ARABIAN
it. MAN SITTJNCj THERE
.N the morning of June 12, 1900, -when
James Gordon kissed his wlfo and
children and left Ms little $25 flat to
go to his bookkeeping, as he had gone
every working day for seven years, he
Tralked straight into romance. But he
did not know if for lour years after
wards, although he was an important fig
ure in tt all the time.
A man needs Imagination and not the
ordinary five senses, to perceive romance;
,nd James Gordon "was probably as un
imaginative, matter-of-fact a person as
there -was in New Xork that morning.
He unlocked the door of the little' suite
of offices on tho fourth floor of the big
uptown office building, as usual, mada his
neat entries in his neat books, filed the
receipted bills from plumbers. Janitors,
gas companies and the rest who live on
real estate owners, deposited tho day's
checks and went home to his simple din
ner and to bed.
On June 13, the second day of the ro
mance, he performed exactly the same
unexciting deeds. June 14 he went to bed
with the romance three days old, and
many men and many things In New York
becoming concerned In it newspaper re
porters, police, courts and all as igno
rant of the romance ' as James Gordon
was.
On June 15, the end .of the week having
approached, it became necessary for
James Gordon to communicate with his
employer, who rarely visited the office.
A telephone message to his apartments
was answered by his valet, who said that
Mr. Van Brunt had gone fishing on June
10, and had not returned. As he often
made5hort, lonely trips of the kind, the
bookkeeper thought nothing more of it.
So three days more elapsed. Then he be
came puzzled, and finally worried, and
started out to hunt for his missing em-
ployer. .
The valet, an old servant of "the Van
Brunt family, knew nothing except that
his master liad gone away after he had
dressed himself in the "knock-about" suit
that he always wore when he went fish
ing. A telegram to a favorite resort of
Van Brunt on one of the Long Island
bays brought the reply that he had ar
rived there on June 10 and left again in
the late afternoon of June 11.
That was all. It was all that the police
discovered, when they were called in at
last Tho Van Brunts, in the three cen
turies since the first fat Dutch Van Brunt
arrived in New Amsterdam, had become
dlgnlfiedly commonplace in the civilized
process of natural selection. A quiet, fair
ly good-looking, brown-bearded man of
35, garbed in an ordinary suit of clothes,
isn't so uncommon a person in New York
that his description will startle people
into remembering that they have seen
him.
The police and private detectives and
all the other agencies that fairly unlimit
ed means could set to work, discovered
Just what the bookkeeper had discovered
with his first telegram. John D. Van
Brunt had done what a few hundred New
Yorkers do each year "dropped out."
But a man who belongs to nine clubs,
oil of the most exclusive kind, and owns
inherited Manhattan Island real estate
that brings him 525.000 a year, and is a
useful, if quiet, figure at dinners and
charity balls, and has generations of
Dutch Manhattan Islanders behind him.
cannot drop out as a Brown or a Jones
can. The nine clubs and the 700 odd gen
eral leaders of society and the 400 odd
Kings and Queens and even the rigidly
exclusive SO Kings of Kings, received the
disappearance of a Van Brunt as a de
cided sensation. -v
Tho newspapers printed columns about
it and they would have kept it up if It
had been possible to find out anything.
But it wasn't.
Besides, there was a flood of Interesting
"society stuff just then. A millionaire
had lost 100,000 at poker. Another one
had caught a burglar single-handed and
turned him over to the police. These
items submerged the disappearance of
John D. Van Brunt. Before six months
hud passed, people even forgot about the
J2O.O00 reward that was offered for news
of him.
"When the excitement of the search had
passed, James Gordon dropped back into
his old, regular routine. The two men
who were the direct heirs to John D. Van
Brunt's estate were far more wealthy
than he had been; they agreed to leave
tho property untouched for a few years
in the hope that their relative would turn
up or the mystery of his disappearance
be cigar ed away. In the meantime, they
put James Gordon under bonds and bade
him continue his management of the prop
erty which management was practically
a matter of good bookkeeping.
For a matter of 11S0 odd times James
Gordon conscientiously vopened the little
office, made his neat entries, carried the
money to the bank and went home again.
Ro came March 15. 1S04.
On that day the business of the stato
called tho bookkeeper to Osslnning. On
the way he met a friend, who was bound '
to the State Prison, there to make a con
tract for supplies. He invited Gordon to
accompany him after luncheon, and the
bookkeeper, -whose own business was soon
finished, assented eagerly, for a -visit to
a. State Prison appealed to him as a de
cided adventure.
