Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-23

ana drove the gentleman 70 246 sum
NIT avenue
Never mind the rest of that" l
said. Tell if you are looking for any
thing that was lost
The man appeared III nj ease. please
don't speak so loud, sir If you are the
man who was driven that day in that
cab from the University club to-
Il was. Go on"
You may have found a package Of
bills"
u did"
At this point the man hesitated, and.
seeing that he was not getting on with
his revelation. took him to a private
room and said:
Nov. out with it,
After much trouble learned that be
had got the money | had found from
a gentleman 10 carry somewhere and
had hired cab for the purpose Not
daring to take the bills ont of the cab
when he alEhted. fearing an arrest.
he left il under the seat. taking note Of
the cabs number. He was arrested
for having stolen an overcoat and was
sent to prison for year. He had re
Gently been discharged. some time hav-
ing been taken of his stay for good be
havior. and had communicated with
the man from whom he had got the
bills. and the two had set about trac-
ing them. The person who had employ
ed him to carry the money was a cash
Ter of some institution. from which he
had purloined it.
had had enough of the matter and
agreed to plan by which the amount
could be returned to its rightful own
ers. they paying the rascals small
sum and guaranteeing their immunity
from prosecution. All the details had
been arranged when it occurred to me
that | had rented the box in which
had deposited 1t in a fictitious name.
What name? l could no more re-
member than l could repeat the book
of Job.
As soon as could get away from
my duties | took Il train for my for
mer home and on arrival drove to the
safe deposit company and asked for
the custodian. A young man stepped
forward. and l asked for the old gen
tleman who had rented me a box about
a year before. He had died five months
ago and the young man had been put
in his place.
My story as TO the renting OF the
box was tod-that ! had not given
my own name and had forgotten the
assumed one | was informed that |
would find the number OF the box on
my key. but | replied that, having
nf
| put it in very safe place, but where
| had also forgotten.
Then the custodian looked grave.
! The money must remain where it WAS
| till produced the name or the key.
What was | to do? | had acknowl-
| edged that | had found the lost bills
and still had them in my possession: l
was bound to restore them, and II !
didn't / would be sued for them and
! likely prosecuted criminaIly. Being
about to he married. was in an, ag
| ony of fear lest the matter should
come out and he printed in the news
papers on the eve OF my wedding.
went TO Harker, who was more
like a brother To me than an employ
er. and told him of the Fix | was in.
While he was ready to do anything for
me in his power. there seemed to be
nothing definite for him TO do. He
could not help showing Il slight suspi-
cion. This revealed to me that my
story was not very credible. | was il
agony Meanwhile the parties con
cerned began to grow suspicious OF
! me.
Then | was told that II I didn't
! pay over the money at once ! would
be arrested. | realized that | must
raise $50 600 or 20 TO Jail. besides
losing Edith. asked how long a time
| would be given for the purpose and
was told that could have a week
laid the matter before Harker. and his
affection for me conquered his doubts
and his indispOsition to pay out for
me $4,000 that he might never get
back. IIe drew check for the money
payable To fne. and | turned it over 10
the persons who were bounding me
But ! realized that a wedge had been
introduced between me and Harker
that would not be removed until /
could return the money he had put up
for me.
\ few days before the wedding j
went on visit to Edith to confess to
her the incubus resting upon me. /
tod her the story. TO which she listen.
ed eagerly and when / had finished.
said:
Il wonder If what | have upstairs
that you sent me long ago has any
thing to do with the matter"
What did I send you:'
Instead OF replying she left me and
in few minutes returned with a box
Of trinkct~, through which she began
to hunt There were bits OF Did jew
elry and odds and ends 81 all kinds.
Presently She look out q little Hat bit
OF metal with Irregular teeth on one
side made a dive for it, and hold
ing II up. / saw stamped on II the
number 3gG Then ike u fash. i re-
meubercd having sent duplicate key
Of my safe deposit bov-l had been
given two-to Edith tu keep .pr me In
case should lose the one / retained.
Oct. % in American