The Springfield herald., 1914-10-09
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
FRIEND IN THE DARK
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BY F. J. CLARK.

I'd been waiting to see the notice a
whole year. and whentl saw 1t one
Thursday afternoon. you can Just pet
It made me whistle some. And the
Joke was, I'd not as much as two
dollars to my name, and 1t felt Just
the same as II I'd stumbled ON .
gold mine.
tore a generous slab out Of the
paper, being careful to allow good
margin around the notice. put it care
fully away In my pocket, and hiked
over to my friend and adviser. Jim'
the Turk.
He was asleep, after being out all
night, and I'd quite time to awake
him.
Read this!" 1 said. thrusting the
piece of paper in his hand. I'm go
ing to blow his coop tonight. and l
want you to come along"
Who is he?" he asked after he
had read 1t. Don't know him."
why, that's White, the banker"
said. Hes worth half million.
He lives over in Jersey and has a reg
ular Solomon's temple of home.
That states he and his family are go'
ing to attend swell wedding In this
old burg tonight. which means that
he'll not be at home and that we'll
make cleanup"
He shook his head.
Sorry. but l can't go along with
you. Spotty. my boy" he said. Got
a very important engagement on hand
for this evening. and can't turn 1t
down. But don't allow that to inter
fere with you. That's a chance you
don't want to let slip by. But you
want to be mighty careful. You know
them suburb Jobs amt as easy as they
always look. For my part, / prefer
those at home"
There was train left the city at
IL -m., an ideal time. and l board
ed 1t. ! arrived in the Jersey town
at 1880 a. m.
l knew just where the house was
located. for one afternoon. several
months before, l had taken a sur
vey about to be In possession of the
facts. when the time arrived to do the
trick.
Well. In three-quarters of an hour I'd
the place gone over from top to bot
tom. I'm quick worker. and l
worked my best. And I'd made quite
haul. I'd big bag chock full of
solid silverware. and besides I'd about
fifty dollars worth of jewelry-rings,
bracelets. cuf-buttons. and breast
pins I'd run across upstairs in the diff
ferent sleeping rooms.
chucked the bag of silver over my
shoulder when 1t occurred to me want
went back into the dining room, where
remembered having seen flask OF
whisky while i was helping myself
to the silver, and box of cigars on
the buffet. picked up both of them
and returned to where I'd been. which
room happened to be the library.
lowered myself into big. COM
Portable Norris chair. poured out a
good sized drink OF the whisky. and
gulped It. Then l lit cigar.
OF course. was all smiles. Two
the coming month, at least. And
was in position to enjoy the clover.
took another drink, puffed several
times more on my cigar. and told my
self I'd tarried around about long
enough.
AS farewell drink, poured out an
other one. and was about to raise 1t
to my lips when a soft sound behind
me broke the quietness Of the room
/ shot around, and found myself in
the line of the shining barrel OF a
hr -, A-u
smooth-faced, grinning individual. He
was framed In the doorway leading
into the hall.
How dol" he greeted pleasantly.
He'd knocked the speech clean out
of me so that didn't find 1t for a
minute OF SO.
'"Well. guess you've got me, all
right said.
Yes. Looks very much that way"
he smiled. But just for safe keeping,
put that bad looking pop you have
there in your hand on the table. III
feel easier, besides like to have such
things where l can easily see them,
and you might be tempted to use 1t II
you got the least chance"
didn't do his bidding right on, for,
when gave up my pop. / might as
we'll tie my hands for him. But when
he commanded me again, and made It
very plain by the way he said 1t that
he meant what he said, threw 1t ON
the table.
Now, empty out your pockets" he
ordered, "and be careful not to leave
anything behind"
l did without saying word.
'Is that all?" he questioned. frown.
|. ing.
Here's my pockets" 1 invited. Go
through them. If you think have
more"
He chuckled again.
1T seems SO small, though. I'd
think they'd have more jewelry about.
They're well-to-do people, you know.
The American Mule.
| OF course the American mule will