The cheery, venerable old head keeper
took them through, and made the usual
dU-play of the might' automatic bolts,
the hideous tiers or oppressively clean
cells, and the self-conscious "trusties."
They passed cell after cell till James Gor
don began to -wish that Mr. Connough-
r. :
ton's hospitality might soon find an end,
when he happened to glance Into a cell
and saw, sitting on a cot. a figure that
startled him so that he nearly cried out.
He rubbed his eyes and looked again,
feeling that he had been wildly mistaken.
But the second glance left no room for
doubt. The man sitting there in con
vict's dres3 In a convict's cell was John
D. Van Brunt
The bookkeeper recovered himself In
time, and managed to ask casually about
tho prisoner. He was told that he was
a convict No. . and that he was serv
ing a term for burglary.
"Maybe you'll remember reading about
It" said the keeper. "It made quite a
story at the time. He broke Into the
house of the Dumonts, and Mr. Dumont
caught him. covered him with a revolver,
marched him out of the house, and turned
him over to the police."
"And did he plead guilty?" asked the
bookkeeper.
"Oh, yes! There wasn't any way out
of It He took his medicine."
James Gordon's head swam. He es
caped to his hotel and spent an hour
thinking things out
Then ho returned to the prison and
asked to see convict No. .
Tho convict was brought into the little
Iron-barred visitors' coll. He made no
sign of recognition, and James Gordon
made none either. But convict No.
knew that concealment was useless.
This Is the story of convict No. .
once Richard D. Van Brunt It begins
on Juno 11, 1900, when he came as&ore
from his fishing.
'
He went to the little room that he rent
ed by the year In the boathouse on the
shore, to put away his tackle. Then he
struck a match to light a cigar. Tho
match flared up and his beard and mus
tache caught fire. Half of his brown
beard vanished before he knew it
He got out his razor and shaved the
rest of his beard and mustache off. Then
he hurried to the station, because a train
was due.
The burning of his beard was chance
No. 1 In a strange chain. A flatcar load
ed with sand was chance No. 2. It broke
down while trundling over the tracks of
the Long Island Railroad at Jamaica, and
COLONEL JOSLYN,
By C. B. Lewis The Sunday Oregonlan's Select
(Copyright by the S. a McClure Co.)
!T "WAS an exclusive party of eight
Sir George Mlnturn and wife were
at the head of it The others wero
Mrs. Woeburn. widow of the civil en
gineer; the Hon. James Blackman, wife
and daughter: D"Artgenr a French Mar
quis, and Brlttman, of the German Em
bassy in London They were all ultra
fashionables in their way, and their
little party had not been made up en
tirely by accident Sir George and tho
Honorable James had planned a voy
age to the Mediterranean, and had in
vited Mrs. Woeburn as a guest The
Marquis, who had met Miss Blackman
a few times in London society, decided
that he was in love with her, and de
termined to take the trip on his own
account to further his interests. Brltt
man did not know whether he was In
love with the widow or not As he had
secured leave of absence for four
months, it seemed to him that ho
might as well make a voyage as re
main ashore.
But when the steamer reached Gib
raltar the "ring" suddenly found the
sand being cut from under its feet by
the undertow. The "undertow" came
aboard at that point He was a tall,
solid man, with a merry eye and an
open face, and his manner was friend
ly. It was safe to say that he was not
the scion of aristocrats, and that he
had neither a college diploma nor a
knowledge of the rules of social eti
quette. He had scarcely stowed away ;
his things in a stateroom when he
mado a bold-faced attempt to break
down the "ring-.' Sir George was pac
ing the deck with his cigar when the
new arrival walked up to him and said:
'Til keep you company if you don't
mind. Captain. I've been waiting here
for a week, and I'm dob-tired of old
Gib. Plenty, of guns and redcoats and
all that, but do you know I couldn't
find a cocktail in the whole place? Pos
itive fact,-sir. Never even heard of
one. Think of a town without a cock
tall!" Sir George halted. Then he slowly
raised his monocle and adjusted It He
stared at the stranger for a long ha
minute before he exclaimed:
"Sir. are you addressing, me?"
"By George, but you're a cool old
boy!" mused the other in tones of ad
miration. "Standing on etiquette, eh?
