Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-07
The Argus Daily Short Story
His Secretly John Jones.
Copyrighted. 1910. by Associated Literary Press

from the source of touch, for his Ian
tern had gone out.
He bethought himself of a silver
matchbox in his pocket, kept there
for lighting his pipe. He struck a
match and Illuminated a sewer. He
also lighted up the incline by which
he had entered it and saw that he
could go back the way he came. His
lantern was at his feet. and, picking 1t
up. he relighted 1t. Then he climbed
back into the strong room.
Fortunately he had not caught much
filth on his clothes. for he had not lost
his balance in his descent Of but few
feet. He assembled the stairs, was let
out by the man in charge and went
straight to the house where the di-
rectors were comforting. There he was
rated soundly for having been so long
on his errand. He made no excuse
and was permitted to depart, his SUI
periors saying that they would not
need him longer.
A vision of a great change in his at
fairs doomed up in the young mans
mind. He possessed a secret that in
volved millions. If he could leave the
strong room by means Of the sewer
others could enter it in the same way.
While the officials were watching their
treasure above ground by the most
carefully devised system there was no
watch whatever at this opening where
the sewer had broken and left free
entrance to the strong room.
No thought Of using his knowledge
for the purpose OF appropriating the
funds of the bank entered his head.
What he was thinking of was how he
might use the secret honestly to as
sist him to a career. He lay awake all
night thinking, but found no plan eX-
cept to make some excuse to go into
the strong room again and see if he
could find his way out through the
sewer.
A few days later, just before closing,
carrying n lantern with him, he en-
tered the strong room. thence the sew
er and began to walk slowly through
it. Presently he met a man who
seemed to be looking about him for
what he could pick up. MeIdron ques-
toned him and learned that he was
one of that strange class who gain q
living by searching the sewers. He
piloted the clerk TO an opening where
egress was easy. Meldren marked the
spot so that he would know it again
One morningSthe banks directors re-
ceived a scrap of dirty paper on which
was written in the hand of an litter
ate person the following:
You think you is all safe hand you
safe i knows I
hinside the bank the last mite hand you
nose muffin about it. But 1 am mott
theaf so hif yer win NETT NEE in the
great squar room, with all the moneiys |
at twelf mite, lie explain orI to you, let
only thor cum down, and say muffin to
nobody.
The directors turned the note over
to the police, gave orders that the |
strong room should be guarded and |
thought no more of the matter
Nothing unusual happened in the |
bank that night, and the next day the |
note would have been forgotten had it |
not been for a remarkable circum-
stance. A chest of paper and securi- |
ties taken from the strong room was |
received at the bank with another note |
from their mysterious correspondent /
that the directors had set |
the pOllCc uDOH the hElleE anu
he had not therefore, kept his appoint
ment, but he had sent the chest of pa
pers he had taken from the strong
room. The note further said that if
few of the directors should be in the
strong room at midnight he would join
them there.
Meanwhile Clarence Meldron sat at
his desk in the bank, doing his duties
with his accustomed regularity. He
heard the note that he had sent the
directors discussed in a low tone by
two custodians and knew that a guard
was posted at the strong room. The
only matter that occupied him out
side his duties was n letter he wrote
to his sweetheart fmploring her not to
consent to wedding with her fancee
until she could put it off no longer.