Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-02-14
DAILY. STORY.
TRAVE RS & CO.
Copyright. 1906. oy Mcclure Newspaper
SyndiCate1

Co, New York, had branch in Paris
for twenty years. when Travers hin-
self. after looking over old accounts,
noticed something wrong.
The next steamer sailing for Havre
carried with her Thomas. Agnew, the
FIRMS bookkeeper. He was provided
with all proper credentials. and his in
structions We're TO give the Paris books
thorough Overhauling. He was TO
interview the head of the French firm
first This he did soon after reaching
Paris.
Il hardly expected you. but | am
glad that you are here" was his greet
ing 1t is true that the business has
fallen off, and it has been Il source of
anxiety to me. We seem to be doing
as much as ever, but the sales show
less and less. | cannot suspect any
OF the employees. The bookkeeper is
the only one who could juggle the fig
ures, and he is probity itself. He has
been with us for ten years past and is
as steady as Il church. | might as well
suspect myself.
Nevertheless. if there is anything
| wrong it must be in his department.
| suggested Agnew.
There were two or three interviews,
aud then it was suggested that Dubois,
which was the name of the bOOkkeeper,
| he given leave of absence for Il cou-
| pie of weeks He refused to take it.
| Then Agnew cabled for instructions
and was told TO go ahead. lie was
taken to the office and introduced and
his errand stated. To his agreeable
disappointment Dubois gave him il cor
dial welcome and offered every assist
ance in his power. He would be only
! too glad to have his books looked over
and verified. His franknesS and eager
ness We're setback 10 Agnew, but i
day was appointed for the commence
ment of the work. No man could have
set out 10 render himself more agree
able than the French boOkkecper did.
| He first invited Agnew to his home to
! dinner. 1t was modest little cottage.
| plainly furnished and evidently eco
nomically managed. There were a wife
and two children. and the family ap.
peared to be happy and contented.
Agnew had made up his mind that
| Dubois was certainly living on his in
come and was Il man of steady habits
| when his wife happened to mention
during the momcntary absence of the
husband that she would be entirely
! happy if Claude did not have to remain
at the Office SO late three or four nights
in the week. AS n matter of fact, the
Office always closed at 80 p. H.. AND
| Agnew was made uneasy by the re
| marks. Dubois made arrangements Il
show the American certain sights the
next evening, and they were together
for several hours. At a cafe where
they stopped for Il last drink Agnew
who had taken very little during lii,
evening and who called for a milo
glass on this occasion. suddenly founC
the room whirling round and rounC
with him and finally pitched forward
on the floor and became unconscious
When he came to some time during
the next day he was i'll and found tha
he had been robbed and was clothed
in the garb Of Il wOrkingman. He wa.
also prisoner in cellar so dark tina
a pitcher of water and loaf o
bread beside him. He drank of the
water and slept for hours.
When he awOke again the effects o
the drug were gone. and he explored
his prison. to discover that it had Onl!
one small window. and that looked on
on back yard and was heavily bar
red. There had been stairs leading NJ
to a door. but they had been removed
No sounds reached him from above
, and the noises from the street wer
muffled.
An hour later man thrust Il laddC
down and brought more bread and wa
ter. He was armed with a knife an,
refused TO answer any questions. Tn
to bride. but the man was firm Thre
{ times day for the next ten days H.
brought bread and water but neve
t anything else. Then one evening h
: left the ladder behind him when he as
r cended. as if by an oversight. an,
I after waiting for an hour Agnew Crep
+ up, to find the door open. He had n
without tenants and situated in Il slul
+ street. The man hadn't a penny i
t money, and his suit was old and rag
ged. When he accosted gendarme b
= was ordered to move on. He moved o
: and told hic story again and again an
at length was arrested and locked III
+ In the morning the police judge wa
: about to commit Agnew as Il vaGran
when he asked that the head of tn
firm be sent for. This was done. an
:, of course the prisoner was soon at Ill
erty. He could not guide the police
: the street where he had been held pris
1 oner, but visit TO the home of Duboi
explained everything. He had abaT
doned his family eight days previousl!
In day or two it was shown that fo
Z five years he had maintained three SCI
2 arate establishments. and in two G
Z them he had passed for Il single MAI
Instead of being man of steady hal
its, he was a regular rOunder. InStea
} Of heinty a man af nI.ohity hr.inf nv