"Well, maybe I was too previous. My
name's Joslyn Colonel Joslyn of Da
kota, Xj. S. A. I've got a sworn affi
davit in my trunk from our County
Sheriff that I've never been arrested
for murder. You've got a name, I sup
pose?" "Sir!" gasped the Englishman, as he
-continued to stare.
"And Tza making a little pleasure
trip all by my lonesome." continued the
Colonel. "Always, sate I would if I
ever gotjnoney enough. How are you,
on poker? I haven't played a game In
THE SUNDAY
NIGHTS . STORIES
BOOK-KEEPERS
Van Brunt's train pulled into Long Island
City two hours late.
He had an appointment an appoint
ment so overwhelmingly Important td him
as to be sacred. It was with a person
for whom he would have been willing to
give not only all he had In life, but his
life Itself. He looked at his watch and
gave up all hope- of changing from his
shabby clothes into evening dress. That
was Chance No. 3.
He Jumped into a cab.
As the cab rattled toward Fifth avenue
and Thirty-fourth street coming cast
ward toward It was chance No. 4 a deliv
ery wagon with a drunken driver. At
the corner they met The delivery wag
on smashed into the cab, breaking tho
window.
The shock of the collision threw Rich
ard Van Brunt violently against the side
of tho cab, knocking his head so hard that
he never realized that a piece of glass
drew a long, ragged red scratch down
the side of his face from cheekbone to
chin.
The cab hurried on again In a few min
utes, "bound to the place of fate.
Fate was a woman one of the best
women In the land to Richard Van Brunt,
and Richard Van Brunt's love for her
did not deceive him. In all New York
there was no purer, nobler woman than
tho one who was waiting for him.
It was a secret meeting, but not a
three months, and am beginning to feel
homesick."
Sir George's hand went up to his
glass. The glass was removed from, his
eye. Hand and . glass fell together.
Then he faced about and walked off as
erect as a "West Pointer. Colonel Jos
lyn had been snubbed. There were five
or six people looking on and enjoying
the affair, and they expected to hear
some outburst .on the Colonel's part
There was none, however. He merely
rubbed his hands together and smiled
and said to himself:
"The old cock Is either a jolly or else
he's standing on his dig., because we
don't rent pews in the same chuzch. I'll
see him later."
Only half an hour nad passed when
Colonel Joslyn ran across the Marquis.
The Frenchman had just finished a
promenade with MIS3 Blackman, and'
had received what he felt sure was en
couragement '
"Going to stop at Malt?" asked the
Colonel in his easy-going way, as he
extended a cigar In his fingers.
Tho Marquis smiled faintly and
shrugged his shoulders. He had seen
Sir George snub the American, and he
felt it a duty to follow his example.
"Don't understand, cat Well, it don't
matter much. I was just going to ask
if there was anything worth seeing.
If you could talk English I'd also ask
raou who that girl is you were walking
about with. I'll be hanged if she isn't
the perfect picture of the Widow Tay
lor's daughter Hetty. I've been a lit
tle sweet on Hetty for a year or two past
and when I first saw you with that girl
my heart Jumped into my mouth."
The Marquis bit his lip and smiled and
shook his head and walked off, but If he
thought he had snubbed Colonel Joslyn'
he was mistaken. As he could not speak
English, and as the Colonel could not
speak French, how could there have been
a snub?
It was two or three days before an
other attempt was made to break up the
"ring?' Then the Colonel met Brlttman
in the smoking-room. The situation was
plainer now, and there was a fatherly
twang In the Colonel's tone as he said:
"Look here, mister, I want to say a
word or two for your own good. It's sel
dom I mix up in anybody's rows, but I
hate to see a man fighting without a
fair show."
"Who you vhas?" asked the attache
with considerable dignity, but not half
as much as he might have assumed had
not the Widow Woeburn refused him an
hour before.
"Name's Joslyn, of the U. S. A. and
I'm doing a little trotting about alone.
I see you belong to that little ring but
you are simply throwing your time
away."
The attache could not make out the
Colonel's meaning until the case had
been gone over again and again. Then
he was furious. It was bad enough for
a stranger to approach him in that blunt
fashion, but for the same man to mix up
in his love affair and give him fatherly
advice was beyond endurance. He want
ed to swear and pound on the table, and
tell tho Colonel what he thought of him.
but 'his good breeding restrained him.
