Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-14

hdiSSu upon ulet OF BlDllcal lltefa- .
ture until he had passed his eighth |
year. Sammy Temple took eagerly to
the nickel novels when at last knowl- |
edge of their existence was commune
Gated to him. First he liked the
stories of men who sailed strange craft
in the sky above, the earth below or
in the waters under the earth.
Later these were as naught beside
the bold detective who could arrest Il
band Of counterfeiters single handed
and who ran murderers to earth just
to keep in practice for greater things.
Captain Beggs. the solitary town con-
stable. at once became more impor-
tant figure than Ben Dwyer. who ran
the single engine which constituted
the motive force on the little branch
line. Sammy had liked to dream of
the day when he should be AN en-
gineer, too. and would have charge of
the great iron steed.
He had planned to sneak past the
switch at the junction some night and
run down the main line clear out to
California, or maybe to Mexico, or
up to the goldfields of Alaska. A fell
low could go anywhere on an engine
like that.
But after '"The Boys Own and the
detective books the engine, tied to its
iron roadbed, seemed tame. Dwyer
was deposed from his pedestal, and
Beggs was installed thereon. although
he was only a constable, which is not
at all Ike real detective.
Detectives are people who tell con-
stables when the latter have the right
prisoner, and be looked forward TO the
day when he could show his badge and
say to Captain Beggs: Officer, there
stands the man who killed Cyrus
Blake. Arrest him.'' He was ready to
bet that old Beggs would be surprised.
and how the other fellows would stare.
But meanwhile there We're oppor-
tunities to do little detective work
about the farm. and Sammy became
vastly interested In the movements of
| Dave Ryder. one of the summer board
ers at Cassell's, who would stroll osten-
tatiously toward the village, only to be
seen returning from the opposite direc-
ton an hour or so later
| This action was suspicious. Detec-
| tive Samuel took the trail, and like the
human bloodhound that he was, he
Swallowed the suspect. 1t was rather
| disconcerting to have Ryder turn after
| n mile or moro had been covered and
rudely command him to be on his way.
Ryder even called him little boy"
Sammy's heart rose hot within him,
and he assured himself TINT Ryder
must be very desperate criminal.
But practice makes perfect, and the
time came when Sammy learned to
maintain safer distance between him
self and the object of his suspicious,
and at last he tracked him to his lair.
The lair was disappointing. 1t was
not cave reached through u cunning
ly hidden trapdoor. 1t was not even a
rude shack such as the one in which
Billy. the Silent Sleuth, found Pete
Pomero, the head of the train wrecking
band.
1t was Just little nook in 4 bend OF
the creek, with fallen log for seat,
and with his own sister Lucy sitting
ithere apparently waiting for the arrival
of the desperate.
1t was rather disconcerting to find
ones own family mixed up in such af-
fairs, but duty is duty, and Sammy
wriggled as close as he dared and lis
tened to the low murmur of CONVERSE
ton.
1t all seemed absurdly simple. Ryder
was not planning a burglary. He was
kissing Lucy many times, and between
caresses they were discussing how best
to approach her father ontthe matter
of their marriage.
Judged by the stern. unyielding stand
ards of Josiah Temple, RyderSwas fal
too gay young blade to be trusted
with Lucy, who was destined to marry
minister when her father could FIND
minister of whom he could fully ap
prove. Lucy feared to let Ryder speal
TO her father lest she be forbidden t,
see or speak to him. Ryder. on tn
other hand. was urging her to consen
to test of fate.
J 81 feel like scoundrel meeting yol
h the woods this way" he urged az