Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-06

Swallowed by detective. Asked whom
he had driven next after the young
lady. he could not remember.
wilkins was all in n tutter at this
information. He realized that he must
take some action in the matter. but
feared anything be might do would re-
dound to his injury. When a man Is
ratified he usually goes wrong. VIII
kins asked the cabman 10 Sive him
the young lady's address. and when the
man said he hadn't il Wilkins told him
not to say anything about him in the
matter for the present and handed him
q ten dollar bill. -
wilkins as soon as he had taken this
step saw that he had put himself In
the position OF having hribed the coach
man to conceal his identity He could
not sleep at nights for thinking OF
what a frightful thing it would be
should he be pounced upon by a de-
tective and forced to confess that he
had been keeping g large saCa &c !2es-
ey that did not belong to him. 1t was
evident the loser of the money beIiev-
ed that 1t had fallen into the hands
of some one who was intending TO keep
it and was taking measures to find that
person.
All this was more than wilkins had
bargained for. He grew thin and bag
gard and began to fear that his ap-
pearance alone would incrimlnate him.
What he desired was 10 know the ad-
dress of the young lady that he usight
return the money anonymously, or II
he could discover that she was Of a
kindly. sympathetic disposition he
might go to her. confess that he had
her money and beg her to believe his
story and not expose him to an unmer-
ciful world
One day the coachman involved in
the matter called for him at the club
and said he had something to commu-
, nicate. wilkins went out with him to
the sidewalk, where no one would hear
what was said. and the cabman began:
1--WE seen the young Teddy again.
sir. and she says the day l drove her
she drew a large sum from the bank.
and, bein' sick. when she got out OF
my cab left the money inside. She
says the next fare / got must "a found
it and is keepin' what don't belong to
him. She's offered me $1,000 reward
| If I'll get her money for her"
| Here was an additional complication.
/ If wilkins returned the money. ignor-
ing the cabman. the fellow might make
| 1t hot for him. wilkins by this time
was in a condition of mind to see a
| term in the penitentiary staring him
in the face. Instead of pulling himself
together. returning the money openly
and trusting TO his ability to come out
of the affair unscathed. he asked the
man for the lady's address, promising
to see that he got something by way
of reward But the cabman by this
/ time had come to believe there was a
/ good deal In it and declined to give the
address unless wilkins would pay him
out OF the funds the reward the young
, lady had offered When wilkins de-
INJURED at this. the fellow threatened
to report him as the man who was
holding the money.
So wilkins took the address. gave the
man thousand dollars and, taking the
bag containing the bills Just as be had
found them. called on. the young lady.
| Handing them to her, he waited till her
delight had somewhat subsidized. then
gave her n graphic account of his find
ing the bag. his waiting to see her ad-
vertsement, his missing it when it APP
peared and, lastly. his having been
drawn into the position of retaining
funds that did not belong to him.
II weighed" he said dolefully in con-
. oil, no I hor
pounds. Look at me now. can bare
~ pull down 40"
"You poor man. exclaimed the girl.
REFRESHING a smile.
wilkins said nothing about the thou.
sand dollars hush money he had paid
the cabman. That was his own secret.
and he did not propose to diVulge-
"Of course" said the girl, you are
entitled to a reward. and l beg of you
after all the trouble and worry you
have had in the matter TO accept Mt
least the amount | offered the cabman.
] assure you | would feel so much more
comfortable at your receiving some
thing"
A gentleman, q member OF a swell
club. to receive a reward for returning
money found. Not he
"Since the cabman," she went on.
has been instrumental In the return
of my property | shall pay him the re-
ward | offered him"
wilkins. seeing that he must tell the
rest Of the story or the cabman would
receive double pay, made confdante
Of his hostess and clean breast
There was something so delightfully."-
human IN this end 10 the matter that
she was touched beyond measure. She
could not induce wilkins TO permit her
to reimburse him, but in time he dis
covered that she had given him her
heart, and it was not long before her
hand and her fortune went with it.
''Yon never can tell" says wilkins,
when you're getting a bargain. Tie
thousand dollars ] paid that cabman
brought the two treasures-the one
wife. the other her estate"