He simply sat holt upright and glared.
The Colonel tried to go on. but even "he
was nonplused. By. and by the attache
OEEGOAK, PORTTiA'ND,
STEP
guilty one. Mrs. Dumont was an honest
wife to a husband whose habits and ylces
had made his namo notorious In the city.
She bad dragged through four years of
abject misery at his side, and at last
had agreed' to yield to the Importunities
of her relatives and seek a divorce.
The object of Richard Van Brunt's
visit to her this evening was to bid
her farewell for a long time. He had
decided to go to Europe and spend a
year there in order to avoid the pos
sibility of a breath of scandal cloud
ing her name while she sought her di
vorce. On his return he hoped to ask
her to be his wife.
Chance No. 5 was on the steps of the
U. S. A.
Fiction.
got up and walked away. As he moved
off his looks and bearing Indicated that
he had never heard of Colonel Joslyn, of
Dakota, or of the United States of Amer
ica. They were as nothing to him.
"Was that a snub or wasn't It?" ques
tioned tho man from Dakota as he re
lighted his cigar stub. "No, It couldn't
be. As he can't talk English, and I
can't talk German, there Is no snubbing
about It He has Just taken my words
to heart and gone off to ponder over
them."
A day or so passed and then Colonel
Joslyn started In again to break up the
"ring." The Widow Woeburn chanced
to be on deck alone. She happened to
drop her handkerchief, and the Colonel
happened to catch It before It blew over
board. As he returned It he lifted his
hat and said:
"Came mighty near losing lay hat In
the same puff. Going as far as Alexan
dria?" The widow looked at him In astonish
ment and he hastened -to Introduce him
self and add:
"You must be Tonesome In such atjueer
crowd. I've tackled three of the men.
and I'll be hanged if I can tumble to
'em. I should think they'd want to have
a good tlmei"
Having thus delivered himself, he coolly
sat down beside the lady and asked her
if she had ever been In the United States,
and If so what she thought of the people
Before she could reoly or administer a
snub the rest of the "ring" arrived In a
body. They were astounded at the situa
tion. Some smiled and some glared." but
It was the Honorable Jame3 Blackman
who retreated a few paces and beckoned
for the Colonel to approach. The two
had not met before.
"Sir." began the honorable as the Da
kota man drew near. "Is there any par
ticular reason why you desire to make the
acquaintance of any one of our party?"
"Well, no desperate reason," replied
the Colonel. "I thought some of you
might be glad of a poker game, or would
like to swap yarns to pass away the time,
and I believe Td enjoy a talk with the
widow over there; but I ain't desperate
about it"
Then, sir, will you be kind enough to
leave us to ourselves?" continued Ihe
honorable.
"You mean Vm to-.flght shy of your
crowd?"
"I mean, sir I mean that when we de
sire your company we'll give you due no
tice! Is that plain?"
"Colonel, that's as plain as the horns dn
a steer. I take it that you- mean to snub
me?"
"You are a man of perception, sir."
That closed the Interview. Colonel Jos
lyn had tried to break up the "ring" and
had failed. He went off and sat down by
. himself for a while, and felt somewhat
hurt and humiliated, but this feeling did
not last long. They were & churlish lot.
while he. on the contrary, was a good
fellow. They could not help being churl
ish any more than he could help being
good-natured, and he soon decided to for
give them.
By and by the Monarch reached Alexan
dra. The "ring" drew""a long breath and
hoped it had seen the last of Colonel Jos
lyn. He had been talked over on several
occasions, and though It was agreed that
he was harmless, he could not be forgiven
or hi familiarity. WJmb, aa American
ran M v
MABOH 5, 1905.
S OF CITY LIFM l
FJNE BIRD,
STEP ouT.r1
house as he came up. In the prosaic shape
of a messenger boy. Just as Van Brunt
reached the door, the footman opened it
and turned away to take the message
to his mistress. Richard Van Brunt en
tered unobserved, without meaning to;
and the next moment Mrs. Dumont en
tered. He advanced with hand stretched
out
To his amazement she stepped back
with a little scream and exclaimed:
"Who are you?"
Then Mr." Van Brunt remembered that
he had shaved off his beard. And when
he looked into the mirror and saw in
addition an ugly red seam along his face,
he was not surprised that she had not
who has risen from the dust of cattle
trails attempts to cross the gulf separat
ing him from British aristocracy his
audacity must be resented. The "ring"
had planned to go up the Nile by steamer.
