Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-29

that he could use it without continual
" running outside his compartment
for it. But after it had been filed and
placed In position Imogen suggested
that while there it would be handy for
the teller it would not be handy for
the person who was to snatch 1t up
and run away with it. / therefore
placed it under a small table by the
back door through which it was TO be
carried in case of attack. 1 also
bought few yards of quarter inch
rope. which I deposited in closet.
The only thing remaining Il be done
was to see that the revolvers we kept
In the different drawers were loaded
and in good condition. These things
having been attended to, I dismissed
the matter from my mind.
My thoughts dropped from war to
love. 1 had a problem to settle. Would
1 or would l not propose to Imogen
Bradley? l resolved to ask her from
what part of the east she came and to
make inquiries. So 1 asked her the
question one day carelessly, that she
might not suspect my intention. and
she gave me the name of a college
town in Massachusetts. knew no
one there, so was no better on than
before. The truth is / was pining for
her, and it seemed to me that would
rather be marrying her than her fam
lily. So I never wrote was satisfied
from what 1 had seen of her that she
was an odd mixture of gentleness.
pluck and natural ability. What more
could l want, especially In a rough
country like Nevada2
1t was but a few days after our
preparations to receive Handy Andy
when at IL o'clock the boys broke or
work and went to dinner. I never left
the bank myself after opening IN the
morning till closing in the evening, al
ways eating a lunch in my private Of
fee. Miss Bradley usually went out
for her dinner, but today she said she
had headache and would not go. She
sat reading a newspaper. As I MUNICH
ed a sandwich / could look at her-so
fair. so pure, so gentle-and 1 made
up my mind 1 would propose to her
that evening.
Suddenly there was a mans step out
side the fixtures. Imogen looked up.
and 1 saw by her expression that she
recognized the conner. A wonderful
change came over her innocent face,
which took on one Of hard resolution.
Quickly rising, she Unattached a door
leading into the space she occupied. A
masked man stepped in and covered
me with a revolver. Imogen darted
to the closet and took out the rope.
and the man who had ordered me to
throw up my hands took 1t from her,
giving her his revolver, which she
kept pointed at me. The masked man
then proceeded to bind me hand and
foot
Imogen. She picked up the tin box
containing the bank funds and, turn
ing to me, threw me a kiss
That's in return for the one you
gave me-" she said, smiling, "and I'm
much obliged to you for saving us the
trouble of collecting the money. which
would have taken time. TIA, tar
She walked out OF the back door
with some 1000. leaving the masked
man to keep guard over me till she
had got far enough away to render
pursuit unavailable. When she had
gone my watcher said to me:
mice young woman, isn't she? Sor-
~ for you, but she's got a husband
already. and two is against the law.
She's my wife, Mrs. Handy Andy, and
my cleverest work is done by her"
The boys were not to be expected
back till 1 o'clock. and the robber had
undoubtedly been informed OF the fact.
for after keeping me covered half an
hour he left me at ten minutes to 1.
The boys came in at the regular time
and unbound me.
My funds were never recovered. l
learned as soon as I was freed that
Imogen had been seen slowly carrying
the box to a carriage, which she en-
tered and was driven away.