The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-03-07
When the Sleeper
Walked
By M. QUAD
,,r-ht. 1916. BY the Mcclure
newspaper Syndicate.

silly with the farmers around it.
White was an energetic. pushing
4, ID, man. and there came time
ber be overdid it. His nerves gave
,r ana there was fear among his
.t,rBs that he was going to break
bown
NJ Whites only clerk was an old
1acl,lor named Penfold He had been
h he store since its opening and could
70 ,.sied to the utmost limit. He had
ro.,a al the back of the store. and il
ca> NJ, custom after the doors were
o.Ee,. 10 sit and read for couple of
hour
M Whites nervous strain had not
k,ettcrcd itself when. one night as the
lpr Sat reading, he heard a key rat
u NJ the front door. and a moment
atcr 1 man walked in. Penfold's door
Vas aFcn. and his light was so placed
kh9t Ee could see the length of the
ktou very plainly. The man stood for
noment looking around him. His
frun was that of Mr.. White. but he
kbad mask over his face and false
bi>lerS lie stood for a minute as
fudin. himself in a strange place
md then walked toward Penfold's
boom turned to the right and passed
krouud the counter.
The man was behind the counter for
SerlaUs two minutes. and then he re-
krpearcd and. without a look toward
beulaId. walked to the front door and
ut uf it. turning the key after him
3Tle clerk had heard him moving the
bar In which the money was kept and
at once investigated The money it
contained amounted to about 5000. for
here had been some heavy sales dur
5ng the last three days. 1t was gone!
Not a bill remained.
As soon as daylight broke Mr. White
Mas notified. and he at once flew into
B violent temper. He charged his old
lnd trusted clerk with having taken
The money and would not hear the
RlOfN OF SlFullSc man,
Mr. White was alone in the store
That day. and he made no explanations
10 any one except to his brother in law
Lamcd Carson Mr. Carson at once
Volunteered to take Penfod's place at
hight until he had solved the myS-
Derry He did not believe Penfold
guilty. but there was a mystery TO bc
folycd When night came he was on
band and he had a shotgun for
weapon He did not pass his time
D reading, but in listening. and about
midnight he heard some one approach
he front door Then the key was
Burned in the lock and the door open.
fd There stood the stranger He had
he figure of Mr.. White. but he also
bad the mask and whiskers that Pen
}old had told about He acted just as
he man had done on the previous
plight He walked to the counter and
Around it and robbed the jar Of about
Fl5 He came within ten feet of Car
Bon but did not seem to notice him
We'll" said the latter to himself
when the stranger had passed out and
1erarted. II think | have solved this
mystery, but | want another night to
make sure of it."
Mr. White was told of the second
robbery. and he relented little to-
ward Penfold The affair was as great
4 m tI TN nth
was proposed to him that Penfold
hould pass the next night with Car
on. and he readily consented
On this day the sales amounted to
i-o II was placed In the jar Pen
old was on hand when the store was
ocRed up that night. and he. too, had
Fousht a gun If the stranger came
gam he was to be captured at all
osts The time wore away until
Foout midnight. and. 10. the stranger
tpleared inst as be had twice before.
us actions were the same. He was
moved 10 pass behind the counter and
et possession of the money before he
as lnterfered with He was leaving
store when the men grabbed him.
their surprise be made no resist
uee whatever One of them seized
S WhlSkers and the other his mask
ul pulled them off. and MIR White
ooa there before them, He was very
lt0 dazed. and it was half a minute
eiore be could say:
Niy men. what is this? What are
all doing here? This is the store.
n't it:'
a have been robbing yourself
~" White. replied the brothcr-in-
You were at the money jar
minutes ago. and bet the roll is
yrni pocket"
~ Inserted his hand into pocket
iulled out the money. At the
aug moment his wife arrived and
" her explanation.
l'n see" she said. that have sus-
NV Tor week past that Sam walk
4 hls sleep. and remained awake
l.-At to convince myself know