| Show 0 rA A BRANDED COUNTERFEIT I out ol of tho Usual Goorge a Tolls T of OI oo n Burglary I Old Tromp Tramps of o Bills lII Proved Bogus J n vu a 1 old of 01 1 of for tor the sale axle t 1 TS T about aboUl package oud we utter watch watt I I out fur Cur It sure remarked ii I J one on doy somewhat Irrelevantly I And then In Il response to my quill equal y 1 tut Inquiry he h related tho fol Col fo c story which 1 I tell lell after my InY m mown own fashion aim dace e It Irks my m pen t tc tu to c his Iola patter lIMiter tine before sI so fortunate as 08 to connect commit with me h he WItS was traveling west well per por r hl to the lle n name name me of ot old Jo Joey y There Them car can carl l be nit ne n doubt that old Joey Joe was iiA tits t ns lit he h was wag tramp blunt by br b y yet l ione to wander wonder from the i maths ath of DC Into lulu those tho e o of criminality lit Be 11 generally trawled traveled for fob hll ha hI t health keth rl to which close rIn ee confinement co nn mer u was i y r tie B de detrimental e shunning sh g o r 1111 barn rI n flaw with willi that which n l lI he be beI I fries s hi oiw onu w whose are mu nut not do tit I 5 Indent nt on the communal spirit of ot the thi age The Th old colier was Mono close mouthed about late hla graft but bul Judged U It to beo be L widely Idel not lIot con cum fined find d to apples ll le for tor Instance but bul com corn 1 any fruit from tram tho tree of If It was situ evident however that he had bad not any nt all H events and nn y yet t l ho seemed to tr gain good cheer cheor with every overy revolution y of ot the n wheels wheel heels noted this peculiarity and by b shrewd questions gradually Jed Iud him to say sY U that he tie had 1 by ex exi i R a 1 package to tl th the Iha ell city of refuge muge they wt were i lound l which I when ll I tt Insure for tor him hint hima side sille of limey l a 1 ot nn the tho sunny I tre dr beet t for Hie lit further Information ass cut uT Just at this for tor tin the train a It particularly sharp carve In 1111 a hail harl way old Joey was wan tarn Irom I the bumpers end lint tu lly Into his nom oom t to gat aria carls along alons alon a It mil untie of or fO so of the 0 f r r th lh h you Inquired lon long ago for r la 1 united ns n S Sc m c If Qt rt 1 l th n mortuary tribute quite i To tOi tl for tor repetition a lu u dont tl nt t atio MI O e ho he told me m tho name and as do da you lie hr retorted d and Ind upon mature deliberation 1 l 1 Then Jhen hh are you OU gong to Identify It 7 I concluded Well W II he hi the old man s was vas tied teed up with bits of at yeller tape which 1 I have must t have havo b cn left leH over oer from Irom the bundle This Flute a fair working hypo th I anyhow and the scheme Itself Laing Lein a gamble appealed of ot course to 10 tomy sporting blood So Bo In tho end my and I 1 occupied lell front teats Beats nt at atthe I the duly culy advertised auction of at un unclaimed unclaimed claimed ll packers In III the possession of ot the th express company tie assemblage e was waR as ac motley as ns the tho commodities and nl glad d I was when wh n Smithers Indicated as liS our quarry a n re roe rec package tied with yellow string which looked for all nil the world ns tie If It If might contain a n 1 specimen of ot the output of ot some Borne brickyard This Im teemed seemed to prevail generally for Cor there WitH was no bidding against me mime rind and the auctioneer Jokingly suggested su l that hat I should put It II In my m hat hilt when he ho III knocked It down lawn for tor 25 26 cents Its It a n gold goltl one Gorge whispered j before we reached the street streel and fined with your front It orter bo be bek y k among the hayseeds i l I made no reply I never spoke until we wo were back In III our room My fingers tightly clasping that package kept re repeating ret t 1 n a message through their senst sensitive I Ithe the tive th e tips which I dare not lIot believe bellee They trembled tills ed as ns I undid the yellow ellow tape lupe and andin andray J in ray rny whole frame responded as nil I 1 laid buck back the tho wrapper for tor that despised specimen that dubious gold brick was wasa wast 1 t a n solid mild pile of crisp crl p new ne bills They were twenties gold certificates t hearing bearing h the vignette of ot Mr Secretary I Manning as aR like as liS If h lie he lied had Just called it the convention to order find anti ae as fresh tresh I as tie unspotted unspoiled as se It If a I little girl In the time bureau of at printing and engraving had lied tripped them in from tho plate Oh 01 i lover the si I counted them them over ono one after another each ench ono one the moro more beau beat beautiful tHul for far bi bring Ing so 0 perfect a Q COpy cony of ot Its it b bault l predecessor five live hundred hundred nuts nine hundred and nine B seven v n t y n l T T r 20 0 oa old man I I as liS I i pl puked i k d tI up tho the last bill And then the themy my In 1 hH heart Jit t dropped P us as heavily houll n os ns It 11 hall had hn Noun lioun led lightly for tor that bill hill had hall been bee bran across Its ts face It was a a n coun counterfeit H T he queer the whole queer Ilu er an but the queer I groaned alto after a mall hall hours close clo le and critical orlon atlon Well II what of ot It