The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1917-02-10
A Thousand
Dollar Wager
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1916. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.
By M. QUAD

spring. 1t vas a 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 a group in the smoking room,
and every one remarked that it was
good to be there. Finally, after a 81
lence, n of the group observed:
1T will be a 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 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, II will wager
a thousand dollars that l feloniously
enter some strangers residence to-
night and bring you proof that 1 COM
mitted a burglary"
1--WE will take the bet!'' exclaimed
all the others in chorus. "And you
might as well admit that you have lost
the money thus early in the game"
Twill some of you nam the resi-
dence?" quietly asked Mr.. Devery.
Eyes, 1 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
kins streets. You have doubtless pass
ed it a 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"
I'VE will be ready to take your word
for 1t, Arthur, but it will be better for
you to bring some proof that you have
accomplish your mission. On the
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 a sort of fate that on this par
IlCuldl CNCLIuS 0udSC DCnoOh Wdo Sdii
ed out, his wife was taken with a 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 n 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
teresting 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 wait for his coming.
Five minutes after midnight, and
then a slight noise at the other end of
the table caused the young lady to look
UP. What she beheld there was a
youngish, good looking man with a
smile on his face. For q moment Miss
Clara wondered if he were a late call
err 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:
81 came in by the kitchen window.
1t is amazing how careless servants
are. They are to blame for most of
the b%urglaries."
"Then-tnen you are a burglar"
whispered the girl.
"That is the name you must give
me-" replied the young man, "as l have
effected a burglarious entrance. By the
way, I will take this along with me-"
He passed around the table and to
the mantel, and, lifting up the idol, he
deposited it in a coat pocket.
Are you going to make me bring you
my jewelsY'
"If you have a thousand dollars han
dy 1 will take it along.'
"But there isn't $1,000 in the house.
l don't believe father has fifty, and I
certainly know that | haven't even ten.
Are you the Mr.. Raffies we have read
so much about in the papers?"
you might call me by that name,'
was the answer. GAS your father may
be In Don l will take my departure
now. l will leave the WINDOW up as l
go out, and you had better call your
fathers attention to this tempting way
of another burglary. l bid you good
evening, Miss-Miss-er"-
He bowed like a gentleman and was
gone like a ghost.
When her father returned she told
her story, and it was not for a digni-
fed judge to get excited over 1t. He
was very quiet and calm, and when he
went through to the kitchen to close
the window he didn't even threaten to
discharge the careless cook. Perhaps
he had an idea that it was some joke.
but he didn't say 81 out loud.
And what followed within a few
weeks? The idol was, of course, sent
back by the hands of a messenger boy
after Il week or so, and while at the
first garden party he attended in the
early summer Arthur Devery and Miss
Clara Benson were introduced by their
hostess.
You are the burglar. whispered
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