The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-03-10
When the Sleeper
Walked
By Nj. QUAD
Copyright 1916 by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

Store IN the village of ilaZlcton- 1t
was small village. aud the trade
was mostly with the farmers around IT,
Mr.. White was an energetir. pushing
sort OF man and there came Iime
when he oyerdid il. His nerves save
way. aud there was fear AMOS Us
friends that he was going 10 b'ea.
down.
Mr.. Whites only CLERK was an o'd
bachelor named penfold He had hce.
in the store since its opening and ""u'd
be trusted to the utmost limit llr Esd
, a room at the back Of the Store. aud Il
was his custom after the doors we're
locked to sit and read for IA couple IT
hours.
Mr.. Whites nervous strain had not
bettered itself when. one night a. the
clerk sat reading. he heard a Key rat
tie in the front door and m"mrni
later a man walked in. PenfOld's door
was open. and his light was so plared
that be could see the length Of the
store very plainly. The man stood for
moment looking around him His
figure was that of Mr. White hut he
had a mask over his face and false
whiskers lie stood for minute a.
and then walked toward PenfOid's
room. turned to the right aud passed
around the counter
The man was behind the counter for
perhaps two minutes. and then lie re-
appeared and, without look toward
Penfold. walked to the front door and
out of it. turning the key after him
The clerk had heard him moving the
jar in which the money was kept and
at once investigated The money il
contained amounted TO about $500. 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 few 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 Penfold's place at
night until he had solved the mys
terry. He did not believe Penfold
guilty. but there was a mystery to be
solved When night came he was on
hand and he had shotgun for a
weapon He did not pass his time
In reading. but in listening, and about
midnight he heard some one approach
the front door. Then the key was
turned in the lock and the door open
ed There stood the stranger He had
the figure of Mr.. White. but he also
had the mask and whiskcrs that Pen.
fold had told about lie acted just as
the man had done on the previous
night lie walked to the counter and
SO lie came within ten feet of Car
son. but did not seem to notice him
We'll said the latter to himself
when the stranger had passed out and
departed. Il 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 a little to.
ward Penfold The affair was as great
mystery to him as to the two others.
1t was proposed to him that Penfold
should pass the next night with Car.
son. and he readily consented.
On this day the sales amounted to
$120. 1t was placed In the jar Pen
fold was on hand when the store was
locked up that night. and he. too had
brought a gun IL the stranger came
again he was TO be captured at all
costs The time wore away until
about midnight. and. 10. the stranger
appeared Just as he had twice before,
His actions were the same He was
allowed to pass behind the counter and
get possession of the money before he
was interfered with lie was leaving
the store when the men grabbed him.
To their surprise. he made no resist
ance whatever One of them seized
his whiskers and the other his mask
and pulled them off. and Mr. White
stood there before them. He was very
much dazed, and 1t was half minute
before he could say:
why. men. what is this? What are
We all doing here? This is the store.
isn't itT'
You have been robbing yourself.
Sam White" replied the brother-in.
law You were at the money jar
FIVE minutes age. and | bet the roll is
IN your pocket"
He inserted his hand into a pocket
and pulled out the money. At the
same moment his wife arrived and
gave her explanation.
You see" she said. that have sus.
pected for week past that Sam walk
ed In his sleep, and ! remained awake
tonight TO convince myself | know
that he WAS sound asleep when he got
out Of bed aud dressed himself. | fol
lowed him downstairs and saw him