retorted Smithers stolid y I dont believe bellee In bola flO s o 10 Think of oC tho the mud an l far an hanks banks Garge that would swath r them I m bills In n a gull gulp and reach for Cor morn more I e shook il sk my nI 10 l head for I was s I then linen with Ideas about personal por liberty Oni On v WI v 11 is detected anti no po another might Be 11 I T declared I wont vont go up u the United States Stales authorities Hut But they th look so o 0 good he be pleaded d dAI Aye AI A so v R they did dill My M study had 1111 1 n rr veiled certain defects In the drawing but hut the HIP paper the Ink the genera mechanism m the tout ensemble why they were Iven magnificent It was wai the tho ped 11 11 tiling pr ess 8 1 I 1 feared the becomIng with bills of the same name large If It I r could only find someone having havinga n a 1 wad of nf th these ie e twenties I murmured we WI might substitute ours for his and nobody the Iho ho wrier wiper rw rp r that reminds t o A fr t to Iq pee Oll III I o the odder evenin and nn 1 thin th n too lio went wenton Yen an on t tu i date Hint this p person ri un it 11 among amons for tor the of at Ids hiM ear ar and tho thin s of oC hla his touch hod recently been employed outplayed by n a firm flan firmat of at safe to open n 0 safe defying their skill In a n private house hOUM out In tin the suburbs and that In an on In Inner Innel inter ner ter lie he hail bad seen peon n pile of fit crisp p new n w twenties like to make your heart henrt I lost no time In Il lag Ing h for this man nor did he lore loce Inv any time limp In iii returning with him Slim till tall cadaverous with skeleton face and Ion In long skinny hands an all as nil osiers esters wag quite the most object I T had holl over ever seen 80 n off ort t tho lm h of nt HAM As You tl Like Mke It U lope he responded to my first hints Im Pm on the retired list balled end and chained h tIT tor respectability by my myown m myown i iown own talons In coarse I 1 cud trow the lode with a n twist t end and n a twirl of these those ere dukes but what then Im the one In that thaI cud cUll do It and there a 1 headquarters or nn no agency or fir a plain clothes clotheR man but knows It ruse fuss genus gonus says I that tha t keeps keppi a 1 for this the makers when he might have the rankers makers a o for tor him and he lie heaved a 1 sigh like an electric tan fan Then I explained that I wanted wan lee the tho excitement nt and amI danger of ot an nn ordinary burglary ns na little as ns he lie did that my myden Idea den was wis to substitute the bogus bills hills lor or the tune genuine ones one through his open openIng Ing ng fig and closing the safe ente so BO secretly hot there could be ho no suspicion of ot tampering g and that In consequence the he chances were that the counterfeits would pass lIl s unquestioned from hand to mad In this direction and that until here there would be no possibility of at the frauda being traced were wore It discovered ered crocI red here her and there The mans fishy eyes eye glistened more I I believe bell ee trout tram pride In III displaying his hie skill kill than desire for tor booty though thou h we him a 0 full tull third and ho he con consented eat crl nt at mice Wo r o thereupon resolved oUr Into a 11 committee on ways sways and mean leans The report made by Slim was rae gratifying In the extreme The louse houe he said ald was WU accessible stand Ing ng In I n n secluded plantation with pins plaz piazzas zas zos on nil sides The rho bolt boll on th the li 11 library 1 hrnry nary window could coull be easily pushed side aside a with a thin steel bar Once In Inside inIde I side Ide the sate safe though really realty nn on date ate affair end and proof against any or i I burglar not using dynamite would bo be nuts to 10 him him lIe He could already hear hoar the tho music of ot the tho tumblers as they felt fell t Into place under his bits Inspired touch lauch touche The owner an old man named g I e I was n min popularly supposed to bo Lie a n miller I If It no so so io much the better Ietter wince since he would treasure the tho notes notee Instead Ins lead of or putting put putting ting thorn them Into circulation lie He should say nay that thaI the number now him had pretty closely 0 sO with the tho Else of or our package but Jul there thero would be ample opportunity to run runt them over HO so HOan fI an as to make the substitution exact Servants AH lh 11 ho he hind had seen Heen were nn an anold old woman and an older man you could knock them together with n breath He lie had heard hoard something about n 0 housekeeper hint hilt what of It A competent housekeeper never allowed her hor rest to be disturbed NI and a n good li od rule too loo for tor this 1118 ono one If It she wanted wan led to toSI save SI her Thus Slim after a 11 dl process of ot expurgation It was a go gOj It 11 was sure surd to 10 be a got gol ol ole We e planned cautiously we wo executed boldly two essentials to success The Tho I very ver next night we 0 drove out to the tho plantation lion We hitched tho the team In tn n II remote grove we made mode our way 0 across fields nelda to o the tho house houe AH All A I was silent save snO for tor our breathing all nil wes wag WD dark save Sll ve for tor the furtive gleams from froma the glum glim under