Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-08
TIL e d aily
Short Story
HOW A SCIENTIST MAS sAvRD
FROM DEATH.

no travelling facilities west of Chey-
eune except mule. horse or stage
coach. Professor Norman Asehe, whose
soft votee and fair complexion de-
noted that his vocation must be re-
6ned probably an intellectual enc
was riding q mule near the eastern
foothills Of the Rocky mountains.
The professor had heard that the
bones OF some extinct animal had been
discovered in that region. and he had
beeQ sent out By the university in
which he held the chair of historic
zoology to Investigate the discovery.
There were sounds Of horses shoofs
coming rapidly from behind, and
man In plains" uniform. viz, som
brero. WOODEN shirt and buckskh
breeches, came alongside the profess
sor. On reaching him this son of The
woody west surveyed him intentIy Cor
a few minutes, then said:
Stranger, will you do me a favor?"
Certainly replied Asche mildly
Here are some trinkets." said the
man. that belong 10 my sister. I've
gd 10 60 TO Colorado Springs. / see
you're headed for Golden City. Would
you mind takin' EN- to her thar
Il would be very happy to do SO
Shes Mrs CundiT Tell her that
| brother Bill sent EN-.
He handed the professor two gold
watches. several finger-rings and 9th
err jeweIry. and without another word
turned his horses head toward Colo
RADIO Springs and galloped away.
! The next person Professor Asche
| fell in with was a girl riding a horse
straddle She, too. was typical Of
| the plains. She struck the road Asehc
| Travelled from a side road at the same
moment he passed the latter.
| "MoTnen, stranger, she said.
Good morning replied the pro-
/ fessor with a pleasant smile.
Denizens Of that region at that Pc
Rod on meeting usually began CONVEX
| sation by giving each other an account
of what was their business.
I'm looltin' for some stray mules,
said the girl What are you after?7
THE bones of a mastodon that have
been unearthed herabout."
+ What's that?"
/ 'An animal that lived many thou
sands of years ago, before this region
WIS sea bottom.
~Luny!" muttered the girl to her
self
Are you going to Golden?" asked
[ the professor.
After l find my mules, may go
there"
| Would you mind delivering these
things to woman who lives there p
! The professor held out the jewelry
with which he had been intrusted.
Not much. said the girl, suddenly
changing her manner and putting >
revolver she carried in a more reach
able position. who are you, any
, way? You can't be road agent. And
sude them things was TUX from some
! body"
Professor Asche. told her how he
had acquired the jewelry, and whilC
he was doing so sounds OF a number
Of horses hoofs were heard coming
: from 3 distance. A dozen mounted
8 men came up and asked il the pro
2 fessor or the girl had seen anything
! of suspicious characters The Den.
ver. coach had been robbed a few hours
before
The girl saw at once that the coach
5 robber, expecting capture, had SHIFTED
= his pIunder TO the lunatic. as she sup
/ posed him to be. but realizing that
r the said lunatic story would not be &C
. ceptea, she said nothing. The pro
2 Ifessor had put the jewelry back in his
I pocket, but unknowingly left a golC
chain dangling without. One Of Tx
men espied it. and in a few minutes
6 IAN the plundeF was taken possession
, OF by the vigilance committee.
The committee did not doubt tina
=, the professor, if not the perpetrato
: of the robbery. was at least trying L
! get away with the plumber, and wer,
+ for hanging him al once. Fortunately
there was moi tree in sight. Som
q were for shooting him. and some wer
! for decapitating him. While the,
a were discussing the matter, the CIR
; was planning fer his defense, Pres
: emily she said
! Gents, before you separate thi
9 yere little felier's spirit from his body
: Will you allow me to ask hin SON
: questions2"
Fire awayl" said the head maI o
the vigilance committee.
Mister, didn't you say that wha
we're standin was oncet the b0ttOI
( o. the sea %
Yes. / did. said the professor.
What are you doin' in these parts
q came OFT from the east to exam
inc the bones OF a mastodon