The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1920-10-21


Not burglar. surely. was the wiIslI
dressed man inside. Coatlsss, tcollar
less. he was striding excitedly up ami
down the room. After a moment b,
seated himself before table dllet
with innumerahle small wheels and
gears and shafts some Of which wers
combined Ia machine formation, evi
IDENTIFY small part Of 4 large machine
close by, Handling the small partl
lovingly he fitted several into place
leaning close with eyes half closed 10
the intensity Of his interest. Then
taking them apart again he threw
them down before him, jumped up and
resumed his walk.
"crazy r. whispered Adele In Wards
ear.
TITS Z machine" returned Ward,
but the last part of the word wls
drawn out In an unexpected and ex.
plosive sneeze, kissing loudly out In
the silence.
In an instant the shade was raised.
The lower sash went up before they
could turn away and the glazing eyes
Of the man inside met theirs. Then
he went out through the open window.
March on through the back door
or I'll call the police" he said
gruffly.
Like two guilty children they
stepped through the doorway and into
the lighted room. Then surprise and
embarrassment on Wards part turned
to establishment.
"Mr. Wentworth I" he exclaimed.
'::Y0ung Preston! Head Of our draft.
ing room, upon my word" The. old
er man sat down helplessly.
Then followed hasty explanations on
both sides. Adele, listening to the two
men, had hard work to grasp the stu
alton. MFR. Wentworth must be the
Mr.. Wentworth where Ward worked.
And this machine was one he was per.
fecting and would put the firm ahead
of its competitors. These competitors
Mr.. Wentworth was explaining, were
hard after the idea-actually spying |
to get hold of it. Taking house Sc
cretly seemed to he the only way to
keep clear Of them-in the shop even
some Of the regular men might not be
he stopped and looked
sharply at Ward,
But Ward was not paying attention.
He was lingering parts of the machine.
In the Office he had seen to drawing
up all the small pieces. but knew moth
ing Of the assembled machine. In a
the two men had their heads
together and were bending intently
Onward.
Adele slipped quietly away to ex-
,lore the house that was hers and yet
Tot hers. When she came back, the
'cene had changed. A motor was
Justly working and the connected ma.
hine was whirtng smoothly. Mr..
Wentworth was putting on his coat,
lis face beaming with satisfaction.
"Well. Mrs. Preston" he said. this
burglar business is lucky thing for
ne. That husband of yours has man. |
ged to dig up the very idea that Is
|
We will have put 1t over the other
elbow this time all right"
Adele, GREATNESS with excitement,
roud Of her husband, could think OF ,
o word to say.
"N0w, as l understand It," Mr. /
Wentworth went on. "you were JUS I
eady to buy this house when I got It. g
Yell, don't see but 1t has done its n
ork as far as l am concerned. Now Z
you still want 1t, think can af
,rd to discount bit on the price,
I'D the terms will be easy"
"Oh," Adele found her voice at last
Oh. do we want It? This burglar '
lsiness' surely has been a lucky l.
ling all around"
1.-THE only question in my mind,' q
r. Wentworth's eyes twinkled, "s o
hich Of us is the burglar" u