The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-06-27
When the Sleeper
Walked
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1916. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

MT Samuel nlte kept SeueIdi
store in the village of Hazleton. 1t
was a small village, and the trade
was mostly with the farmers around it.
Mr.. White was an energetic, pushing
sort of man. and there came tipa
when he overdid it. His nerves gaze
way. and there was fear among his
friends that he was going to break
down.
Mr.. Whites only clerk was an old
bachelor named Penfold. He had been
in the store since its opening and could
be trusted to the utmost limit. He had
room at the back of the store. and it
was his custom after the doors were
locked to sit and read for a couple of
hours.
Mr.. Whites nervous strain had not
bettered itself when, one night as the
clerk sat reading. he heard key rat.
tie In the front door. and moment
later man walked in. Penfold's door
was open, and his light was so placed
that he could see the length Of the
store very plainly. The man stood for
moment looking around him. His
figure was that Of Mr.. White. but he
had mask over his face and false
whiskers He stood for minute as
If finding himself in a strange place
and then walked toward Penfold's
room, turned to the right and passed
around the counter.
The man was behind the counter for
perhaps two minutes. and then he re-
appeared and. without look toward
Penfold, walked to the front door and
out of 1t, turning the key after him.
The clerk had heard him moving the
lar in which the money was kept and
at once investigated The money 1t
contained amounted to about 5000, for
there had been some heavy sales dur
ing the last three days. 1t was gone!
Not bill remained!
AS soon as daylight broke Mr.. White
was notified. and he at once new into
violent temper. He charged his old
and trusted clerk with having taken
the money and would not hear the
story of strange man.
Mr.. White was alone In the store
that day, and he made no explanations
to any one except to his brother-in-law
named Carson Mr.. Carson at once
volunteered to take Penfolds place a
night until he had solved the mys-
tery. He did not believe Penfold
guilty. but there was mystery to bt
solved When night came he was OF
hand, and he had q shotgun for
, weapon He did not pass his tim'
in reading. but in listening, and abou
midnight he heard some one approach
! the front door Then the key wal
turned in the lock and the door open
cd There stood the stranger. He hat
rho figure of Mr. White, but he als'
had the mask and whiskers that Pen
: fold had told about He acted just
the man had done on the previou
night He walked to the counter ant
around 1t and robbed the jar Of abou
S75 He came within ten feet OF Cal
son. nut did not seem to notice him.
we'll" said the latter to himsel
when the stranger had passed out an
! departed. 81 think have solved thi
mystery. but | want another night
: make sure of 1t"
Mr.. White was told of the secon
:. robbery. and he relented a little t
u ward Penfold. The affair was as grea
q mystery to him as to the two other
II was proposed to him that Penfoi
should pass the next night with Ca
son. and he readily consented.
On this day the sales amounted
s12O. 1t was placed In the jar. Pei
fold was on hand when the store We
locked up that night. and he. too, ha
p brought a gun. II the stranger can
again he was to be captured at Q
costs The time wore away uni
II about midnight, and, 10, the strange
anneared Just as he had twice befor
uis actions were the same. He WI
allowed to pass behind the counter al
get possession of the money before
was interfered with. He was leavii
the store when the men grabbed NIL
u To their surprise. he made no resis
u ence whatever. One Of them seiz'
his whiskers and the other his MAJ
; and pulled them of. and Mr.. VIII
W stood there before them! He was We
re much dazed. and it was half minu
= before be could say:
Ut "Why. men, what is thisf What a
:. we all doing heref This Is the stoi
isn't itT'
"You have been robbing yourse
IL Sam white" replied the brother-l
e. law You we're at the money J