Smithers skillful man o Evidently the old mans man a faith In the ento was wan supreme for tor we had no difficulty In entering the library after the manner Slim M had hud in A noble room roots lofty and wide with frequent recesses rece ses and curtained curt door doorways doorways ways on either side Opposite the fire fireplace fireplace place abutted the round polished plate of or the tho safe an fa set 8 at In ht solid masonry Sums Slims I s fine fino ear car was was WIlS close to the steel Slims Slim a fingers slowly lowly turned the knob this thin way WilY find and that There Thero was u a 1 faint click click and tho the man spring springIng springing Ing to his feet teet In triumph gave a n pull and a n awing swing and tho the elaborate mechanism ism sun swung open drew nearer with the glum glim Again those hone marvelous senses by sound Bound and touch interpreted and betrayed the secret of ot safety The rhe Inner compartment compart mont meat lay exposed Its treasure of ot crisp new lIew twenties wan ns at ot our money mercy Count them I 1 whispered and lint as no Slim Slim obeyed Smithers and I under our breath repealed the tho toll Five hundred seven hundred nine hundred and ninetynine one thousand beauties In all as fresh tresh as nil unspotted ns as when first verified at the treasury de P Oh It t was wonderful the good hills bills corresponded exactly encl with the bad I No need of at carrying away any of ot the Imitations so Inconstant so no tricky no need of at leaving behind any of at the true darlings each ellch of ot which much and will n guaranty for tor so sport dash and fling Quick then let us take the goods the gods had provided lest they envy onY and subvert our happiness i In an 1111 Instant Slim had hod thrust the I good money Into his pocket t nut anti 1 the tile t 1 counterfeits Into the compartment A deft turn lurn here a a cunning twirl there and again the polished steel eye kept Its IIA futile watch 0 toh In the tho solid soll masonry We were out on the piazza pausing for tor torn fora a n moment while slipped p pInto back Into place 1110 place the window bolt and then lien Oh then ns as silent ns as safe as OR shadows we wo stole through the plantation to the grove crove where we had left lett our convey conveyance i iante ante ance There we YC clasped hands handa and whirled round and round In an nn costa et of ot Joy only to full tull nun lio tile the he depths o ot when hen with sudden recollection I cried My M God clod what tools fouls we us a anal arol ic lef lett Ii the tho branded counterfeit with the oth of tr l And n ln 1 so ao we wo had Our O r unexpected go good gooc goodluck luck In finding that tint the ot or th t two plies piles of ot noua p exactly correspond corresponded ed ld Joined to the nervous under which we were acting had hil eo con COI confined fined our thoughts to tho the one of the tho anti and getting away Stupid ably stupid yes yc os of at course It t van but try tr yourself Oh imd oud sea Reo whether In Inthe Intile the tile unknown where every cery Inanimate object Is an on u enemy In ambush and every eo nerve In ones body bellI Ig Is I a II Teach loan ally oily about abo aboto to desert 11 crt you ou may 11 n t make ti a 1 but bu t fatal slip It If you juu do not youre you youa a n Hood good one ono for lor to my mind mend the he stout atoll stoutest est ell defense of society lies lIeB In the human puma frailties of ot those thoe who war against It Then Tien followed bitter recriminations rl on an n nil alt sides tho the suggestion from me mt m backed Up by that we wo had ha best beat let well enough aloes and stub atul stubborn tub born opposition from iron Sum Slim les No ho reiterated Ive Ia got gr the HIB bills bill In III my clothes and I wont gh I them item up until I 1 have replaced that cussed stamped stumped thug for one of ot flour Wadden you taro take mo mu for tor Do you link tit you OU can cnn play me r i e In anny ant Y seen arch way wa Y Ilan mitt I tole t alo you OU that Im time the ono ona t that the 1 be f lio Du yo 0 sl m oas I 1 cant cantsee can see that hat when that old runs run over ocr hu his gelt Belt In III tho the morning and comes come ucro across s tinny anny such soch knock down argy men he hie will know Ive been there thero and andI an I will have the hull pupil puh in III a Q hue nn an try cry er on my heels eels Not on yen yer er life eder 1 eder we all goes back together or I goes GOlS alone and to oncel once Resistance Ite was wan useless You cant can reason with dwell Iron Iton bound obstinacy nacy hacy nod of ot course courte I 1 discarded mute muta but vigorous hint con can by b a clutch on my throat that the we should proceed to sterner measures measure So In this the end we retraced out steps but bul In a 11 far tar different mood a moor mood that presaged danger und nerd defeat detent Yes Yea It II Is the manner of ot nn an enterprise ns as a trail Mill as DR the means that Insures success So Su far as a physical conditions were wen concerned wo we were certainly better belter ort off than thUn th n when we 0 had made our first at nt attempt attempt tempt There were still seine Bomo hours of ot o olit th lit night eight remaining we Ye knew the way wn there was WM nothing to be feared tell red from watchmen or alarms And yet et thu |
