The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-06-04
The Suave Mr. Perkins.
Copyright


London. dropped in at sale OF goods
and chattels at u private house
sandaiwood box was put up winch
caught his fancy. He bid first against
ferret faced man and determined 10
have it. The people around Ann got
on to the fact that he was Yankee
and made comments that further defer
mined him. To the aucti"nccrs sur
prise, the bids went up 10 40. ME-
Treadwell would have carried them 10
double that sum, but the other bidder
rushed away to look for some one III
the crowd, and, being afraid or MISS
Ing good thing, the auctionecr KNOCK
ed the trltie down to the last bluder'
and 1t was handed to him and paid Tor
amid giggles and open laughter lie
had not gone two blocks from the
house when young woman oVertooh
him. She explained that she had been
lady's maid in the house for mum Der
of years and coveted the box as Il SOU
venir or her dear dead mistress. The
ferret faced man had been bidding for
her. Would Mr.. Treadwell respect the
sentiment that actuated her and let
her have the box for what he paid?
Mr.. TreadwclI declined to sell.
The hotel had scarcely been reached
when q Charles Perkins desired an in
terview. Mr.. Perkins was suavc-ex-
ceedingly suave. He had been in Amer
lea. He had seen Boston Common.
Although he was one of the most pa
triotlc of his majcsty's subjects, he had
gnZed upon Bunker Hill monument and
found his heart swelling with pride at
the thought of how bravcly it had
been held against the redcoats.
When Mr.. Perkins had got through
praising Uncle Sans country and
children he turned to the subject in
hand. 1t was his wife that had died,
and his furniture that had been sold
Mt auction. He was an architect and
had met his downfall by trying to in
troduce American ideas into England.
such as dark bedrooms. parIorS in
which two people had to sit with their
knees touching and hot air furnaces
that only produced hot air from the
mouth Of the manufacturer. That san
dnlwoOd box had been presented to
his wife by Queen Victoria in person
Tor making the best pumpkin pies in
oil England. There were other associa-
tons connected with it, and he had
called In hopes that Mr.. Trcadwell
could see his way clear to taking the
sum Of Els for the sad relic.
Mr.. Treadwell felt for the suave Mr.
Perkins. but he couldn't part with the
box. He was still mad at the people
VINO mad called him Il Yankee and gig
gled over his bargain, and he had be-
gun to smell n rat. No sixpenny san
dalwood box was worth Els unless
there was some secret connected with
ntl ,i,,,r t,.,
and get even. He therefore turned Mr..
PERKINS down and took the box to his
room and examined it. 1t seemed
nothing more than n plain huudker-
chief box. There were no traces Of
the tears shed by the dead and gone.
III the late Mrs. Perkins had ever bro
Ken 1t by throwing it at the head of her
husband. it had been repaired again.
Mr.. Treadwell pecked and peercd and
round nothing. 1t was only when he
came to measure that he suSpcctpd 4.
secret drawer and ut length found one.
The contents consisted of a birth and
marriage certificate of the same per
son. and the death of that porson had
taken place fifteen wears pr.yiousIv
AS near rs could he figured out. the
papers were valuable to complete n
record and establish Il claim, The. for
ret raced man knew it. the younr yyo-
man knew 1t. ana the suave Mr.. Per-
kinS knew 1t. They were In cuhoots to
get possession. and not for one moment
did MIR. Trcadwcll believe that amy of
them had legal right to the dozen.
ments.
lie had read them over and orer
and he sat pondcring on the mattcr
when his bedroom door opened SOFTLY
lie sat with his back tn il. and the
hour was almost evening. lie hoard
nothinS and had no prcmOnition. The
nrst lie knew two hands .rippcd his
throat and pulled him over backward,
on the floor. Then he looked mn IN
ma MIR. Perkins sitting on his ches,
ana another man in the room.
Don't kill the bloke"' whisnoroa
the other man. The documents ara
right here under orr noses and wa
ought to he obliged TO Him"
Mr. Treadwcll was not throttIed r.
death Mr.. Perkins had evidently
come prepared for such am event lint
gave over grudSin-ly and Skinned :,
gag INTO the mouth of his victim T.r.p
he produced cords and truSS,d hin, ~,
30 speedily and securely us Ia ,lmos,
excite admiration. When M. I,.d fin,
lSned his work he showed th. b,Ir
aside, TOOK Il glance at the parorS and
shook hands with his coa,liutor RI,
latter may have been in I'm, s,,n.
architectural line of business NJ
Ireadwell had ordered I'M = hottie -,
wine. but had forgotten IN on.,, :,