Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-17

tention was the settlement of a debt |
owed about which there had been .
quarrel. In order to he prepared to
pay as soon as we should arrive at
stated amount | prov ided myself with .
g. 600 in bank hills | arrived in Chi .
Vagu Al O'Clock ana went to several
hotels without being able to secure A
room. Finally VAS told at second
class house that | might have one OF
two beds in room. the other bed !
being occupied hy man.
| was tired and sleepy. and | accept.
ed the offer l had to decide whether
/ would deposit my money with the
landlord or take it 10 my room With
me Had the house been first class |
would certainly have adopted the for
mer course. As il was. | concluded TO
keep my money with me. 1t was 10
o'clock when ! went to bed. My room
mate was not there. so had choice
of beds The apartment was long and
narrow One bed was beside the door.
which could be opened and shut by the
person occupying the bed by reaching
out an arm. The other he'd was It the
other end Of the room. near a window.
selected the bed by the door which
besides the lock was provided with
bolt / left the door unlocked and I'M
bulted so that my roommate could get
in when he came. My pocketbook.
containing my bills. I put directly I'M
der my pillow. turned the gas low
and lay down. hoping the occupant of
the other bed would soon come in. for
was tired and wished TO so to sleep.
Pat despite my efforts to keep awake
| failed.
WAS awakened by his coming. or.
rather. the turning M of the gas jet
which shOne in my eyes could see
the man very plainly. and the moment
| d 4 50 | wished was anywhere than
whore was did not like the mans
appearance He undrcSSed himself
without paving any attention to me,
so far as could see and. turning ont
the gas. got into bed | had expected
that he would lock the door. but he
didn't
tried to satisfy myself that had
imagined the man to look worse than
that had he any designs upon me he
would have noticed me while he was
undressing. While thinking about him
! fell asleep.
was awakened Ivy sound nj the
other end of the room. could mt
tell what caused it. hut thought that
something had fallen | listened. but
oil eli I'D
under my pillow to make sure that my
purse was still there. 1t was not.
Should | reach ont and lock the door.
thus Coninjng myself with a robber.
or leave him free egress from the
room?
My first impulse WIS to let him 60.
My life was worth more to me than
the $1,000. hut did not feel like sub
mittin" to robbery. II was not the
money | was about 10 lose. hut tamely
suffering wrong As | thought about
the latter NV courage hogan to rise
and | reached ont and locked and
ho'tod tn" door
! presumed the man to he armed.
hut he had no means Of aSCertaining If
had weapon until | Should ATTEMPT
70 Use It upon him. Ny locking the
door might act in several different
ways FIRST. it might seem to him
that. havin" been awakened ny the
sound. I had heard even without feel
ing for my pOCkethOok ! had reached
ont IN learn If the door had been lock
ed and not finding II so. had locked
and h"!l"i il. secondly. it might mean
n him that ! hal missed my money
ani hni resolved to lock him In and
hCht for It In the latter case he
would he likely to infer that was
armed.
Af'rr throwing the bolts lay per
fcrt'v sill i occurred h. ne thn,
whether tie man were in he'd or some
where else in the room. he would
make no movement until he had rea
son +" SUPPOSE I was ut least not med
i'ot.:g any overt act. In order To sat
IF, Inn If Ills | began tn hrcathe
la"i ike rHe asleep. Nevertheless |
lid not chang" the direction ~ nv
sion for moment from the other end
r the room
There vas \ faint light coming
through the window. and presently
saw 4 figure darken the latter Wheth
or il faced me or the window | could
not tie. but knew my enemy was out
oH Ia That he was near the window
was evident from his apparent size
Was lie examining an escape from that
end Of the room:
The Silhouette disappeared from he
fore the window. coming. It seemed
toward me. But except when II stood
out between me and the window
roulf lot tell where il was could
her no sound If the man getting into
bed Indeed for some time | could
hear nothing
Tnactiou took away my nerve be
gan n regret having locked the door
Had not done this the rohber NIGH
have gone reaceably out without muT
5ar.u- me- which he could easily do Il
ha chose waited for the next devel
Jruor' with a thrphbing heart
suddenly ] saw the silhouette AGAR
- wrrr -" md he window. and til
me the ric't ann was raised In a
atm IL IS If to strike. spraug out 0
rsI