Berths were secured and the steamer was
ringing her bell for "all aboard" when
Colonel Joslyn walked up the gangplank.
He had also decided to go up the Nile.
"For Gawd's sake!" gasped Sir George
as be recognized the man.
"Parbleu! but ze Amerlcaln!" growled
the Marquis.
'Donner and blitzen! but he vhas here!"
muttered the attache as hq tugged at his
mustache and gave It a fiercer appear
ance. "Hello, you folk!" shouted the Colonel
as he reached the deck. "I heard that the
Nile beat the Missouri River all holler as
a stream, and I'm going up to settle the
matter. How've you all been since I saw
you last?"
Eight people stared into space. Eight
heads were held stiffly. If there was a
man named Colonel Joslyn, of Dakota.
U. S. A, It was naught to them. He
might be living he might never have
lived. It was a cold, cold snub, but ft did
not worry the Colonel for five minutes.
He had never snubbed man or woman in
his life. He had ever been careful not to
humiliate his dog or his broncho. How
ever, other people were different, and If
snubbing was their way he would not
quarrel about It It was a small steamer,
with but few passengers, and for the next
four days the Colonel was snubbed almost
hourly. Whenever a landing was made
the excluslves walked about by them
selves, and the Colonel never tried to
force himself In. On the steamer he was
a Ieveler of caste; on land he had a limit.
Nothing of much consequence happened
until they had been afloat several days.
Then a breaking down happened to the
machinery, and the boat was tied to the
bank at a mud-walled village.
There was but little to see near at hand,
but a mile away was a pile of old ruins.
The "ring" started out first, and Colonel
Joslyn was the only one who followed.
The remainder of the passengers did not
think It would pay to tramp over the
sands under the hot sun. The man from
Dakota did not think much of the ruins
after he reached them. He gathered a
few souvenirs, and was about to return
to the steamer when he heard a cry for
help.- The people of the "ring" were half
a mile away when he last saw them.
The cry w?s In a woman's voice, and the
Colonel lost no time in answering it He
suddenly made his appearance behind a
great mass of debris, to find the party
of eight lined up in good order. An ugly
looking native with a pistol was holding
the victims steady, while -is "pal" was
passing the hat for contributions. In this
case they were expected to give liberally
if not cheerfully. Money, watches and
rings were being dropped into the hat as
it passed.
"Hello! A hold-up, eh!" exclaimed the
Colonel as he came to a halt "Well,
that's next to poker, and I'll take a
hand!"
The man with the pistol fired and
missed. The next moment he pitched for
ward unconscious. The other fellow at
tempted to run away, but the Colonel was
on bis back in tnree jumps. He was
twisted around, a blow was dealt under
his ear, and be too became unconscious.
"Bravo! Bravo!" cried the four men in
chorus: and. "Oh, you dear man!" ex
claimed the four women together; but
Colonel Joslyn held up his hand in warn
ing and said:
"Pocket that plunder and make for the
steamer. It looks to me as If there was a
A the "riAg" nioYed oiX he draw-a. SAYyJj&aalIy- The thl9Y -ashore aa.- how
recognized him. He would not have rec
ognized himself.
It was nearly 1 o'clock In the morn
ing when John D. Van Brunt, bidding
farewell to his hostess in the library,
heard the vestibule door open and knew
that Mr. Dumont had returned. He was
evidently drunk, for he lurched Into a
chair and knocked it down.
Mrs. Dumont fearing a scene, hastily
said "Good-night" and flitted upstairs.
Van Brunt remained undecided for a mo
ment; then he made up his mind to re
main where he was till Dumont had gone
upstairs also, as he loathed the man too
much to wish to. meet him.
But Dumont staggered Into the library
instead. In the dim light of the draped
library lamp - he saw the figure of Van
Brunt, and the surprise sobered him for a
moment.
He whipped out a revolver, pointed It
and said thickly: "Step out my fine bird,
step out Let's see what you are burglar
or lover."
Van Brunt remained silent, and Du
mont turned on an electric bulb.
.'Ab," said he, "I'll apologize to the
pretty hypocrite upstairs. Burglar it Is.
Don't move now. or I'll blow you to hell."
He backed carefully, reached toward
the wall with his disengaged hand and
pushed a burglar alarm.
