Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 59, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1919 — Wheels Within Wheels [ARTICLE]

Wheels Within Wheels

By FREDERICK L. KEATES

(Copyright)

The watches began to disappear from Wallenstein’s about a'.week after John Beckwith’s commencement there as a salesman. -The manner of their disappearance was. for a time, as puzzling a mystery. as the name of the song of the sirens. Jacob Wallenstein, the proprietor, who took great pride in his brilliant Chestnut street jewelry store, said little on the occasion of the first loss, though he no doubt did* a good deal of thinking and kept a wary eye on his assistants; but when gold watch number two, value sixty dollars, was missed, things began to liven up considerably. The disagreeable affair placed Beckwith in an uncomfortable position. Being a new. untried salesman, he guessed that a big share of the general suspicion would rest on him. Uncommonly sensitive as to his honor, he chafed sorely under the incubus of doubt which Intangibly threatened it, and he determined to do his utmost to find the culprit. He felt it impossible to continue to wmrk for very long under a cloud of distrust; for, as he was very fond of remarking, one could never tell what dirty trick chance might play a fellow. There were two other clerks iri the store; decent fellows, respectively Brown and Nevin by name. There was a young man of twenty, Ted Galvin, who wrapped packages, made deliveries, and dusted; and Despard, a silent, grumpy man, who repaired watches and jewelry. After carefully considering the situation, Beckwith decided to keep a close watch on Despard. Your taciturn man is usually a mark for the arrows of suspicion. Some of Despard’s actions, he thought, were “off color,” but nothing definite came of the doubt, for either the man was innocent or he was much too cunning to be caught napping. Despite the general watchfulness, it was npt_long before another valuable watch was stolen. It was missed on a Saturday evening. All that day, owing to a special reduction sale, the store had bfen crowded with people, but Beckwith,. Brown and Nevin swore that they had taken the greatest care to show only one watch at a time, and to see that it was handed back before they submitted another. No sooner had the discovery of the missing watch been made than Nevin startled every one by pronouncing his stock of diamond rings incomplete. Two had been stolen. “Twepty-flve-dollar ones, they were," he said, gazing helplessly around. Mr. Wallenstein looked black. “1 don’t understand it,” he said, frowning. “I have i noticed that this sort of thing happens during my absence from the ■ store. I don’t know what to make of it.” He passed his fingers through his thick, black hair, and stared hard at his employees. “Gentlemen,” he said, after a long pause, “if you are certain no stranger has robbed you during the rush today, the culprit -must be in the store, and if you have the welfare of the business __.at hear t, as I believe you have, you will each personally permit yourself to be Searched. Does anyone object? It is very unpleasant, of course, but 1 must ask the innocent to subipit graCfc. fully in order that the guilty-may be arrested. I tjust no one objects?” His sharp eyes rapidly scanned their faces for any tell-tale expression of fear. There was no sign of concern apparent on the features of any of his employees. Only on the face of Despard was there a look that was strange, and he was scowling menacingly. “I object to being searched,” he said shortly and sharply. All eyes were turned on him, and Mr. Wallenstein's face hardened as be stared at him. Despard reddened, then paled. “Very well,” said the jeweler stiffly, ■with a hint of threatening in hi§ voice. “I trust you know what is best for yourself. You must see that such an attitude cannot be of benefit to you. However, this time I will ask merely that you all show the watches you carry. Do y’ou refuse to comply there, Despard?” Despard's sole answer was the pulling forth of a commonplace, three-dol-lar gun-metal watch. Mr. Wallenstein nodded. “Very good,”- he said, chrtly, and turned to the others. Nevin’s watch was a common goldplated one; Brown’s *as a ten-dollar thin model, pretty well worn; Galvin’s was a huge silver monstrosity, a hundred years old (so he said), and once the property of his great-grandfather; Beckwith’s was the humblest of them all —a nickel timepiece that had been - dropped, oh Llie" floor more , than once - and still kept fair time. ‘That will do,” said Mr. Wallenstein. “You may go. But. gentlemen, I want you to understand that I shall call upon you, when necessary, to submit to a thorough search. You are responsible for the goods placed in your care, and you have got to account for them. I make nd charges, but something must be done in the matter and 1 must be permitted to do It In my own way, pleasant or unpleasant.” When his employees had gone home. Mr. Wallenstein, left alone, searched the store, and the two rooms above it. from floor to ceiling, in quest of hid-

