Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-07-19
be nad taken out of the water.

| people have thrown out with fake &C
| counts Of shipwreck In them
/ The man went away, but presently
returned with a paper. which he said
might mean something real. 1t read:
Whoever finds this take up floor y. E.
/ corner OF sswmill one mile west OF d,
| Conn.
Its one of these chtldren's mes
| sages," I said to the man, ito fool per-
| sons" Then handed it back to him.
/ During the next autumn Shedd came
into my office. He said that he couldn't
| get it out Of his head that the mes
! sage he had picked up at sea was q
! bona fide one he would like to go
| to D. and look into the matter, but he
| had no money for the purpose. tried
! to persuade him to dismiss the sub
| ject from his mind, but when 1 was
| satisfied that he wouldn't do so till he
had proved the truth of my position
I advanced him the price Of a ticket
to D. with something to spare.
Whatever find" he said, 'I'll bring
to you"
You'll not find anything to bring.
But don't worry about repaying the
amount I have advanced. It's not a
loan; it's a gift"
He made no reply TO this, but left
me, and that's the last 1 thought OF
the matter for a week. when he paid
me another visit. I saw in a moment
by his expression that be had found
something.
Well" said Jocularly, did you
get a big diamondT
We were alone, and he closed the
door before replying. Then he said:
NO. but got a hundred $1,000
bonds"
wondered If the man had gone
daft.
ST consider the find yours, SIR" he
continued, 80 1 didn't disturb any
thing found, putting back the floor
ing. Nobody knew about my being
there"
do you mean to ten me you found
lot Of bonds placed where that paper
you picked up indicatedY'
'T do"
what else?" I asked after drawing
several long bTeaths.
This"
He handed me a paper. on which
was scrawled in lead pencil:
Cashier didn't do this. Tho man as Gid
is where he can't be reached.
Notwithstanding that this paper had
genuine look, some time was re
quired for Shedd to convince me that
- would be worth while to go with
and have a look at his find
You see, sir" he said, 1.-The bonds
must have been stolen property, and
I'm afraid to touch 'em for fear of
INT l.,
every WELL" 1 said at last. III go
with you, and If you've found some
missing securities and there is a re-
ward offered for their recovery I'll see
that you get it"
We reached d. in the afternoon. and,
Shedd having provided himself with
tools and a lantern, after supper we
walked out TO q deserted sawmill. 1t
was some distance from the road and
stood alone. Going to a corner Of the
mill, Shedd removed some rubbish and
took up a plank of flooring. Between
two joists lay a bundle, the wrapper
being a newspaper. Shedd handed II
to me, and, unrollipg it. there sure
enough were a hundred $1,000 bonds
of a railway company. l saw at a
glance that they We're not negotiable
by the thieves The date on the news
paper indicated that IT had been print
ed nine years before. Shedd had TAX
en- the only thing besides the bonds
the scrap of paper-that had been left
in the place of cOncealment.
Having replaced the flooring. we re
turned by an early train the next morn
ing, and, going to police headquarters,
l reported the find.
l was Informed that nine years be
fore a certain bank had missed the
bonds, and the cashier whose accounts
were short had been convicted Of max
ing way with them. And here came
the surprise of my life and an explana-
ton of a mystery that had kept me
from the woman | loved.
The name of the cashier was Vincent
Chamberlin.
There had been just enough shortage
in his accounts and circumstantial .evl-
dence against him to convict him OF
having taken the bonds, doubtless for
the purpose of speculation. Their find
ing, with the note accompanying them,
was a vindication for the cashier, and
he was released from prison.
The happiest day in my life was
When, having gone 10 my heHTletta
with her brothers vlndiCatiOn I'm my
hands, | saw the look Of mingled won. /
der and delight in her eyes as she read |
the words that were to take away the /
great stain and make him a free man. |
She stood for awhile looking az moth |
ing. as II wrapped In happy dream. I I
refrained from interTupting this Joyous /
sense of relief as long as I could con /
tain myself, then took her in my arms. |
said nothing, nor did she. Her head |
fell upon my shoulder, and this was the ,
only sign asked for to know that my /
season OF disappointment had ended