Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 November 1906 — At the Other End [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

At the Other End

By CLAUDE PAMARES

Mr. Fullx Bradbury sat in the smoking room of a hotel and smoked a cigar. Last week h<? was Mr. Jame.l Taylor; the week before that he was Mr. Hiram Brows. Mr. Felix Bradbury changed his name and his habitation as often as he thought the police had discovered him. Sometimes they hustled him around pretty lively, and again they let him rest and take on flesh. This was one of his resting spells, and yet he was not quite happy. His funds were at a low ebb, his partner was in Sing Sing on a ten year sentence, and nothing in his line seemed to turn up. Mr. Bradbury’s specialty was cracking cribs. With him “crib” meant anything with a roof on it—dwelling, store, bank or warehouse. He was also a fair hand at the confidence game and had been known to rob half a dozen guests of a hotel the same evening. Taken all in all. he was a good all round man, and it wasn’t his fault that luck was against him. Even If his money was low lie was making a big bluff by dressing well and ordering the best the menu afforded. Mr. Bradbury was wondering how much the next detective who arrested him would demand for letting him go again when oue of the bell boys suddenly appeared and said: “You are wanted at the telephone, sir.” The gentleman of the jimmy gave a start pf surprise and then proceeded to the instrument in the next room. Few knew of his presence in the city, and they would hardly chance calling him up over the wire. The problem was soon solved, however. In answer to his hello a girl’s voice started off with: “So I've got you at last, have I? I’ve been trying for half an hour. Are you coming home this evening?” “I don’t know,” was the doubtful reply of Mr. Bradbury, who instantly

realized that a mistake had been made, but had a natural curiosity to hear more of It. “But you must come. Papa Is in a great stew. He meant to go down today and deposit some bonds in safe deposit, but has sprained his ankle and Is laid up and swearing at a great rate. The safe has got out of kilter and can't be unlocked, and there are $30,000 worth of bonds lying around loose. You must come up for the night and take them down In the morning. It may be a week before papa can get out. You know mamma is in bed, and I can’t leave her. And you will come?” “Why, yes, I guess so. Where are you?” “At home, of course.” “Well—er—you know” — stammered Mr. Bradbury, with his heart in his mouth as he thought of those bonds and realised that he didn’t know where the other end of the wire was located. “If you don’t come papa will have a fit. Have you got a cold that your voice sounds so husky?” “Yes, a bad cold, but I will get up there. It may be late, and you’d better leave the front door unlocked.’’ “You mean the side door.” “Yes; the side door. Leave it unlocked." “Have you been losing your key again?” “It’s either lost or mislaid. You can leave the door unlocked and all go to bed. Sorry for the governor. He shouldn’t try to be so spry. Goodby.”

Somewhere within a few miles of Felix Bradbury was a house In which there were a sick mother, a father laid up with a sprain and a girl of eighteen or twenty the sole protector. In that house were $30,000 worth of bonds ready to be had for the taking, and it is needless to say that the man of many names felt his mouth water at the prospect. At the same time he cursed fate because he didn’t know the location of the house and couldn’t see how he was going to find out. Two minutes later Providence came to his assistance. Providence does assist the wicked as well as tbe good, at least on occasions. Two young men sat down near him.i and he heard one call the other Bradbury. So there were two Bradburys,, and the bell boy had summoned the wrong one. A littlq, later there was l talk of the country, and within half

an hour the crib cracker had tils case at his fingers’ ends. The girl had telephoned him from a few miles out of Boston. He could reach the country seat within a few hours by train. Mr. Felix Bradbury bought a quarter Cigar on the strength of his prospects and made for the depot. The girl’s brother wouldn’t be troubled to take those bonds to the safe deposit In the morning. In the country house Miss Bessie Bradbury sat up until 11 o’clock. It was at that hour before her father ceased swearing at the stairs on which he had slipped, at the doctor who told? him to lie quiet for a week and at the family burglar proof safe for getting out of order. “Will probably will come on the midnight train,” she mused as she saw that the side door was left free fori him to enter, “and I am going to give him a scare about those bonds. If I lead him to think that the house has been robbed, maybe it will scare his hoarseness away.” There were old bonds in the safe and out of It. There were silver mine bonds worth 1 cent on the dollar for the pictures on them, and there were coal oil bonds worth 3 cents a pound as paper rags. The elder Mr. Bradbury had invested in his time. It was no trouble at all for Miss Bessie to hunt up thirty SI,OOO bonds, worth altogether 30 cents, and put them in the envelope in place of those issued by Uncle Samuel. The latter she carried up to her room with her, aud by and by the house grew quiet. It was then that Mr. Felix Bradbury approached to reap the ripening grain. He had the girl’s word that the side door would be left unlocked. He found it so. He entered noiselessly, turned on his dark lantern and proceeded to business. What more fitting place in a house for bonds than the library! Only now and then is a man mean enough to hide them in the oven of the cook stove before going to bed. On the way to tbo , library Mr. Bradbury stopped to partake of a glass of wine aud a cold lunch in the dining room. His appetite was good and his prospects all that could be desired. He expected to have to spend some time in search, but uo sooner had he entered the library than there on the table lay the big bulging envelope. At 7 o’clock next morning Miss Bradbury’s papa was swearing again. He swore so hard and so continuously that it was ten minutes before she found out that the house had been robbed during the night. The boijds were gone! The burglar had entered by the side door, which she had been silly enough to leave unlocked. She had been promised a trip to Europe. Now she couldn’t have It. She had been promised an auto. Now ler father would see her riding in a wheelbarrow first. He was going on to check off other pains and penalties when she laid the good bonds under his nose and told of the joke she had put up on Will. While she was telling it the young man arrived. It required considerable Sherlock Holmesing to clear up the mystery, and the problem had not yet been solved when the telephone rang and Miss Bessie was called by a servant. It was the same voice as on the previous evening, only there was an aggrieved tone to it. “Well, what Is It?” “I found the side door unlocked.” "Yes?” “I found the bonds on the library table.” • “Yes?” “I have tumbled to your little joke.” "Yes?” “And if I commit murder while cracking my next crib you may know that you drove me to it. Goodby!”

THEBE ON THE TABLE LAY THE BIG BULGING ENVELOPE.