den goods, but his Search whs 1 in vain “This is getting serious,”'said the ex asperated jeweler. T ought to have tn sisted on a thorough search before 1 -let them go. 41 Stilt I feel convinced they’re honest, although Despard, perhaps. is a trifle dodbtful. The wisest thing Is to have him watched. I’ll get a detective ar once. I have let the thing go too far. already.” In spite of all precautions, however, and notwithstanding the many watchers, the thefts continued. The employees were now searched each time they left the store. The hired detective was positive that the culprit was one of the assistants, and while it was not impossible for one of them to purloin an article and slip IF into his pocket unseen, it seemed absolutely beyond belief that the booty could be carried off under the very nose of everybody. One day an odd idea occurred—toBeckwith, As luck would have it, that same day his opportunity to test It arrived. At about five-thirty he went jjtfairs to the washroom to wash himself preparatory to going home. There he found Galvin, who. having hung his waistcoat on a hook, was about to wa§h his hands. In an instant JBeckwith jnade..up hli mind. Hastening downstairs, he went up to Brown. —— - “Say, Brown," he whispered hurriedly, “help me a minute. I’ll explain afterward. I’m going up into the washroom. When I have reached the top of the stairs I want you to call up to Galvin. When he comes to the head of the stairs, ask him whether he took that package to Mrs. McCarthy’s this afternoon ; we know he did, of course; hold him there a couple of minutes; ask him to whom he gave it, and what they said. This is important; will you do it?” “Sure,” said Brown, wpnderingly. “What’s the matter? If you look like that, you’ll have the detective come over and sit on you." Beckwith hurried upstairs without replying, and Brown’s voice promptly called out: “Hello there, Galvin!" Galvin was drying his face as Beckwith reached his side. “Hello!” answered Galvin, crossing the room and standing just out of Beckwith’s sight, at the head of the stairs. In an instant Beckwith had Galvin’s huge, great-grandfather's watch out of the pocket of the suspended waistcoat. The first thing lie noticed was that one of tlie hands had fallen off. “The thing isn’t going,” he said to himself. He placed it to his ear. “Ah, ha!” He said no more, but hastily unfastened the silver chain* and put the watch into his own pocket. Galvin-was still at the head of the. stairs. “Sure I did. D’yer think I swiped the package?” he demanded indignantly. “What d’yer take me for, anyway?” “All right, Galvin,” said Brown. “My mistake, that’s all.” “I ain’t no thief,” growled Galvin, entering the room. “That Brown gives me a pain in the neck.” Without staying to turn off the running water, Beckwith hurried down the stairs. As he entered the store, Mr. Wallenstein, who was counting some gold watches in a tray prior to placing them in the big safe for the night, uttered a tremendous oath. Everyone in the store turned to him in startled amazement, and the detective hurried over to his side. “There’s a sixty-dollar gold Elgin missing here!” cried Mr. Wallenstein. A couple of customers, not liking the look of things, made a move to go. “Lock the door,”-orderedthedetec-tive. “Everybody stay where they are.” Beckwith,, with conflicting emotions of doubt and assurance warring within him, went up to his employer and whispered tO’him. Eagerly Mr. Wallenstein held out his hand, and Beckwith handed Galvin’s Huge walcli to him. ■■ Without a word, the jeweler quickly opened the back of the watch, and then the inner cover. All eyes were fixed on him, and heads were craned forward as he revealed the interior of the uncouth timepiece. An exclamation of wonder broke from the group of watchers, for there, in place of wheels and springs, , was snugly ensconced the missing gold Elgin. It fitted into the larger watch witli some room to spare, and a little cotton woo) had been hastily stuffed in as packing. At once all was commotion. “Arrest the scoundrel!” cried Mr. Wallenstein, crimson with anger. “Arrest him !” “In the washroom, second floor." said Beckwith, nodding to the detective. The man sprang up the stairs, followed by Beckwith. Entering the washroom, they wgre surprised to find It empty. Even TJfkvtn’s waistcoat had gone;-for, discovering the loss of his* watch, the guilty one had been quick to grasp the situation, and had fled. The open window showed the way of his escape. Standing on a chair, the detective leaned ost> of. the window and noted the strong lightning-rod wire which ran loosely down the wall, close to the window. “Nervy*. all right,” he muttered. “Good stunt, too, that old watch of grandpa’s." >---HMr. Beckwith has been Mr. Wajlenstein’s partner for sox]|e time. No . watches have been lost since Mr. Galviu. Slid the rod.