In Van Brunt's brain the thoughts
whirled dizzily. He realized with horror
what a compromising situation had
arisen; and he remained silent and mo
tionless, trying to find some way out
revolver and acted as rear guard. They
wero not yet clear of the ruins when half
a dozen desperate-looking natives were
giving chase. None of the four men was
armed, but just before reaching the vil
lage they came upon a pile of, stakes.
Each seized one, and the dozen inen who
swarmed out of tho hovels to bar their
way did not dare to come to close quar
ters. Tha rear was well guarded. There
were 20 men slowly crowding up on the
American as he reached the bank, and
though most of them had muskets or pis
tols, they feared to open the battle. As
the party reached the steamer the natives
drew off. The captain, mate, engineer,
fireman and all the crew were Egyptians.
"They are robbers river pirates they
will capture' the steamer and murder us
all!" wailed the captain as he caught the
shouts of the retreating natives.
"Let's figure a little on that!" replied
the Colonel as he joined the excited group
on deck. "Did you ever hai?e a row with
pirates before?"
"Never! They are making ready to
open fire on us fromthe first hut!"
"Well, if you've had no experience, let
me run things for a while. Fighting
pirates can't be much worse than rioting
Indians. The first move is to get the
boat clear of the bank."
"But we've ho steam!"
"Then let her drift Get out these poles
and heave her off." ,
The steamer was carried a hundred feet
Into the stream before she lost her head
way, and then the anchor 'was dropped.
She was within musket range of the huts,
but was safe from a sudden rush. As
soon as the anchor was down everything
movable was carried to the starboard side
to protect the cabin from bullets, but the
place had not been made reasonably safe
when fire was opened. The flying bullet3
drove the crew to- their quarters, and the
officers and passengers Into the cabin, and
for the first time the people of the "ring"
had an opportunity to thank the Colonel
for coming to their rescue. Smiling as he
remembered the last snub, he hurriedly
replied:
"Yes, yes-all right all right We've
got a Jackrabblt for a captain, and It's
ten to one the crew are in with the rob
ber gang. I want to pay the engineer a
visit"
Ten minutes later he was back with the"
chief engineer. He had the native by the
neck, and the fellow was white with fear.
Aa he was whirled into a corner and
warned not to stir on peril of his life,
the man from Dakota explained:
"He disabled his own engines to lay us
up here. His assistant Is making re
pairs, and the firemen are chucking In
coal. Nice little plot but I think we'll
beat It Now, then, who has got pistols?"
The four men of the "ring" had re
volvers in their trunks, and the same
was the case with five other male pas
sengers. When the weapons were brought
out and loaded, two men were sent down
Into the engine-room to act as a tonic
on the assistant and his firemen. About
this time the mate began to act queerly
and he was hurried into the corner with
the other prisoners and Sir George -detailed
to guard them. The Honorable
Blackman took his place before the quar
ters of the deckhands, and then, by Col
onel Joslyn'a directions, the rest of the
armed men got such cover as they could,
and opened fire on the robbers who were
skulking along the "bank. It was not
prize target shooting, but it drove the
fellows back and lessened their fire. It
did not take 15" minutes to fix the
engines, and when they were pronounced
all right there was steam enough in the
boiler to go ahead with.
But they were not to get out of it so
37
rirrp
"Sit down." said Dumont. with drunken
gravity. "Take it easy till they come
to get you."
There was no way out He decIdedto
keep his mouth shut and trust to luck.
He (had only a vague Idea of what hap
pened to men after being arrested. No
Van Brunt had ever had any dealings
with the police. He had clear conscious
ness of only one thing, and that was that
at any cost he must shield the woman
he loved from scandal. He blessed the
accident that had made It Impossible for
Dumont to recognize him.
In twenty minutes, that seemed tq him
less than five, the doorbell rang, and
Dumont bade his visitor march before
him to the front door.
Two policemen were there. In another
minute they were leading their prisoner
down the stoop. And then Van Brunt,
in his bewildered condition, made a mis
take. He seized what he thought was
an opportunity, tripped one of his captors
and ran for It
"Almost instantly he went down. "When
he was lifted again It was only after fist
and club had pounded his face till it
was hideous.
The afternoon papers had a splendid
morsel next day. and "Murderous Bur
glar Caught by a Millionaire" made a
fine headline. And then began the work
ings of Chance No. 6 to keep all knowl
edge from the- woman.
