The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-01-18
lt2 resistance would begin.

ate resistance would begin.
And you wanted the reward, O
course. If this is your first detective
work, let Inc compliment you ON you
| perspicacity. The plumber is, of course
in this satchcl."
1T is, sir. Don't talk to me in this
honeyed way, as l am on my guard
The paper says you are slick, but yor
are fairly caught this time"
The benevolent robber chuckled IL
his throat. He did more He laughed
outright and seemed real pleased. Il
was three or four minutes before he
said:
'As you are the only one who has
the least suspicion of me, and as
do not care about term in state
prison, suppose we make a compro
mise. Let me hand you $1,000 and
slip quietly off the car
You needn't try anything of that
sort with me-" answered the girl 81
want the money badly enough, but
don't propose to become your aces
sorry"
Il was in hope you might see the
thing in a different light. Are We
quite certain to find an officer at Glen
GaleP'
''Quite, sir"
''Then suppose l shall have to sub
NIT quietly, but it does seem hard fol
q man who has gone through what
have to be arrested by girl just as
was clear Of all entanglements. l shall
not seek to get away. 1t seems to be
my fate"
He seemed to speak in honest tones
but Bessie did not relax her vigilance
and as soon as the car stopped at the
terminus she clutched the robber
sleeve while she looked for a police
man.
There was one present. He came
forward, and, to her astonishment, he
smiled at the robber and said:
II see he was on the car. have got
a man to follow him all right"
"This-this man is the robberw eX-
claimed Bessie as she frightened her
hold.
The policeman laughed, the other
smiled, and it was a minute before the
officer said:
That's a pretty good one. Miss
Clifton, let me introduce you to De-
tective Banker"
But, if you aren't the robber, who
is" she asked of the man whom she
had terrified for ten miles Of the trip.
HE was on the same car with US,
my dear girl. The description given
out to the newspapers was blind.
He came out here and hid the plumber
and is now here to get hold Of it again
and clear out. I didn't want to arrest
him until he had the goods on him.
You simply made little mistake, but
l shall not hold it against YOU"
Poor Bessie went home with tears
in her eyes. She had felt that the
money was as good as in her hand.
and to lose 1t and be humiliated be-
sides hurt her feelings dreadfulIy. 1t
was fortnight before anything else
happened. Then the man holding the
mortgage on the home announced that
it had been satisfied, and a messenger
boy left letter at the house contain
ing n $500 bill. In substance the let
ter said:
Il am not exactly a detective, but
one of the victims Of the robbery. 1,
like you, was doing little detective
work on my own account. 1 made
more out of it than you did, as got
the man and the plumber. 1 am will
ing TO divide the honors with you. AS
it was the first time 1 ever arrested a
robber or was ever arrested for one,
please excuse the liberty take and
believe me sincerely yours"
And the name signed at the bottom
was that Of philanthropist who had
done hundreds of good deeds before
that one.