Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-10
The Daily Story
Copyrighted. 1913. by Associated Literary Bureau
A STRIKING WATCH.-BY RYLAND BELL

nights before | heard the chime. but
each night there had been a strong
wind. Besides, had proved that I'M
less my ear was connected with the
watch by solids the chime was in
audible. Believing the watch to be in
the room with me. a few minutes be-
fore it should strike again l got up
and, pressing my ear against the wall.
heard it distinctly During the next
hour l made several such experiments
with a view to locating the sound, but
without success.
Then it occurred to me that a watch
must tick and II J could get near enough
to II l might hear 1t l walked slowly
around the room, stopping at intervals
to listen. and. drawing near a fireplace.
the ticking grew more distinct Thrust
ing my head up the chimney. l heard
a watch tick near my ear was about
TO reach up TO grasp 1t when a chime
rang out fine. clear. melodious strokes.
l put my hand upon a narrow cop
ing and took down what I could feel
TO be a brooch. Then 1 grasped other
articles and finally a watch.
"Eurekav' l exclaimed, delighted.
Leaving the articles where l found
them, l went back to bed. but not to
sleep. Day soon came and. rising. l
examined the fireplace and found quite
a lot OF jewelry | compared the pieces
with list Of the lost articles and
found that about two-thirds OF them
were on the coping.
What should be my next stepP I had
found the plunder-or most OF it-but
not the thief. And in this second part
of my work | was as much at a loss
how TO proceed as | had been in the
first place. But l felt comparatively
easy. 7 had evidence that was not
another kind OF thief in palming my
self Off as an investigator when was
really simply falling In love l called
Mr.. Ainsworth into the library after
breakfast and told him that had
made important Roadway in the case,
having located a number of the miss
ing articles. I intended to say no more;
but. fearing that n left where they
were the thief would remove them,
added that during the morning l would
turn them over.
livered the mail received a letter
from England that obviated the neces-
sity OF my remaining In the detective
business The mssive had been fol-
lowing me for some time and was COW
cred with TRY this and try that
place" Endorsed by different postal Of
ficials. It announced that the cousin
mentioned earlier in my narrative. a
vigorous man of thirty, had broken his
neck following the hounds. and since
his wife had not presented him with
an heir I was Earl OF BarrowfieId.
called up my chief. reported the
case so far as had followed II and Of
fered my resignation from his force on
/ the ground that had business of my
own that demanded attention. Before
/ Mr. Ainsworth went ont for the day l
| told him where he would find the plum
: der had discovered and made a clean
| breast OF the fact that | had learned
where it was, not by a deep laid and
! methodicaI process, but by accident,
| and declined to receive any pay for my
services or to permit any charge to be
made by the bureau represented.
]
services either as detective or as his
daughters music teacher. After argu-
ing with him for awhile / showed him
the letter l had received that morning
! changing my condition from detec-
! tive to a nobleman.
while | am not the son OF an old
friend Of yours" ! said, 81 am or at
least have been in forlorn Circum-
stances. 1 am your debtor, not you
mine, since have received every kind
ness at the hands Of your family"
It was agreed between us that 1t
would be better to inform the mem
bers OF his family that I was not the
son Of his old friend. but that in con-
sidering me a gentleman they had not
been deceived Mrs. AinswOrth was
informed first that the bulk OF her lost
property had been recovered. that l
had come into the house as detective
and was going ont a uobeman. From
her the news spread to the other mem
bers Of the family.
Miss Edith did not seem to know
whether to be glad or sorry at the turn
events had taken. ! saw sincerity in
| HeE eyes "uen she expressed neT re-
greet that her music lessons must cease
and said that she supposed the episode
of my being there must end and she
would never see me again. | assured
her that an acquaintance so pleasantly
formed would not be suffered by me
TO come to an end.
went to Europe and discovered
that the estate TO which / had fallen
heir needed attention. Nevertheless
found my thoughts constantly wander
ing back to America. And what drew
them most forcibly was the young lady
whom | had taught music while play
ing detective.
never took sufficient interest to in
quire whether the balance Uf the Jew
eiry was discovered or the thief run
down. Later / returned from England
and took back Edith Ainsworth for my
wife. As a wedding memento her ia
Their presented me with the striking
watch that led to the recovery Of the
plumber. and had engraved upon it an