The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-06-14
When the Sleeper
Walked
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

was mostly with the farmers around It.
Mr.. White was an energetic. pushing
sort Of man. and there came a time
when he overdid it. His nerves gave
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 it's opening and could
be trusted to the utmost limit He had
a room at the back Of the store. and it
was his custom after the doors were
locked to sit and read for 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 a mask over his face and false
whiskers He stood for a 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 a 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 it
there had been some heavy sales dur
ing the last three days. 1t was gone!
Not a bill remained
AS soon as daylight broke Mr.. White
was notified. and he at once few into
a 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 mystery to be
solved. When night came he was on
hand, and he had shotgun for a
weapon. He did not pass his time
Np rooIinC h,,t In, I;ctopfpu ouA ohont
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 whiskers that Pen
fold had told about. He acted just as
the man had done on the previous
night He walked to the counter and
around it and robbed the jar Of about
SIS. He came within ten feet Of Car
son, put did not seem to notice him.
WELL" said the latter to himself
when the stranger had passed out and
departed. 81 think have solved this
mystery. but l 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
a 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
1920. 1t was placed In the jar. Pen.
fold was on hand when the store was
locked up that night, and he. too, had
brought gun If 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
J allowed to pass behind the counter and
get possession of the money before he
was interfered with He 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
|
before he could say:
"Why. men. what is this? What are
we all doing here? This is the store,
isn't it?'
you have been robbing yourself,
Sam White" replied the brother-in-
law. You were at the money jar
FIVE minutes ago. and I bet the roll =
J 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 a week past that Sam walk
ed in his sleep, and remained awake
tonight to convince myself I know
that he was sound asleep when he got
, out Of bed and dressed himself. fol-
lowed him downstairs and saw him
head this way. Then 1t came to me
that he was the robber. and hurried
| after him."
But what have | done with the