Willmar tribune., 1909-07-14

when Olmstead. who was wakeful.
heard sounds In the lower regions Of
the house. He was one of those nefv-
GUS Yankees who fear everything ex-
cept danger. A hundred petty anx-
ieties assailed him. including the dread
Of taking cold. as he grumblingly made
his way downstairs.
In the lower hall he listened. Be-
yond doubt there was some one In the
library. Olmstead opened the door
and entered. The room was dark save
for a feeble. f1uttering light which
suddenly settled upon Olmstead with
a brilliancy that surprised him.
Throw up your hands!' said a
voice.
"Oh. nonsense!' said Olmstead. and
he felt about on the wall for the but
ton that controlled the lights. The
burglars lantern revealed It to him.
and he instantly made the room bright.
Seeing that Olmstead had no weapon
the burglar did not retreat. but took
some steps forward. holding bis re-.
volver ready In one hand while with
the other he clasped the ebony Jewel
box as a football player holds the
ball.
When they were quite close Olm-
stead sprang upon the man SO sud-
denly and with such skill that he
caught his right wrist and held the
arm straight up in the air. The bur-
glar let fall his weapon. which made
a loud noise on the floor. Olmstead
hurled him backward and stopped for
the revolver. whereupon the burglar
drew another from the side pocket of
his coat and fred with a considerable
GOODNESS Of aim from a distance of
about ten feet. The bullet struck
Olmstead on the upper edge of the
left eyebrow and glanced of. He was
stunned. but only for few seconds.
When the servants came running at
the noise of the shot their master was
already on his legs again and feebly
attempting pursuit Of the marauder.
The case was Immediately reported
to the local authorities. The suburb
Of Marchmont has a chief Of police
and twelve patrolmen.
The chief and ten of his men turned
themselves loose on the trail Of the
Olmstead burglar. with no result
whatever. The eleventh man remain.
ed in charge of the station house.
The twelfth man patrolled old March
mont village and caught a thief in the
bakeshop of Mrs. Sophia Neely. where
there was the sum of 81 in the till
He had effected his entrance through
the adjoining barber shop Of Gustav
Swartz, where there was no money.
Three days later my services were
requested by Mr.. Olmstead. who was
walking about with some plaster over
his eye and not much the worse fol-
his adventure.
After hearing his story was able tc
give him hope of the rascars capture
for the description furnished to me
was excellent. Its most salient fea
ture was a reddish. brushlike mus
tache. The burglars hair was darl
brown, but his mustache was unde
niably red and not false in Ohm
stead's opinion.
Singularly enough. this description
perfectly fitted the only suspicious
character then known to exist within
the limits of Marchmont. except thu
petty thief above referred to, who wa:
smooth shaven. The suspicious char
acter was Gustav Swartz. the barber.
Swartz had borne an excellent repu
tatiOn until about a month ago, whel
some silver, stolen from Marchmon
residence. had been found in his shop
The barber said that the parcel con
tanning the silver had been left Will
him by a customer who was to cal
for It and that he himself did no
know what the contents were. but tn,
story had obtained no credence.
| Upon hearing Olmstead's description
the local police Immediately exhibited
Swartz.
"Swartz looks very much like m!
burglar" said Olmstead. Except tha
he has a good eye. The other fellow
had bad one. don't believe Swart
Is the man."
The case stood thus when tool
hold. That evening, while I was talk
ing with Miss Olmstead and he
brother and Mr.. McKellar In the II
brary. there came a loud. sudden RAJ
at the window. Olmstead. who wa
naturally nervous. nearly jumped ou
of his skin. but he was the first MAJ
to reach the window. He raised tn
curtain and the sash. and by the ligh
that streamed out from the room b
saw the ebony box lying on the ve
randa. The person who brought it ha'
escaped.
Olmstead was overjoyed. As tn
box showed no mark of violence tn
diamond stomacher must be in it. an
with the anticipation Of seeing thi
treasure again Olmstead's hands shoe
so that he was fifteen minutes openin
the casket. He did not let US Sc
how he did it. The casket was empt,
will not enlarge upon the mysterie
q involved in this performance. Their
was no reason why anybody shoul
have returned the jewel box excep
upon the belief that the diamonds wer
In it. was doubly convinced of thi
fact after l had persuaded Olmstea
to show me the trick of opening th
casket.
Somehow my suspicious rested upo
Swartz. and I made searching ir