Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-06

erty and the thieves were afraid -
advertise its loss. 1 concluded to al.
vertise for the owner myself.
After many advertisements had boon
written and torn up decided On this.
Large sum Of money left on Conrrss-
sional Limited between Washington ana
New York. Will be restored 70 ouns-
upon proper Identification. Address Cars.
taker. P. o. box 1911. Washington, d. c.
For a full week this was run in All
the daily papers of Washington. Bsln.
more, Philadelphia and Now York at
an expense to me Of 1910 I took re-
ceipts from each paper and preserved
them as souvenirs of my stay in rnr.
lionairedom.
L had any number Of answers. but
none of them got within a million
miles of my million.
Having sought diligently for the
owner of the million dollars and spept
my own good money freely in advertls
ing. without success, was 1 not now
the legal and legitimate owner Of itr
That question had my poor brain do
ing a continuous twenty-four bour
stunt I answered it in the afirms.
tive twenty times day, but the plaeuy
LulHS WOuluH stay dis HeTeU-
1 began to feel quite as worn and
haggard as I looked and to wouds-
why the possession Of a million do
lars, with the probability that It would
all be mine growing into a certainty.
did not bring me more pleasure. I
asked myself whether all millionaires
were as much troubled about their
money as I was.
Six weeks had passed since the NIL
lion dollars was placed in my posses
sion, and I began TO make plans as to
what l would do with it. I no longer
expected the owner to turn up.
1 had not mentioned the money or
the odd manner in which it had come
into my possession to any one and was
still undecided as to how should &C.
count for my sudden wealth when |
began to spend the money.
After mature deliberation I decided
to make my appearance as a man of
wealth gradually.
I would make a deposit OF $4,000
in one bank.
After taking ten of the $1,000 notes
from my safe deposit box it occurred
to me that it would be a good idea to
carry them to the United States treas
ury and get notes of smaller denomina-
lions for them.
On reaching the cash room of the
treasury handed the ten $1,000 notes
through the wire wicket teIler's win.
dow and asked that he give me fifties
for them.
1t did not surprise me to notice a
rather astonished and startled look on
the tellers face as he took the notes
or that he should step TO one side and
examine one Of them carefully through
a glass.
1 did not suppose that ten $1,000
notes were passed through the wicket
very frequently by any one except run
ners for the banks; consequently it
seemed the natural thing that they
should be carefully examined.
His elaboration, however. in count
ing and recounting those fifty dollar
notes was getting on my nerves. and
was about to speak impatiently to
him when 1 felt a light touch on my
shoulder and a low but distinct voice
said near my ear. 81 want you"
well, I'm here" 1 answered. fac
ing the speaker impatiently. what
do you want with me-"
II want you to go with me-" he re-
piled with a smile, without raising bis
voice.
"why should I go with your" ask
ed rather sharply. II don't know you"
mo, but 1 think you'll CO." he an
swered in the same exasperatingly
calm tone.
"Why?" demanded, somewhat
frightened by his manner, without haT'
ing any clear idea why 1 should be-
Because" he said, almost in a whis-
per, you are under arrest"
what for?" managed to ask, at the
same time trying hard to think of any
reason why 1 should be arrested.
Trying to pass counterfeit money
he replied, turning back his coat ana
allowing me to see the United States
secret service badge he wore.
You are out of your head" l re-
torted angrily, but at the same time
the awful truth flashed upon me-my
million was counterfeit.
'"That may be-" he said as he reached
for the notes, which the teller handed
him, each with the word Counterfeit
about that to Chief Wilkes. Come!
Fortunately I was well known 70
Chief Wilkes. He not only accepted
my story, but added to it by telling
me that the woman had learned from
a confederate on the train that DIS
men were hot on her trail and. being
obliged to get rid OF the counterfeH
money somewhere. had given II TO me-
thereby securing her own release wheh
she was arrested and searched imme
diately after leaving the train.
The chief went with me to the .sae
deposit vault, got the rest Of the coaH-
terfeits and destroyed them. He con
graduated me on getting out OF d.
ugly predicament so easily.
To this day l am unable 10 say VIII
whether relief or regret was
my stronger feeling over the loss o.
the ownerleSs million dollars.
4