Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-02-02
The Argus Daily Story
Those Papers-By Stephen Trowbridge.
Copyrighted 1911, by Associated Literary Bureau

that the moment the papers leave your
vaults the enemy will know it,
Il have been told that we have spies
here in this office, and the best Lon
don detectives are watching US"
Every well. send the papers to the
ship in any way you like and deliver
them to me in my stateroom, which
you will engage for me. As soon as you
have secured it cable some one you
know in New York to engage it for the
return trip. This done, we shall pro.
coed further"
81 will attend to the matter at once.
How about your confederate?"
"He may go with me on the trip and
will take the papers from me in New
York"
But don't understand the necessity
for these details"
"'They are more necessary on my &C
count than on yours. \ long expert.
ence enables me to get these papers
through for you, but that experience
makes me a suspicious character l
shall be searched by the customs Of
I ficers in New York. But there is this
advantage in your employing me. Like
ly your opponents will get on to the
fact of my taking the papers to Amerl-
ca. If they don't 1 prefer that you
should see that they do This will
concentrate suspicion on me-"
"And insure failure"
1t took some time to convince Mt.
Collamore of the expediency of en-
ploying me- In fact, I was obliged to
~, -H1Io C.,H hot "a
would do So When 1 told him all he
engaged me at once.
1 was given the papers in HIS office
and went direct to the ship, watched
by several detectives, who remained on
the dock till the ship had sailed. Once
| in my stateroom I took my carpenters
tools from a satchel, loosened a board
| in the floor, put in the papers and,
| putting back the board, dabbed a little
! paint on 1t, so that its removal would
! not be noticed. To make more sure
removed the board under the berth.
| I was conscious of being watched all
the way over, but 1 did not know
whether my watchers were IN the
service Of the London or the New York
parties interested in the papers. One
man, a middle aged gentleman, I sus-
pected of being my confederate. who
was not to make himself known to me,
but L was not sure. 1t didn't matter
to me how closely 1 was watched, for
as soon as had concealed the papers
under the floor of my stateroom my
work was done. When we arrived at
New York and I went ashore I was
accosted by customs man who knew
me well by:
Hello Bobi What racket are you
working on this timer
He took me and my baggage into
private room and went through every
thing He found nothing dutiable, not
even my carpenters tools, for l had
thrown them overheard Finding moth
ing, he let me go. / had not got a block
from the dock before L was attacked
by a gang of roughs, one of whom,
/ doubtless disguised, searched me.
policeman picked me up half dead, put
me in cab and sent me home.
My confederate had received full in
: structions from Mr.. Collamore. A
l couple of hours before the ship sailed
the former went aboard the ship, &C
companied by one who purported to be
> his daughter, but who was really
typist in the employ of a legal firm
/, who were Mr.. Collamore's correspond
ents The confederate having obtain
ed the key to his stateroom-the one
/ had occupied on the last trip froEa
England-went there and, with tools
he carried in his suit case, took up
the board in the floor, secured the pa
pers, the typist concealed them on her
person and, when the "All ashorer'
bell was rung, bidding a fearful good
by to him who purported to be her
, father, she went down the gangplank.
!. and in another hour the papers were
deposited in the vaults of safety de-
post company.
: According to the contract had made
;, before leaving London, L was given
!, 5000 a month till the estate was set
y tied, when / was to receive a million.
I was paid the 5000 regularly, but
:, when the final settlement was made L
:, was put off with beggarly half mil
lion on the ground that after all the
= viscount had been obliged to compro-
= mise with the American heirs.
However, l am quite comfortable
schemes, for / can get on very well
:. from the income / ENJOY from the pro-
. ceeds of my last venture. / live in
a London and am much respected,
though I am known to be a retired
= smuggler. You see, of late years SNUG
Cling has become fashionable. The
: wives of American millionaires do the
= principal part Of what is done in that
line and do it on the other side Of the
-. big pond. AS for the English, they so
- dislike our protection system that any
:. man who can beat an American Gus
= toms officer is popular among them.
But I'm getting tired of London.
= I'm thinking of going TO Ireland The
pride of family IS going out in Eng
. land, and there is no country where
"A 1t is still held in respect except among
80 the older families Of the Emerald Isle
If that rascally viscount hadn't beatea
= me out of part of my pay for getting
= his bloomin' papers through l could