The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-25

And l had keys made for the doors
upstairs. But. no sir. She had sure cut
OF my locks. She was a Delilsh.' says Bill
BasBett.
1T seems that Bill tried 10 break in any
how with his jimmy. but the girl emitted
a succession OF bravura noises like the
top riders Of a tallyho. and Bill had to take
all the hurdles between there and the depot.
As he had nc baggage they tried hard to
check his departure. but be made a train
that was just pulling out.
Well says Bill Bassett when We had
exchanged memoirs Of our dead lives,
I could eat. This town don't look like 1t
was kept under a Yale look.
Suppose we commit some mild atrooity
that will bring in temporary expense money
I don't suppose you've brought along any
hair tonic or rolled gold watch chains, or
similar law defying swindles that you could
sell on the plaza to the pikers Of the paretic
populace. hav your
No. say I. i left an elegant line OF
Pstagonian diamond earrings and rainy
day sunbursts in my vslise at Peavine.
But they're to stay there till some OF them
black gum trees begir TO glut the market
with yellow clings and Japanese plums.
I reckon we can't count on them unless we
take Luther Burbank in for a partner
Very weli.' says Bassett. we'll do the
best we can. Maybe after dark III borrow
a hairpin from some lady to open the
Farmers and Drovers' Marine Bank with
while we was talking up pulls a passen-
ger train to h depot near by. A person
in a high hat gets on on the wrong side OF
the train and comes tripping down the track
toward VS..
He wac a little fat man with a big nose
and rats eyes, but dressed expensive. and
carrying a hand satchel careful. as il IL had
eggs or railroad bonds in it. He passes by
us and keeps on down the track. not ap-
pearing to notice the town,
Come on says Bill Bassett to me. start
ing after him.
"'Where?' l asks.
"Lordyl ssys Bill. HAD you forgot you
was in the desertP Didn't you see Col.
Mamma drop down right before your eyes'
Don't you hear the rustling Of Gen Ravens
wings? I'm surprised AT you. Elijah
W overlook the stranger in the edge Of
some woods. and. as it was after sundowD
and in a quiet place, nobody saw us stop
him. Bill takes the silk hat Of his head and
brushes it with his sleeve n puts it hack.
what does thism mean. sir9' says the man.
when 1 wore one OF these. says Bill.
and felt embarrassed. I always done that.
Not having one now l had to use yours. 1
hardly know how to begin. sir, in explain
ing our business with you. but I guess we'll
try your pockets first
Bill Bassett felt in all Of them, and looked
disguised.
Not over a watch says he. Amt you
ashamed Of yourself. you whited sculpture9
Going about dressed like a head waiter, n
financed like a count. You haven't even
got c~arfare. What did you do with our
transferF'
-The man speaks up and says he has no
assets or valuables OF any sort. But Bassett
takes his hand satchel and opens it. Out
comes some collars and socks and half a
page Of a newspaper clipped out. Bill
reads the clippings careful, and holds out
his hand to the held up party.
Brother says he. '~greetingsi Accept
the apologies Of friends. l am Bill Bassett.
the burglar. Mr.. Peters. you must make
the acquaintance of Mr.. Alfred E. Kicks.
Shake hands. Mr.. Peters, says Bill,
stands about half way between me and you.
MI NUMB, III Nhb hlo VI h@NVo "AN W
ruption. He always gives something for
the money he gets.
I'm glad to meet you. MIR. Ricks-you
and Mr.. Peters. This is the first time l ever
attended a full gathering OF the national
synod Of Notwithstanding, swindling
and financiering all represented. Please
examine Mr.. Ricks's credentials. Mr..
Peters
The piece Of newspaper that Bill Bassett
handed me had a good picture Of this Kicks
on it. 1t was a Chicago paper. and it had
~obloquies of Kicks in every paragraph.
BY reading it over l harvested the intelli-
gence that said alleged Kicks had laid on
all that portion OF the State Of Florida
that lies under water into town lots and sold
'em to alleged innocent investors from his
magnificent Offices in Chicago.
After he had taken in a hundred thousand
or 30 dollars one of these fussy purchasers
that are always making trouble Owe had
'em actually try gold watches I've sold 'em
with acid took a cheap excursion down to
the land where it is always just before sup
per to look at his lot and see il it didn't need
n new paling or two on the fence, and mar
ket a few lemons in time for the Christmas
DTertuJ LTduc. LC III a nuf NcJOT 10 uuu
his lot for him..
They u the line out and find the -four
ishing town Of Paradise Hollow. 10 adver-
tised, to be about forty rods and sixteen
poles s., twenty degrees E. Of the
middle OF Lake .Okeechobee. This mans
lot was under thirty-six feet Of water
and besides had been preempted 30 long
by the alligators and gars that his title
looked fishy.
Naturally the man goes back to Chi
cago and makes it as hot for Alfred 4.
Kicks as the morning after4a prediction
Of snow by the weather bureau. Kicks
deRed the allegation. but he couldn't deny
the alligators.
"One morning the papers com u with a
column about il, and Kicks comes out by the
fire escape. IL seems the alleged authorities
had beat him to the safe deposit box where
he kept his winnings, and Ricks has to west
wardho with only feetwear and a dozen
i51a English pokes in his shopping bag.
He happened to have some mileage left in
his book and that tool him as far as the town
in the wilderness where he was spilled
out on me and Bill Bassett as Elijah ILL.,,