The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-01-08
George Caruthers'
Luck
8, OUNCE

George Caruthers vas one Of those
young men whose lives begin at the
wrong end. George was born with q
| silver spoon in bis mouth. and 1t re-
mained there till he vas twenty-five
years old. Then 1t gave place to a
pewter one. What l by this Is
that he lived a life of luxury until he
was a man. then was turned out to
scratch for himself. To be still more
explicit. he was the o Of a rich man
who died insolvent.
George tried every way he could
think Of to make a living and failed In
I'LL. One day while hunting for a job
he stumbled into a detective Office.
When told what kind Of place he had
struck he turned to depart. A man sit
ting at q desk called to him.
young man. you are u gentleman
down on your luck. I've got a job for
such IL person. and I'll pay you well
while you're on 1t whether you sue.
coed or not. A client Of mine, Abner
Kirke. is missing jewelry, or, rather. his
wife and daughters are. ! need some
one to 60 into his family as a friend
or. ut any rate, an equal IN refinement,
who will keep his eyes and ears open
with a view to spotting the thief. How
would you like that j0bY"
George being college bred and there
icing no good schools in the vicinity of
Mr.. klrke's place. 1t was. decided that
he should enter the family as tutor
Within a few days he was duly INSTALL
ed and was teaching the girls. espe.
CHILLY the oldest one. Luella, to conju
gate the Latin verb amo Il love).
This story being a detective and a
love tale combined and there not be-
give way to the other. The love story
being of the ordinary kind. l will give
the principal part to the other. And
yet but for sheer luck there would
have been no detective story. for George
tell so desperately In love with Luella
and Luella fell so desperately in love
with George that there was no place
whatever in his mind for the work In
hand
1t happened that repairs were in
progress in the kirke homestead, and,
several of the bedrooms being torn up,
George was put into a room adjoining
the servants quarters and ON this &c.
count seldom used. On the very first
night that he slept in this room just
as be laid his head on the pillow he
heard family a distant chime. He had
been in the house long enough to know
that there was no church with chime
bells in the vicinity. he naturally.
therefore. wondered. Not being espe.
cially sleepy. he lay awake trying to
assign q cause for the sounds he had
heard.
While thus engaged he heard the
chimes again. This time be noted that
there were eleven strokes. then an in
terval, followed by three. An idea &C.
Cured t him. Turning On. an elec-
trio light near his bed, be looked at
his watch. The time was II O'Clock
and forty-fve minutes. Then he knew
that he had heard a watch give eleven
strokes for the hour and a stroke for
each Of the quarter hours.
Remaining awake. he waited for the
next strokes. which would indicate
midnight He was sitting up in bed
when his watch indicated IL. but heard
nothing. 1t occurred to him that when
he had heard the strokes the sounds
had been led to his ear through sub.
stances. His bed was q divan with
no headboard. and his pillow rested
against the wall. When a quarter past
II came round he had his a pressed
against the wall. He then heard the
strokes far more distinctly than b.
fore. He was now satisfied that what
be heard was u striking watch In the
XXI room. and. his curiosity being al
layed. he turned owe and went to
sleep.
The next day he received q check
from the detective agency for services
with u note asking what success he
was having. In the afternoon he call
ed ut the Office and reported that he
had found no clew. While chatting
with the chief he incidentally mention.
ed the striking watch. The listener
looked at him curi0usly for q moment.
then burst into a laugh.
MY dear boy" he said. you'll new.
er make 4 detective. You say your
room is next the servants quarters.
Do servants have striking watches1
must send u man at once to follow
up
George interrupted him to beg for a
chance to finish the job. and the chief.
being convinced that introducing any
one else into the Kirke family would
put the thief ON his guard. consented
that be should do so.
George went back to the house and
ut once entered the room next the one
in which he had slept. A bureau stood
against the wall. and the divan IN
which George had slept stood against
that part of the wall that the bureau
covered. In a bag suspended to the
back Of the bureau was. a lot Of Jewel.
~, including Z valuable striking watch.
The butler was the thief.
Mr.. Kirke WAS the only n In the
family In the detectives secret. he
knew very well from the first that