Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-01-19
The Argus Daily Story
A Guilty Conscience-By Rodman Birch.
Copyrighted. 1911 by Associated Literary Bureau

ting on deck together. The man she
had pointed out walked the deck much
of the time. and whenever he passed
US would look at US uneasily. l felt
sure that he was my quarry. l asked
Miss Stoneman how she came to light
upon the man so quickly, and she said
she didn't know herself. / told her it
was that unaccountable power Of in
tuition which women possess in lieu or
the reasoning power Of men.
But if the fellow knew that / had his
property he took no steps, so far as
could see. to possess himself of it
Every time he passed me he looked at
me harder than before, and seemed to
have a very disturbing effect upon him.
One evening approached the stern of
the ship. Some one was looking over
the taffrail, but / did not notice who
he was. Suddenly he looked up at me.
He was the smuggler.
81 can stand this no longer" he said.
ST know you are from Scotland Yard,
and 1 may as well give myself up first
as last"
How do you know that?" 1 asked,
not wishing to commit myself.
"It was that young lady who put you
on to me. It's wonderful how these
women can know things"
"Well, are you ready to confessT'
"Win gain anything by confession"
Certainly. I'll see to that"
"Well, lost the money on the stock
exchange"
This was a surprise, but I kept my
countenance.
Then it is all gomez"
Every cent. 1 can't gain anything
by restoration"
The plot was thickening. In look
ing for the owner Of the property
held, / had stumbled on criminal.
| did not propose to mix myself up in
| this second affair, one was enough, so
said:
my friend, you have made q mis-
take. I'm no Scotland Yard man, and
! have no interest in your crime. Why
have you been staring at meT"
why have you been staring at me?"
he asked, with great apparent relief.
l did not satisfy him. He had a
guilty conscience, which Miss Stone
man had observed, so the moment we
looked at him curiously he took It
for granted he had been spotted. I
told him l would not give him away,
for which he thanked me. I didn't
think 1t prudent to intrust Miss Stone
man with his secret, so told her that
had discovered that he was the
wrong man.
Our last day of the voyage came,
and l was at a loss to know what to
do with the laces and the diamonds.
spoke to my confidante about my prop
erty, and she suggested that so long
as I had nothing to fear from the
customs officers 1 might carry the
package about as it was. After doing
so the rightful owner might claim 1t,
and then it would be time enough to
decide what action to take. replied
that the rug would probably be I'M
rolled and examined by the customs
/ officers, whereupon she offered TO take
the lace and diamonds ashore herself.
Since she seemed inclined to this
plan l reluctantly consented to it, yet
fearing that if she got into trouble
would be blamed. Her object seemed
to be to serve me, though l fancied
she supposed In case the property re-
manned with me she would fall heir
to part of it for getting it through
free of duty. / handed it over to her,
and she must have concealed it well.
for she took it through without being
discovered.
The criminal who had mistaken me
for Scotland Yard man did not fare
so well. Officers who had been cabled
that he was on the steamer took him
in charge as he left the vessel.
When l parted from the StOnemans
the mother gave me n pressing invita-
ton to call upon them in New York
before they departed for home. which
they expected to do in a few days aft
er landing. | called on them at their
hotel and was eraciously received.
Since my attentions to Miss Stone
man on the steamer had been noticed,
presently the others one by one ex-
cused themselves and left us alone to-
gether.
"Well." said the young lady, shave
you discovered the owner of the prop
erty?"
mo one has applied for it,
Probably not, since it is mine"
. ''YoursI"
yes"
looked at her aghast. You have
no need to smuggle"
, IT'S the fascination of 1t. I was
bound to get those things through free
of duty. When we went aboard the
ship l got fright | saw the man
pointed out TO you looking at Inc while
l was carrying my rug. / dropped it
and failed to find it again. That's all
l knew about 1t till you told US it had
, found its way into your stateroom'
, There were two Of you" / said
laughing. with a guilty conscience.
, though one was thief, the other only
. a smuggler. which seems to be quite
fashionable among the upper classes
just now"
! $50 it seems
There is nothing more to the story
: except that In time | married the girl
who had fooled me. She has been
. ! fn0linO