Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-22


dining room and accused them of theft
No; it was his idea to avoid the hys
terical confusion that would follow
such a course. He would slip from
the closet and leave the apartment TO
seek a policeman. The affair could be
conducted with decorum. Mr.. Barclay
hated noise and confusion and noto-
riety. He would not even prosecute
the fair criminals-unless Mrs. Barclay
insisted upon it
All these thoughts ran through his
mind while be waited there in the
stuffy hall closet. He could not hear
sound from the dining room, although
he applied an ear to the crack of the
closet door.
1t seemed that hours passed as he
waited for an opportunity TO leave the
closet Their silence convinced him
that they were suspicious of discovery
and were waiting for the intruder to
show himself.
Mr. Barclay had no desire TO make
a target of himself for female Rallies
| TO shoot at. for these women were I'M
doubtedly armed and were dead shots.
/ Mr.. Barclay knew that his rotund form
would afford an excellent mark for
/ bullet.
! Therefore he bided his time, inwardly
/ hoping the fair ones would be fright
| ened away. Anything to avoid fuss.
| But is was not TO be.
Heavy footsteps sounded in the cor
ridor, and a heavy hand was laid on the
! hall door. There was n furry of silken
where Mr.. Barclay was concealed, and
the door OF suit c was opened to ad-
NIT another person.
"Oh, officer" painted a feminine voice
in hysterical excitement. 'some one
has entered my apartment and he is
| concealed here somewhere!'
Did yez see him?" demanded the
voice OF the officer.
NO but we heard him as plain as
could be. We were sitting in the din
ing room when we heard a cough-a
mans cough. SO we telephoned at
once for an officer!'
"Tll be takin' a look around. num-"
said the policeman heavily, and Mr..
Barclay heard them pass into the
drawing room.
He shivered uncomfortably. Now
something was really going TO happen!
There would be a scandal, indeed.
when II was discovered that he. James
Barclay, had entered the apartment
of a stranger.
For now he summed up the situation
In this manner:
Instead of entering his own suit, he
had entered another by mistake!
He was the interloper in the case.
The ladies in the dining room had a
perfect right there. while he was the
intruder
The strong arm of the law would
soon pull him from his hiding place
in the closet He would be dragged
Off to Jail. Disgrace wculd fall upon
the name of Barclay.
All this would con- 20 pass because
of his stupidity.
He would make one dash for liberty.
He might gain the corridor before
the searchers found him, and once in
the corridor. where he could call upon
, elevator boys to identify him as the.
lessee of suit c, he would defy them
all.
Cautiously he pushed the closet door
open and stepped into the dim hall.
He crept slyiy down the hall to the
door and laid his hand on the knob.
-, In another instant L. would be safely
: in the corridor.
But as he laid his hand on the door
into the corridor several things hap
pened all at once.
: There was quick rush from the
| l. III. H.. l. 90
2 iron hands gripped his shoulders and
whirled him around to sudden glare
, from several electric lights.
! Not so fast, me foine old Teller"
rumbled the voice of the law.
!, Father shrieked his daughter
Louise
:, Mon Dieu!" squealed the small.
dark woman, jumping up and down
l. with excitement.
. The devil"' calculated Mr. Barclay,
staring from the vivacious French
woman TO his daughter and thence TO
the policeman. who eyed them all
:, sternly.
r where did you come from, fatherT'
asked Louise.
From the hall closet" rasped Mr..
o Barclay, realizing that he was indeed
\. In his own house. IF you hadn't talked
g French | might have recognized your
J. voice" he said accusingly.
Nine. Lemay came up to town with
' me today, and we decided to spend the
e night here. | telephoned your Office,
a but you had gone"
= Mr.. Barclay shook hands with the
70 grinning policeman and left crisp vel
low bill in the big palm. He submitted
,r to an introduction TO Nine Lemay and
~ found few minutes in which to talk
* 10 bis daughter
IF yon had not spoken French
Il would have recognized your voice and
d it would never have happened" he
a maintained obstinatev.
And under the circumstances we
"A cannot blame Mr.. Barclay for being
e suspicious Of all languages which no
IN does not understand