Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1916 — BENNIE'S REVENGE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BENNIE'S REVENGE

By VICTOR REDCLIFFE.

Bennie they called him, Bennie Grove, bright, keen-eyed, good-natured. He had come from a city not a hundred miles from Detroit with Slews and Wykoff. They had started a five and ten-cent store in an unheard of, out-of the-way district and Bennie was placed in charge. People wondered why Slews and Wykoff came only occasionally to the store, which had rfw customers. But Bennie kept his own counsel when curious people tried to fathom the mystery. Only to one person was he confidential. This was ' old Doctor Grimm. The latter had retired from active practice. He had time to loaf and Bennie encouraged him, for Bennie was lonesome. The good doctor got so finally that he would tend the store while Bennie went three blocks away for lunch. “I say, Bennie,” he observed one day, “isn’t this a queer crowd you’re with?” “You mean Slews and Wykoff?” queried Bennie. "Say, doctor, I like you and I know you’re true blue. I need a friend —advice. Yes, sir, to tell you the truth Slews and Wykoff are a *rum lot. They are—skeesickses.” “You mean?” insinuated Doctor Grimm. “The kind of fellows who, when they havp a fire, lay it to friction, see—the sort where a fellow rubs a six thou-sand-doilar policy on a three thousanddollar house. On the dead quiet, doctor,they burned out in business twice before they came here and busted half a dozen times.” "Why, then,” gasped the astounded doctor, “they’re fire bugs! ” “And bankruptcy sharks —you’ve hit it exactly, doctor.” “And you work for them!” “That’s the nugget of what I want to explain to you,” said Bennie. “You see, they gave me a job in their store before we came here. I thought they were all right and let them wheedle my brother into Investing four hundred dollars in their business. It was all the poor fellow had, put by to

marry a sweet little girl this fall. Well, they busted and his money went along with the rest. The rascals!’’ “Why do you stay working for rascals?’’ inquired the doctor. “For two reasons," replied Bennie grimly. “What are they?” “First, revenge. I’m bound to pay them off for robbing my brother.” "H’m!" “Next, I’m going to get back that four hundred dollars. See if I don’t! They don’t come here very often, as you know, and this store was started to put up some new swindling scheme. I don’t know what it is, but I’m going to find out and nip it in, the bud,’’ At that very hour, in a retired corner of a cheap restaurant, Slews and Wykoff were engaged in confidential converse. Said the former: “Well, Wykoff, I’ve put the deal through.” “You mean you have secured the goods?” “Exactly that,” gloated Slews. “I’ve Induced two big wholesale firms to start us in the Jewelry .lousiness with a five thousand-dollar stock.” “But the pay—how did you manage it?” “On thirty, sixty and ninety days’ time,” grinned Slews. “We won’t even open the store. You and I will go there this evening, get rid of Bennie and put all the Jewelry In a big burial box, ship it to Canada and —our creditors will hold the bag.” That afternoon Bennie was considerably surprised as some valuable deliveries were made at the store. He peered Into some of the parcels—Jewelry, and valuable at.that! Later a great long burial box was delivered, just at dusk Slews and Wykoff aj>peared. “Bennie,” spoke the former, pulling down the street shades, “you have been very diligent. “We’ll give you an evening off. Here la a dollar, go to the movies and enjoy yourself.” “Thank you, sir," bowed Bennie and sped away as If on wings of delight, but it was only to go around the block, and, returning by way of a cross lot, he stationed himself near a rear window through which he could look in directly upon the operations of the schemara.

They proceeded to remove the cover from the big board box. Into it they dumped clocks, watches, vases, rings. They laughed and chatted in high glee, then Slews tacked a tag to the cover of the box. Then they went away, after putting out all of the lights and securely locking up the place. “Now it’s my turn!” soliloquized Bennie and he was soon inside the store. He read the address on the box. “I see,” he observed, “bound for Canada and may be back any moment with an expressman. Well, I’ll let' them go, but I’ve got to work quickly.” It was two hour's later when Slews and Wykoff returned and, as Bennie had guessed, had an expressman with them. The great box was loaded on the wagon. It was taken to the railroad station. The schemers saw it placed in the express car and took the same train. As it approached the Canadian border a customs officer came through the train. “Your box ahead there?” he inquired of Slews. “Yes,” was answered promptly. “Any mourners?” “Oh, they will be along later," explained Wykoff. “Yes,” chuckled Slews, in an aside "•—in thirty, sixty and ninety days!” There were some anxious visitors at the store next day, representatives of the concerns that had furnished the stock. Bluntly Bennie told them that Slews and Wykoff had transferred the same to Canada. "I’ve something to tell you,” Bennie said to Doctor Grimm the next day. “That jewelry didn’t go in that big box.” “It didn’t?” queried his aged friend. “No, I took it out. It’s full of coal, rocks and old junk—that will be my revenge when those skeesickses come to open it in Canada.” “But where is the jewelry?” asked the astounded doctor. “It’s hidden in the corner of the basement down stairs,” explained Bennie. "I’ve got my revenge—now for my brother’s four hundred dollars.” "I don’t understand?” voiced the simple-minded old man. "Well, I’m going to see the two houses Slews and Wykoff swindled. I’m going to ask them how much they will give to get back their jewelry. I want you to come with me.” The creditors looked eager, suspicious, hopeful all at once as Bennie did, in fact, what the query Indicated. -They declared that they would gladly 'give a thousand dollars to recover their goods—then Bennie told his story. “I only want four hundred,” he said. “It’s on account of my poor brother, gentlemen!” he pleaded. “I’m not holding you up. You shall have the goods anyway, only that four hundred dollars is the price of my brother’s happiness.” “And you shall have it willingly, young man!” assented the principal creditor. “Produce the property and get your check.” When Bennie left the town with the money he felt rewarded for the patient underpaid weeks he had put in to get even with his rascally employers. Meantime, across the border, Slews and Wykoff had opened their treasure chest, to find rubbish. “Wykoff,” observed Slews dolorously, “Bennie did this!” “I’m afraid he did,” assented the mournful partner. “We can’t go back.” “Ah, no—not in thirty, nor sixty, nor ninety days can we return to our old stamping ground! No, not ever, unless we want free jail fafe.” (Copyright, 1916, by W. G. Chapman.)

“I’m Bound to Pay Them Off for Robbing My Brother.”