The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-12-25
Told While
Waiting For
A Train
By EDITH v. ROSS

W. SAS u'A
Bentley looked at his watch. The
train was due at 1915, and it was Just
1905.
1.-THE only one l can think of that Is
short enough to get into ten minutes
is a case wherein a valuable sapphire
had been stolen. The thief was known.
and all there was to do was to get the
property. A jewel Is so sman that It
can be easily got away with. or If
necessary to the thief's safety 1t can
be lost either where it can be found
by him or where it can never be. re-
covered.
"A man of the name of -Prichard and
stolen the stone from one who saw
him take it. Therefore there was no
doubt about 1t. j vas telephoned for
Immediately and was with the owner
five minutes after the theft. He de-
scribed the thief to me-a man with red
head. striped waistc0at and tuft Of
beard on his chin. He had gone up the
street. was to find him and recover
the property.
mot much chance. eh? That's just
what it was-chance. l hurried up the
street and had the good luck to e a
man as described coming out of a jew
eler's. That was enough for me. He
might have sold the sapphire to the
jewelr. If so It would keep; If not
it was my job to get 1t. followed
him to another jewelers. and. going in
after him. waited for him to offer the
article for sale. But he gave me a
suspicious look. asked the jeweler to
show him some scarfpins and went out
without betraying himself.
"Of course ] followed him. Being
quite sure from his having entered the
second store that he had not yet parted
with the stone and believing that he
had 1t on his person. l Swallowed him.
OF. rather. kept close to him. In order
that he might not drop it without my
seeing him do 1t. OF course this gave
me away to him. and 1t was not long
before he knew what ] was about.
though / fancy he wondered how I got
on to him so quickly and possibly how
I got on to him at all. for he did mot
know that he was see to take the
property.
THE problem with him DOW was how
he could elude me, If not how he could
get rid Of the gem in u way that would
admit Of his getting it again. or, II this
also was impossible, how be might drop
It where 1t would be lost to him. He
lodged into alleys. cut into back yards.
went through buildings. but I kept not
over twenty yards behind him. Then
he TOOK . trolley car. boarded It and
took Il seat opposite him. hut the a
was 30 crowded that If ! had attempt
ed to take the sapphire from him he
might have been able to lose it with.
out my knowledge.
HE stuck to the car till 1t reached the
terminal which was on the outskirts
of the town. There were a few houses
where the a stopped. beyond that
open ground. My quarry set of walk
ing on a road till he came to a fork.
There he hesitated which road to take.
and l made up my mind that he was
losing his nerve.
HE didn't take either road. but. stoop.
ing. picked up several stones. 1 knew
what they were for and drew my re-
volver. Suddenly he turned and stood
at bay. The next thing I knew a stone
grazed my cheek. l called on him to
stop throwing stones and give himself
up. producing my revolver to enforce
my demand. Whether or not he believ
ed l wouldn't shoot. he kept on throw
ing such stones as he picked IN ON thu
road. some large, some small. At last
T fired a shot to miss. and this brnugh
him to terms.
"'I want a valuable sapphire you
have in your possession ! said.
"sl amt got no sapphire was the
logged reply.
81 advanced and arrested him. FAX
ing him hack to the trolley TERMINAL
near which was a police station. I teok
him to the latter and searched him.
THE sapphire was not to be found.
HE had beaten me after all. The
only course left me was to drop him.
putting another man on to him TO- shall
ow him With q view to being ca hand
when he regained the stolen property
that is, ~ he had got rid of t where
he could md It again. So ! held him
till I had got a man from the agency.
then let him 20. took a trolley a
hack to town. and the thief toAk the
same car; also the man I had directed
TO shadow him.
"Prichard on the way home abused
me soundly. declaring that had In.
tended to rob him and he would have
me arrested and sent up. paid no at
tentioa to him. buying an evening
Newspaper and reading It. When we
reached the city I left him In charge
Of ny deputy and went home to din
ines.
'The next morning when I went to
the Office there was Prichard In charge
Of a policeman. My shadower had
watched all night before the house
where. he had slept and in the morn
ing immediately altar .daybreak had
followed. him without himself being
noticed to the place where he had
stoned me. Prichard spent nearly half
an hour looking for something. Final
" be stopped. picked up what seemed
" "a