The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-06-22
When the Sleeper
Walked
By M. QUAD
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1916, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

Mr.. Samuel White kept a general
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 tine
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 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 couple of
hours.
Mr.. Whites nervous strain nad not
bettered itself when. one night as the
clerk sat reading. he heard key rat.
tie In the front door. and a moment
later man walked in. Penfolds door
was open. and his light was SO placed
that he could see the length of the
store very plainly. The man stood for
a 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
II finding himself in strange place
and then walked toward Pcnfolds
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 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
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 few into
a violent temper He charged his old
and trusted clerk with having taken
the money and would not hear the
story of a 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 a 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 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 1t 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
Wbcn tuC blidHStI hdd puboco oul ohN
departed. 81 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
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
S120 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. II the stranger came
again he was to be captured at all
costs. The time wore away until
about midnight, and. To- 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. 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
much dazed. and it was half minute
before he could say:
why. men, what is this? What are
we all doing heref This Is the store.
isn't it?''
"You have been robbing yourself,
Sam White" replied the brotber-in-
law. You were at the money jar