Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-08-03
A Thousand
Dollar Wager
BY M. QUAD
Copyright, 1915. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

spring 1t was good night to be in
doors, for the fog and drizzle penetrat-
ed and made one SILVER in wraps and
overcoatS.
Three or four members Of q certain
club sat in group in the smoking room.
and every one remarked that it was
good to be there. Finally, after 81
lence, one of the group observed:
1T will 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 We're looked upon by
most people as something Of heroes,
but. in his opinion, they were very COM
mon men He said they take care to
enter houses at a time when they are
pretty safe.
"Gentlemen," he said, 81 will wager
thousand dollars that l feloniously
enter some strangers residence to-
night and bring you proof that l COM
mitted burglary
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 Mr.. Devery.
YES, / will, replied one. 81 shall
demand that you enter the house of
Judge Benson, which perhaps you
know is at the corner of Clay and Lar
llins streets. You have doubtless pass
ed it hundred times. 1t is a fine
house and has fine grounds around it.
The family consists of the Judge and
his wife and daughter. You have, no
doubt, often met the daughter at social
functions
1--WE win be ready to take your word
for it, Arthur but it will be better for
YOU to bring some proof that you have
accomplish your mission. On tie man
tel in the library is a small idol carved
out of ivory. 1t is not so large but you
can easily put it in your pocket. 1t is
to the left of the clock as you face the
mantel. You shall bring us that idol
and your wager will be Won"
1t was 4 sort of fate that on this par
ticular evening Judge Benson was call
ed out, his 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 dinly conscious of hearing the
| clock strike the hour, but it does not
| fully rouse you. Miss Clara Benson
| had reached the middle of the most in
teresting chapter in her book when the
4 clock on the mantel announced that 1t
was midnight. Her father was to be
expected at any moment, and she
would wait for his coming.
4 Five. minutes after midnight, and
then slight noise at the other end of
the table caused the young lady to look
up. What she beheld there was q
youngish, good looking man with q
smile Oh his face. For moment Miss
! Clara wondered il he We're a late call
er or a guest of the house whose pres
ence was unknown to her before. She
was still trying to puzzle it out when
the intruder said:
Il came in by the kitchen window
1t is amazing how careless servants
are. They are to blame for most OF
the bllrglares."
'9Then-then you are burglar
Whispered the girl.
"That is the name you must give
me-" replied the young man, "as / hav,
effected a burglarious entrance. BY thu
way, / Will take this along with me-"
He passed around the table and t.
the mantel, and, lifting up the idol, h
deposited it in coat pocket.
Are you going to make me bring 70,
my iewels?"
"If you lave thousand dollars han
dy I Will take it along"
But there isn't 81 600 in tie house
I don't believe father has fifty, and
certainly know that haven't even ten
Are you the Mr.. RafIles we have reas
SO much about in the papers?"
"You might call me by that name,
was the answer. CAS- your father ma
be in soon / will take my departur
now | viii leave the WINDOW up as
go out, and you had better call you
fathers attention to this tempting wa
of another burglary. i bid you goo
evening, Miss Miss en-
He bowed like a gentleman and wa
! gone like a ghost.
When her father returned she tol
her story, and it was not fora dign
fed judge TO get excited over it. II
was very quiet and calm, and when
went through to the kitchen to clos
the window he didn't even threaten
discharge the careless cook PerhaI
he had an idea that it was some jok
but he didn't say so out loud.
And what followed within fe
weeks? The idol was, of course, Sc,
| back by the hands of messenger b.
1 after a week or SO, and while at Il
] first garden party he attended in Il
| early summer Arthur Devery and Mi
| Clara Benson were introduced by tho
1 hostess.