Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-07

ing finished his dinner, rose from the
table and said to his wife:
II must do some work at the office
tonight. II I'm not at home by 10
o'clock don't wait for me, but go to
bed"
Cant 1 help you with your ac-
counts?" asked the wife.
mo; there is nothing TO be done that
two can work at. / think / can do 1t
all and get home at reasonable hour."
"I'll sit UP for you, no matter how
late you are"
1t was half an hour after dark when
Charlie Fosdick unlocked the Office
door of Converse & Co., private bank
ers, and, entering. turned on light and
went to work. He had been engaged
some time when, looking up from his
desk, he noticed that the door OF the
private room of Mr.. Coolidge, the fnan-
cial partner, who had also under his
supervision the accounts of the con
Germ, was ajar- This was noticeable.
because Fosdick knew that when Coo
lidge left his room he invariably locked
it. Fosdick went to the door, pushed ii
open and by the light that shone in
from the counting room saw a sight
that filed him with horror. A man lay
on the floor. Fosdick ran in, turned on
n light and saw the financial partner
lying on his back, his glazed eyes star
ing at the ceiling.
Fosdick's first impulse was to run
out and shout for some one. But it
flashed upon him that he had better
take counsel with himself as to what it
would be better to do. Turning off the
light, he left the room, closing the door
behind him, and returned to his desk
He had been there but few minutes
when the night Waterman entered.
Hard at work, Mr.. Fosdick?''
I'm a little behind" was the reply.
The young mans heart was beating
like triphammer. Should he take the
Waterman into Coolidge's room and
show him what had occurred? He had
no time for consideration. The watch
man went out, saying before doing SO:
Everything seems to be all right,
doesn't it?'
"Oh, yes" was the reply, everything
is all right"
The man had no sooner gone than
Fosdick saw that he had been on the
horns of a dilemma and had chosen
the wrong horn. If he had shown the
Waterman the body he might have had
some chance to escape being hanged
for Coolidge's murder. As it was, the
would swear that he, Fos- |
dick, had been in the office between 8 |
and 10 o'clock on the evening of the |
murder and no one had been there |
later.
There was no hope but in fight !
up his hat and without hav- |
ing sufficient eQuanimity to turn off |
the light over his desk, he left the Of |
fee and, running to his home, fell into !
the arms of his wife, trembling like a /
leaf
Charlie" she exclaimed, "for heav-
ems sake. what is it,"
1t was some time before he could suf-
fciently collect his faculties to tell her
what had occurred, and when he did I
he brought it out in disconnected,
yaSped sentences.
"Oh, Charlie.' she moaned. 'Why
lidn't you give an alarm as soon as
you saw the body?'
"Why didn't /? Because must have
been struck with madness. 1t was all
ulSu. SudIl ule Ou the SdIlOWS-
Then the wife pulled herself together.
She sat down on a sofa beside her hus-
,and with her arms about him and
aid:
Probably the murder will not be dis
overed till morning. Mr.. Coolidge was
bachelor, wasn't he?"
Yes"
Then it isa not likely he will be
missed from home during the night
Iou will not be sent for. You have a
hoice between two courses-either to
20 to Mr.. Converse's house and tell
i'm all that has occurred or disappear.
coping that during your absence some
lew will be found as to the murderer"
Fosdick could not get over the scene
etween the night Waterman and him
elf and how it would be used against
i'm when brought to trial, and his
'ife saw that he was so frightened
hat he would present a bad appear
nee and be very poor witness in his
wn behalf. Feeling that by fight he
Tould not make the matter much
'orse than it was, she consented TO
is going There was plenty of time
} prepare disguise, and she bent her
lventive powers to dress him up to
nat end. He wore full beard, and
he shaved it all off, doing the work
erself because his hand trembled so
nat he could not do it without cutting
imself. Then she dressed him in
'me of her old garments, rouged and
owdered him and sent him away,
18th all the money there was In the ,
ouse, cautioning him TO go to a for ,
gn country before changing his ap. ,
arsl.
Fosdick did not get away from home ,
II near midnight, but when he did he
as effectively disguised. His wife ,
ID not let him go before arranging a ,
pher code by which he might COM ,
with her. a newspaper ad- !
artisement informed the couple that a ,
Gamer would sail for South Ameri- I
IN ports at l a. m. or in a couple OF
ours. the tide serving at that time.