The daily Alaskan., 1909-09-03
NR. .BAETER'S ROBBEh
By EDMUND COMPTON.

Mir. Benjamin Baxter never forgot that in college he had been the right (cootbalD tackle of his time and had pulled stroke oar in the first university race iu which hiS college had beaten after a long series of defeats When, as middle aged man with bald head and somewhat pursy stomach be visited Europe he maintained that it any sneak thief, robber or bandit could get away with him he was wei come to do so. This did not satisfy Mrs. Baxter, who dreaded that fin Italy especially, her husband might be Kidnapped aud held for ransom.
 Mir. Baxter had heard that one of the principal sights of Rome was a visit to the Coliseum by moonlight. One even. ing while In the Eternal City, when the queen of night was at the full, he proposed to his wife that they SC and view the ruin thus illuminated Mrs. Baxter refused. But he persist d.
 Leaving his hotel on the Esqualine hll. he strolled down a broad thor oughfare and soon stood on height overlooking the eastern end of the enormous theater of the Caesars. He was surprised to note how immense 1t looked under the different light. The great pile, or the remaining two-thirds of 1t, built by slaves 1900 years ago, where cladiatorS had fought and Christians had been torn to pieces by wild beasts, rose against the sky like the dark silhouette of mountain. Go ing around to the entrance, Mir. Baxter went within the walls and saw anoth' CT sight-the moonlight throwing the upper portions of the interior into con- trast with the Shadowy lower parts. Many visitors were there, but as the hour was late they gradually departed.
 Suddenly MT. Baxter found himself alone. To go out through the main en- trance was to increase the distance to his hotel. There were openings all around the oval, but not lighted, New ertheleSS the fearless American con- cluded to make his exit by one of them. It was very dark under the archway through which he passed, es- peclally since that at that moment a cloud rolled over the moon. Suddenly he felt some one brush by him and cloth fly against his face. He had heard that the members of the Inter national League of Pickpockets were then working Rome and were used to covering their victims faces with newspaper when robbing them, and 1t flashed upon Mir. Baxter that he was suffering robbery. Clipping his hand to his pocket, he missed the porte monnsic he usually carried there. Throwing his armS around the person who had passed him, he dragged him back into the arena. There he found that he held a priest.
 "Ah. h0r he cried. "So you thieves resort to the prieStly dress 10 commit your deprcdations But you can't fool an American. I'll get my money back or I'll break your back over one of these stone walls"
 Then came a volley of words like an explosion of a Gatling gun, but since Mir. Baxter knew only two Italian words, "dove sta" twhcre iS). they pro- duced no effect upon him. He felt all over the mans body to find his porte monnaie, but found only 10 centessimi, or ? cents. Then, after giving the fellow his opinion of him Gin English), telling him that he had been very deS- terouS in passing his plunder to dark figure whose footsteps were to be heard running away, MT. Baxter re- mcmbered that, after all, there were only few five lire bills in the porte monnaie. So he gave the thief a sound drubbing and final kick and started out of the ruin quite pleased that he had lost none of his youthful strength or courage, The only fear he felt was at a possibility of having to appear in court against the robber. On arriy- ing at his hotel he told his adventure to his wife.
 "why. my dear" said that lady, q have your pockctboo6 locked In the trunk"
 Thcreupoa Mrs Baxter unlocked the trunk and took out the pocketbook.
 'wen," said Baxter meditatvely, q downed him anyway"
 There was a sharp rap at the door Opening 1t, there stood two of the na- tional police in swallowtail coats, white cord aiguillettes, cooked CNapo- leon) hats and swords. Any one could sec by the serious expression of their countcnances that the dignity of the Italian realm had been offended. Be hind them stood delicate, intellectual looking priest, wiping scratches on his face and forehead with a bloody hand kerchlef.
 Mir. Baxter, marching between the officers of the law, was taken to the police office, where. summoning his Italian vocabulary, he kept repeating:
 "Dove sta the Americana consulatoY'
 His plea was finally heard, and he was permitted to write line to the consul. who came. but whose influence availed nothing but to secure for the