Dumont had figured in an episode sin
gularly unsavory even for him, on the
evening of the "capture"; and the tale
of It was woven In with the tale of the
burglar In every paper. The result wa3
thatvDumont hastily took his wife away
on his steam yacht and kept the news
papers away from her. It was months af
terward when she heard of the episode,
and then no dates were mentioned. There
came to her not the faintest reason for
connecting the visit of John D. Van Brunt
and the capture of a poor devil of a
burglar.
Arraigned in a ponce court next morn
ing. John D." Van Brunt with a stitched
and bandaged face and clothing clotted
with blood, knew wha a- horrible mess
he had made of It He percelvdd clearly
that If he told now who he was, the wo
man's good reputation would be blasted
hopelessly. There was no way out and
as Robert Burns, John D. Van Brunt
want to the New York State Prison at
Sing Sing.
On a gray day last Autumn a convict
who had served his term got the prison
money he had earned, a suit of. clothes,
the usual advice for a better future, and
his railroad ticket to New. York. He rode
down to tho Grand Central Station and
disappeared in the roaring city.
In the closing days of last year the
cable dispatches announced that John D.
Van Brunt who at one time was sup
posed to have disappeared, but who really
had been touring the world, had married
the divorced wife of "Biff" Dumont In
Paris. J. W. MULLER.
things were progressing, and they sudden
ly ceased their attack and ran to a flat
boat lying against the bank- above the
village. A full score of them jumped la
and cast off. If they reached the steamer
they were strong enough to carry her by
boarding. There were calls for the crew
to get up the anchor, and calls for the
captain to take the pilot-house, but
neither was responded to. The crew
sulked in their quarters and the captain
trembled In the cabin. Colonel Joslyn
again came to the rescue. With a. ham
mer he knocked the shackle pin out of
the chain and let the anchor go, and then,
going to the- pilot-house he took the
wheel. Bullets fairly rained about him,
driving all others to cover, but he was
not hit
While the flatboat was still 50 feet
away the steamer began to move. The
robbers had planned to grasp her anchor
chain and swing alongside, and as she
headed away from them they rent the
air with their fierce screams, and con
centrated their fire on the man in the
pilot-house. Colonel Joslyn hid from view,
but it was only for a moment As soon
the the flatboat had drifted past he not
only got up, but he called to Sir George,
the Honorable, the Marquis and all oth
ers who could come. In 50 words he told
them his plan. Two minutes later the
steamer was describing a circle. When
she had half completed It "she was head
ed for the robbers' craft They fired and
shouted and used their cars, but she
came driving along and struck the flat
boat on her port quarter and tore her
stern away. As she struck there was a.
fusillade from the cabin windows. Look
ing back In the steamer's wake, the pas
sengers could not discover even a- single
swimmer. It was a complete annihila
tion. When'he realized this the captain
regained his courage, the mate stopped,
sulking and the engineer begged to be
sent about his duties. If there had been
a conspiracy it was no longer to be
feared.
After Colonel Joslyn had turned over
the command and things were running
smoothly, the "ring" sent for him. The
circle opened to let him aaihe arrived. He
was perspiring and he was grimy. He was
coatless and hatless, and his hair was in
a tangle. Sir George cleared his throat
and looked half ashamed as he began:
"Colonel Joslyn, It may have occurred
to you that that that this family party,
as It were, has not made any great effort
to-to "
"Sir!" Interrupted the Colonel, as he
drew himself up, "are you addressing
me?'
"Now, then, my dear fellow, you know
T-you see this party desires '
"When I desire your company I will
give you due notice," continued the Colo
nel, and looking over the heads of the
entire party, he marched off to his state
room to remove the stains of battle.
"For Gawd's sake!" whispered Sir
George, as he looked after him, and then
his companions looked at each other in
blank astonishment and swallowed hard
at the bitter pilL
.Spin Miles Upon Miles.
"The" cotton factories of Lancashire,
England," says. Edward Irving, "at pres
ent spin about 150,000,000 miles of thread
a day, so that in six seconds they make
enough to go around the earth. In one
month they spin enough to reach from
here to the moon. The product of IS days
would reach from the sun to Neptune.
Counting 210 working days in a year, it
would take them, at this rate, 500 years
to spin enough, thread to teach the near
est star" , ...