Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-08-09
A thousand
Dollar Wager
By: NJ QUAD
By NJ QUAD
Copyrfghk, 1916, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate,

Newspaper Syndicate, II
It was a. drfzzty, foggy night late IN
spring. It was a good night to be ID
doors, for the fog and drizzle penetrat-
ed and made one shtFer In wraps and
overcoats.
Three or four members of a certain
club sat In a group in the smoking room,
and every one remarked that It was
good to be there Finally, after a,si-
lence, one Of the group observed.
''It viii be good night for burglars
and holdup men,"
The observation elected various re-
plies, among which was one from
Arthur Devery to the effect that all
talk about burglars made him very
weary. They were looked upon by
most people SIS something Of heroes,
but, in his opinion, they were very CON-
mon men. He said they take cara to
enter houses at a time when they are
pretty safe
"Gentlemen,'' he said, %T VIII wager
a thousand dollars that feloniously
enter some strangers residence to-
night and bring you proof that COM
mttted a burglary"
''We win take the betT' exclaimed
all the others in chorus. "And you
| might as well admit that you have lost
! the money thus early in the game"
will some Of you name the resi-
| dence?'' quietly asked ME- Devery.
Yes, WILL" replied one. II shall
| demand that you enter the house OF
Judge Benson, which perhaps you
know Is at the corner Of Clay and Lar
k1ns streets. You have doubtless pass
ed It hundred tines It IS a fine
house and has fine grounds around Il.
The family consists Of the Judge and
his wife and daughter. You have, no
doubt, often met the daughter ct social
functions
1--WE viii be ready to take your word
for It, Arthur, but It VIII be better for
you to bring some proof that you have
accomplish your mission On the man
tel in the library Is q small idol carved
out OF ivory, It Is not 50 large but you
can easily put It in your pocket. It is
to the left Of the clock as you face the
mantel. You shall bring us that idol
| dIlu yOuF WdSsCT Will DO WILL
It was a sort Of fate that on this par
ticular evening Judge Benson was cali
ed out, hts wife was taken with head
ache and retired to her room upstairs,
and Miss Clara was left free to en-
sconce herself in the easiest chair and
select the most entertaining book.
Time flies while one is reading. You
may be dimly conscious Of hearing the
clock strike the hour, but 1t does not
fully rouse you, Miss Clara Benson
had reached the middle Of the most In
teresttng chapter IN her book when the
clock on the mantel announced that It
was midnight. Her father was. to be
expected at any moment, and she
would watt for hts coming.
Five minutes after midnight. end
then slight noise at the other end Of
the table caused the young lady to look
up. What she beheld there was @
youngfsh, good looking man with a
smile on hts face For q moment Miss
Clara wondered If he were q late CALI
er or a guest Of the house whose pres
ence was unknown to her before She
was stin trying b puzzle ft out when
the Intruder said:
sI came In by the kitchen window
It Is amazing how careless servants
are. They are to blame for most OF
the burg1aries."
''Then-then you are a burglar
whispered the girl.
'oThat is the name you must give
me-" replied the young man, "as have
effected a burglarious entrance. By the
way, VIII take this along with me-"
He passed around the table and tt
the mantel and, lifting up the idol, hi
deposited it in a coat pocket.
''Are you going to make me bring yol
my jewels?"
eff you have a thousand dollars han
dy will take it along"
''BUt there isn't $1,000 in the house
I don't believe father has fifty, and
certainly know that haven't even ten
Are you the Mr.. Raf1es we have reaG
SO much about in the papers?'
E'You might call me by that name,
was the answer. GAS your father ma!
be In soon I will take my departure
now. I Will leave the window up as
; go out, and you had better call you1
fathers attention to this tempting wa!
of another burglary. I bid you goot
evening, Miss-Miss-er''
He bowed like q gentleman and wa,
gone like a ghost
When her father returned she tof(
her story, and it was not for digni
fed Judge to get excited over it. HI
was very quiet and calm, and when ht
went through to the kitchen to clos
the window he didn't even threaten tt
: discharge the careless cook. Perhap:
l he had an idea that it was some joke
3 but he didn't say so out loud.
And what followed within a few
weeks? The idol was, of course, sen
back by the hands of a messenger DO!