Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-28
The Daily
Short Story
CAUGHT IN HIS OWN TRAP.
BY Richard Markley.

I was passing through the gate Al .
railroad station In large city to -,
aboard train when l saw a man
some distance ahead OF me carryin,
a number Of packages strapped ia.
gether. One Of the packages fell n
the platform unnoticed by the man
carrying them. He was two or thru.
car lengths ahead of me when he dis
appeared from my sight. and | ran tn
the package he had dropped. hopsns
to be in time to take 1t to him.
There was no one between ma and
| it, but there was a man close behind
| When | took up the package the man
| looked disappointed and irritated tha.
he had not secured 1t himself. but hs
did not attempt to get 1t away from
me. / did not know which OF tvo
cars its owner had entered. | lookas
int@ one for someone carrying pack-
ages strapped together, but II was
| necessary to pass through it to lind
| him. I was not successful and went
into the other car. Here too missed
my man The man who had seen ma
pick up the package approached ma
and asked If / had found the owner
and l admitted that 4 had not. He
suggested opening 1t to see II its con-
tents would give a clue. I did so and
there in pasteboard box was nearl
necklace which I knew to be Of euor-
nous value
Il thought so,' said my Companion
Thought what?" I asked.
ITS what I have been after for
week. That necklace was stolen IL
days ago from very wealthy woman
and the detective agency with which
l am connected was employed to re-
cover it. Give 1t to me with your
name and address and I'll see tina.
you are rewarded for the dnd."
Not unless you show your author
ity as a detective" / said.
He opened his coat and showed
some sort of a metallic badge.
Very well, I'll go with you to your
Office"
: This did not seem 10 please him,
: but he assented. We left the train
. together. ! in possession Of the neck
lace. Outside the station he called a
taxi, and we both got in, he giving
the driver an address. We were driY-
/ en- to house in street which had
|. once been used for dwellings, but now
was filed with shops Of low grade.
Alighting at a house, the ground floor
Of which was used for shop, nv
companion led me up to the second
: story We entered a room and be
!. locked the door behind u.s.
Il It did not require much time FOL
e me to see that l had been trapped
Now" he said to me, I've got yoE
e where you can't get away. Pete Kear
: ney. I know the gang to which yot
belong. That package was droppet
u purposely to fall into your hands. Hal
5 ! attempted to take it from you a
the station there would have been
struggle and your pals would have go
= the plumber and run away with 4
l. Surrender 1t and all will be we'll"
! / did not know the mans exact gam
L but I must play a game as we'll as b.
, You're not going to get the swag.
said, you might as well give u
6 this game. If you will open the doc
y and let me out I'll not peach on you
+ If you don't I'll land you in state
prison
He drew revolver from his hi
Is pocket and cooked it, I believed ths
Is ae was blufing.
Is We did lot of talking at the en-
IS Of which I turned my glance TO th
s only window in the room changing n
1t expression at the same time to SUI
n prise and exultation. He looked
u the direction | looked. ] seized II
V, wrist of the hand that held the pistt
ID and with my other hand gave him
Dr. blow that dropped his weapon on Il
ne floor. Then gave him shove hi
Oh sent him against the wall, and picks
'k Up the pistol.
OF The rest was easily done.
IN marched him to police station, al
1t left him there with. a charge of a
al sault. Having learned the name
r the owner of the necklace I delivers
Ut it to her the same evening. She wro
v a check for ten thousand dollars al
g handed 1t to me, but l declined
Id take my reward for what I had dor
re The necklace was worth fifty thousal
dollars.