The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1910-08-19
A REWARD
1t Was No, For Timdity
BY HARRY c. ERNST
Copyright. 1910, by American Press

made up. l found there the occupant
of the upper berth. sleek looking
gentleman. well dressed and apparent
ly prosperous, but with an anxious ex-
preston on his face that he could not
conceal. He seemed to find II difficult
to sit still and kept furtively looking
about him as though he expected some
one to pounce upon him.
We were entering Chicago and be-
fore reaching the terminal stopped at
suburban station. BY this time my
section mate looked SO frightened that
he was entirely unable to conceal his
feelings. Standing up. he cast glance
out the window, hesitated. then. Selling
his suit case. hurried from the train.
We had no sooner started again than,
casting glance at my own suit case,
which had stood on the floor beside
that Of the departed passenger, no
ticed that my name did not appear on
its end. quickly examined the other
end, but 1t was not there either.
knew that my suit case bore my name
and my city, SO at once made up my
mind that the man who had occupied
the other berth had taken mine instead
OF his own. took out my key to see
II ] could open the one remaining, but
1t did not tit.
1t struck me that there was some
thing wrc,g with the man who had
exchanged salt cases. Surprising he
Were Il fugitive from justive, II
were found with his baggage | might
be mistaken for him and get into trou-
Bile. 1t would be impossible for me to
reach him and inform him of his mis-
take. ] must go on to the depot with
out my suit case. He would discover
my name and address on 1t. and since
my residence was in Chicago he would,
If honest. drop me line through the
postoffice.
But what should do with his
suit case? Did l not suspect him
would take It with me and return It
to him when he returned mine. AS
1t was. dreaded to be found with It
In my possession.
There was young man sitting in
the section opposite me. He looked
rather seedy and melancholy. Beside
him was II suit case. Just before en-
tering the station he went to the
other end of the car. Taking advan-
tage Of his absence. changed suit
cases with him. When he returned.
since we were under cover of the
station. the car was quite dark. He
picked up the suit case | had placed
on his seat and went out with 1t
among the throng of passengers.
! waited patiently. expecting every
DAY to receive note from the man
who had my suit case. couldn't
address him. for there was no name
on the suit case l had taken. re-
ceived no communication and finally
gave up expecting any. / determined
to open the suit case had In my
possession to see IL could find any
thing inside indicating to whom 1t be-
lOnged
Forcing the lock, found within
pieces of linen clothing, a paper
novel and few letters. The latter
were not in envelopes bearing an ad-
dress. and. In order to discover II
there was anything In them to give
me the information i wished. l read
them. They were from girl who was
very unhappy at her lover leaving her
to go to Chicago to seek his fortune.
BY mutual consent they had given up
all hope of a union because the lover
was poor and they couldn't afford to
marry. had gained this information
before l came to the words. II shall
send your letters to No. street."
knew this is to Chicago street
Here was what wanted. l wrote
note to the young man stating that
Dy mistake) he had taken my suit
case and II he had mine l would like
to exchange with him.
received no reply for some weeks;
then ! got letter containing some
remarkable information - information
that made me regret my timidity of
being mistaken for a criminal. In
deed. l no sooner read the words than
l desired to '.kick" myself all over the
three "sides" that compose Chicago.
The young man told me that he had
opened the suit case and In It had
found package Of bank bills to the
amount of 100000. Seeing in newspa-
per telegraphic news from an eastern
city of bank robbery, he had commu-
nlcated with the officers Of the bank,
returned the money and had received
reward Of $4,000 for doing So Mean
while the police had got on the track
OF the robber. who had been the banks
paying teller. and he had been arrest
ed, The young man added that 1t was
supposed the guilty party had purpose
ly changed suit cases with him, not
daring to face the police of Chicago,
who might be watching for him. He
wound up by apologizing for his long
silence on the ground that he had
been east to secure his reward and
had brought back wife with him.
So | had turned over $4,000 Of stolen
money to another, enabling him to
reap $1,000 reward. But l had much
consolation in the fact that | had
been the means Of uniting q pair of
lovers who had given each other up.
met the young man and his wife aft
erward. They were making a fortune
out Of that reward.