Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-09-22
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Short STORIES FOR
EVENING HOURS
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Toe Much Competition.
(By Richard s. Jacobs.)

1Ou can 40 hnytnlnB WIN me,
said "Slim" Collins, the reformed
burglar, to the detective who stopped
him on Michigan avenue. I'm out
of business. Nothing but honest toll
for yours truly from now on"
What's that jimmy doing in your
hip pocket?" asked the officer, clap
ping his hand over It.
Cold. foolish suspicion said the
reformed burglar, drawing forth a
screwdriSer. "You poison your life
with such thoughts This is an hon
est tool, and use II down here in the
automobile repair shop"
Working there, are you2" asked
the detective.
"since went out of my other bust
ness, yes" replied Collins.
"Ive good mind TO arrest you,
anyhow. said the detective.
what for?" asked Collins.
Piracy, highway robbery-any
charge of that kind would stick, /" said
the officer. You repair automobiles,
don't your"
yes, but don't make the charges, =
said Collins. The indictment would
not hold"
you're an accessory before the
fact" said the detective. land that
ought to get you ten years. However
I'll let you on this time.
Thank YOU" said Collins.
why did you quit?" asked the Of
ficer.
TOO much competition" replied the
ex-burglar. -,..r., ..I .
Hadn't heard OF 1t. Many profes.
SIGNALS here nowT ava, 4 IN,
IT'S not the professionals. could
compete with them all right. There
are others in the game"
"Amateurs?" asked the detective.
well, you might call them anna
tours"
tell me about H."
You see," said Collins, this Is tho
porch-climbing season. IL opened
auspiciously and. according to the so
ciety columns, a good many people
went to the seashore or the noun.
tains. had been resting up since the
winter season closed and was feeline
very III. picked out territory thai
looked all right and got friendly with
the dogs.
Il had set night to start In and
had my kit all ready. You don't need
many tools In the summer trade. The
work Is mostly with window screens
and jewelry boxes. | was running
light that night | went out. carrying
only a few tools and sack for tn,
swag. The first place on the rout,
was large house the ,mistrees o
which was in the mountains for tn,
summer.
II went up the porch as easy al
falling on a log. There was dog. bu
he fas asleep In the rear Of the house
] reached a window and had tAkeI
the screen on before | noticed tina
there was light In the room. TheI
! heard mans voice say, 'Gimm,
three cards.
The owner OF the house and thre
others were playing. stayed lonl
enough to see that he was losing hi
money as fast as the others coul,
gather 1t up and they didn't seem I,
De pt all slow or reluctant. coul,
see II wasn't any use for me to sticl
around there, so ] went on to the mex
place
There l knew the woman was a
nome. but she must have been peev
ish about having to stay. ] shinne'
up TO the top OF the porch and locke,
IN at the window. II was pretty darl
IN the room, but there was a llgh
somewhere back In the house. mad
out thHt the man was In bed asleeT
Du there was some one stirring.
thought ! had run across professional
composition. but pretty soon ! say
that II was the mans wife.