eQual
4 I to what you would call half mlllloH
: dollars in your American money as
your ransom
y "Iupfter JENKINS but are you crazy:
: Have the whole five of you just escaped
4 from some lunauc asylum II ~ 20
4 want any furthe r chat with me tonight
t then don't talk through the top OF your
hat = ne morning -
said the leader while the others NUT
e tered under their breath ,.,- >,
Z "sT3ut I have no banker in Corlntn.
' s"Then to the American consul he
will holm won to get the ransom money
o from America. He viii use the Cdple
y and in three days it viii be here, ano
you will be free 80
ssSav old man. remarked the COLO
mel after a hearty laugh, this VIII DC
i, one on me when get back to Merloen,
u Won seem to have got the idea thai
Q there are millions in the Clock Dt.sl-
ness Let me tell you that II we snow
= four per cent clean profit year we
!, = are ticlSled to death. My bank balance
\ in the FIRST National of Meriden IS
: about 81"
= ssThe papers be hanged! If you rur
# this brizand business by what Ihe Pa
but YOU are to buy up all the runs
of our country persisted the leader-
o Eyes, when hens climb trees
y couldn't buy one old broken column
cot hold Of the wrong man. It's ina
g English lord you want to lay hanos on
I've been putting on side, but It's al
Y froth. -. -,
4 tn mass the night and the brigands wen
4 into caucus. They believed the Amer
e lean to be lying Once they hao CAP
: tured a wealthy Frenchman who haS
lied them out of big ransom. ane
thew didn't mean to be caught again
When morning came there was an
other slim breakfast. Then the leade
e said
L then write to your bank in Corinth.
/" but I told you had none" replies
Is the colonel.
y ''Then to your country's consul"
J. 'fHe could be of no use Whatever
+ at listen to me- said the man, as hi
II comrades fingered their knives menac
= inglv. I'VE give you one week il
i, which to raise the ransom. After tha
+-zf writ
- MS Won cannot deceive US, and yo1
- cannot hope for a rescue
IS well, all I've got to say is that
If YOU fe1lers tried to do business on you