Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-01
The Daily Story
JOHN JONES FIND-BY NATHAN B. TOWNSEND.
Copyrighted isl3 by Associated Literary Bureau

eNNN--~-
hundred miles. usually sleeping out .
of doors.
One afternoon while vending his
way eastward along the coast he came |
to handsome country residence
standing alone Looking about him. he |
could not see another house. though
the coast was open In either direction
for several miles. But Johnny doubted
If he could get any comfort in the
place. for he could see no evidence of
fits being occupied. The shutters We're
closed. not one being left open. Then,
too. there was an old look about the
house. The shingles on the roof were
black and crumpled. the woodwork In
places was rotten. and only the brick
OF which the house was mainly built
was solid
'If could get inside" said John to
himself, 81 could at least keep warm,
and the night promises to be cold"
He had on only the thinnest clothing
and shivered as chill November wind
gate was fastened with a rusty chain
and padlock-he went up on to the
porch and began to look about him for
means of entrance. He was not long
in finding shutter with loose fasten-
ing and a pane of broken glass behind
it. Putting his hand inside. he unlock
ed the sash and raised it.
To his surprise, the room into which
he looked was furnished. True, there
was a moldy look about the furniture.
but it was of fine quality, though old
fashioned. John climbed over the win
dow sill and inspected the furnishings
at closer range. He was in the draw
ing room among damask covered chairs
and sofas and velvet curtains TO the
windows A piano stood at one end,
and John struck the keys. He was
startled at the breaking OF the still
ness. 1t seemed to him that the shades
of those who had once inhabited
this house. who had years ago locked
and left it, had cried out at his in
| trusion.
| John fell to wondering why so much
valuable property was left to rot.
! Though young. he considered the fnan-
cial feature connected with 1t. Had
| the property been sold years before 1t
would have brought what to him would
have been fortune. There must be
some reason why 1t had been suffered
to sink to ruin.
John hesitated about spending the
night in so grewsome place, and had
| 1t not been for the cold without he
would have preferred to sleep under
the stars. AS it was, he looked about
| for a bed and, though he was hungry,
finally got on to one of the couches up
stairs. But it seemed to him that he
was lying among worms. He took hold
Of a coverlet to draw 1t over him, and
it parted through decay. This was too
much for him; he arose and felt his
| way downstairs and, finding a lounge
! covered with leather. though it was
stiff through age, stretched himself on
it and fell asleep.
He was awakened during the night
by voices. For a few moments he
could not recall where he was. Then
he listened for the direction of the
sound and concluded that it came from
under him. Presently light flashed
through a crack in the floor. Sliding
off the lounge, he crawled to the crack
and put his ear to it.
We've got to run in some O. these
goods" said one in a mans voice.
This cellar is full"
"Why not store the next lot above?'
what rot. Don't you know we've
taken every pains to keep any one
from looking in here? Put goods on
the floor above. and some boy or some
tramp will look in. see them and re-
port the fact"
ITS wonder no one has got on to
us as it Is" remarked third man.
They've gone around this depot often
Fact is. it's well known that Crawford
owns 1t, and Crawford is above sus-
picion."
I'VE pay him enough rent for it."
"Rent be hanged, He's one of u.s."
"He tells me the place can't remain
much longer as it is A number of real
estate men have been to him to buy It,
They want to fix 1t up and make it
pay"
Crawford is making it pay we'll
enough"
This was the last heard of dia-
logue between different men. none of
whom John could see. He heard some
thing fall and thought bolt was shot.
though he could not be sure of this.
then all was silent again He lay
awake. thinking about what he had
heard, but couldn't make out anything
except that the basement was used for
the storage of goods. Were they stolen
articles? Were they barrels OF liquor
manufactured Illegally? The reason
for the house remaining in It's present
condition was apparent. This man
Crawford was keeping 1t for plE-
pose. 1t had doubtless long been shut
up and was not an object of curiosity
Turning these things ever In his mind
John fell asleep again.
When he awoke in the morning the
sun was shining In through a broken
blind. John arose from his couch and
looked about him. He was in library
Books were on the shelves, but they
were dusty and dingy. He went
| through y door into n pantry and
through the pantry into The dining
( H.