Cogswell Polytechnical College - Cogswell Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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THE COGSWELL Sl -lack could hardly wait until the nest evening arrived. lle was to call on .Eleanor and tell her of his new project. .Ns he walked down the street, he wondered what she would say. l.'erhaps she would object, and then what? No! He was going through with it no matter what happened. He walked up some marble steps, tixing his tie and smoothing his hair as he ascended. lt was Inv' house. lle rang the bell. and was ushered by a neatly dressed maid, into a beautifully furnished room. For its vast size it was very homelike, with quantities ol bookcases anrl comfortable chairs. l-le found Eleanor cudclled up on a lounge of gold and satin. She had large blue eyes, a lair complexion and a small mouth, inside of which set perfect teeth. She wore a light conlection nl a house gown of some astonishingly attractive hue, and around her neck hung a magnificent chain of sapphires. She had been writing addresses, and the lingers she gave into his were smudged with ink. ,lack put her hand to his lips and laugliecl as he kissed the ink stains. She put her arms around his neck and locked lovingly into his manly lace. He was at home. 'Tm so glad to see you, lack. -lust think, it's been nearly a week since you'ye been here. It seems like a month to me. How do you like my new dress? she asked as she released herself from him and paraded the room. You look adorable in it, Eleanor. 'Tm so glad you like it. Father sent it to me from Paris. Eleanor, my dear, I have something' very important to tell you. l have a new positionf, lYhat? Oh lack! You were getting along so nicely, and I had hopes we could- Get married? he ventured. 'Yes-but now? lYhat are you going to do? 1 I am a detective working for the government, and am getting three hundred dollars a month. Eleanor's heart beat rapidly. Her 'lack a detective! Detectives always got killed. Oh, -lack, she cried pleadingly. You won't do it, will you? But it is- Say that you won't. Promise me. If you love me, don't undertake this unsafe adventure,'l and she nestled close to him. Eleanor, my dear, you don't understand. The police have been baffled by this man. He has stolen over half a million dollars in jewelry inside of three months. This must stop, and the governor has besto.wed the honor of finding the thief upon me. just think of that, dearielw It's all very nice, but I'd rather you wouldntt do it. Wl1y do you know that the night before last while the governor was having a party he was robbed of two thousand dollars' worth of jewelry. And the strange part of it was that the house was surrounded with police- men who never even saw a man either enter or come out. 7 How strange?

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50 THE COGSWELL the Governor want of him? his pace until he stopped entirely. Wfhat did That was the question that puzzled jack's mind as he hastened to catch the five two for New York. I The ride took just an hour, and jack found himself in the heart of New York. He jumped into a taxi and drove to the Leland Club where he was to dine with the governor. I-Ie waited several moments in the lobby, and then a grey-headed gentleman walked toward him with out- stretched hand. He was dressed in taultless style and had a most polished air about him. He was rather bald, rather red, and, though a handsome, well-made man, too stern and pompous in appearance to be prepossessing. f'XNe11, jack my boy, it is indeed a pleasure to see you. But you're looking thin. Wforking hard, I suppose ? UNO. About the same as usual. You look troubled, jack. You're wondering why I sent for you. VVell, letls go down and get a bite to eat first and then-prepare yourself for the worstf' and the governor laughed heartily. They finished a simple dinner, and sat at the table enjoying an after dinner cigar. At last the governor broke silence by saying, jack, are you still in love with Eleanor? A As jack merely blushed and did not answer, the governor continued, You don't see so much of her since you have been working out of town, do you ? No, I donlt, but you see- I-Iow would you like to work under me, jack? I should like nothing better, governor, but what could I do? jack, no doubt you have read of all these burglaries in New York ? Yes . W7ell, they must stop, and the governor emphasized this by bringing his hand down on the table with a bang. Nine burglaries inside of a month is surely a record. The police are baffled, and something must be done. Last night we gave a party and during the frivolity we were robbed oi two thousand dollars' worth of jewelry. I was talking to your god-father this morning and he told me you were the boy who could bring this man to justice. I'll pay you three hundred dollars a month, and if you get the thief you'll receive the reward of fifty thousand dollars offered by the Metropolitan Insurance Company. jack hesitated only a moment. He did not see why he shouldn't accept the offer, as it was a hundred and fifty dollars increase per month. Eleanor would surely be pleased, and he could marry her sooner for her father would not permit the marriage on a hundred and fifty a month. He would be pleasing the governor, the best friend he had had in the world since his father's death. f'Governor, I'll accept. ' The governor grasped his outstretched hand. God bless you. i UHGOOCI-by, governor. Iill do all in my power to bring that man to justice. No! Not even 'Eleanor shall stand in my way. Xkfith these words, he hurried out of the room.

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52 THE COGSVVELL Yes, it is. But I believe it was the Society Burglar who- The Society Burglar? she gasped, and fell back on the lounge. jack took her in his arms. She was trembling from head to foot. IWhat is the matter, dear? K'Oh, jack, Iim so frightened! Did I ever tell you about him F UNO. VVell, about three years ago, just after my brother left for the Vlfest, we were robbed. INhy didn't you tell me. Uh, I couldnt Wfell, the man got in some way, although there were no windows broken or marred and all the doors were locked. He was in full dress and wore a black mask. I-Ie entered my room through the porch doors and lit the light. He seemed to know where everything was. I awoke and started to scream, but he gagged me before I could make any one hear me. I-Ie helped himself to my jewelry, tipped his silk hat as he went and left me there helpless. I remained so until the next morning, when Anne came in with my breakfast. The police could not find the slightest clew. I've always wished to get even with him. jack, I've changed my mind. I do want you to go, but be careful. I hate him for what he did and I'd like nothing better than to have him brought to justice, especially by youf, I'll do it, jack said, rising from the lounge. I know you will. But don't waste any time. Start in now. The day you capture the Society Burglar I will become your wife. Do you mean that? and jack took her in his arms. A He did not wait for an answer. He could tell by her eyes that she was sincere. I-Ie gave her a tight squeeze, pressed his lips to hers and quickly left the room. He now was determined. He was not only working for justice, honor and money, but for the hand of the girl whom he worshiped. A week had elapsed. jack was disheartened. He sat in his comfort- able armchair with bent head trying to think of a clew to help him unravel the mystery about the burglaries. I-Ie had accomplished little during the week. He was sure that some guest was the thief since all the thefts had been committed on the night that a large party was being held. Society had surely taken in some untempered steel. If he could only manage to be at one of the parties without being suspected. But how could he do so? He was not well enough acquainted to be invited and it would spoil every- thing to Ubutti' in because he would be suspected. Hundreds of suggestions entered his mind, but he had a strong argument against all of them. Thus he sat all day long thinking, thinking, thinking, but to no avail. He would not give up. He wanted to make good and, above all, he wanted Eleanor. A slight ,noise came from behind him. He did not move. Then suddenly he jumpedvup .and drew his automatic. He calmly slipped the revolver back in his belt and smiledfor the first time that day. Instead of looking into the eyes of a sneak thief he was looking into the eyes of a beautiful girl's portrait which had been printed on a piece of sheet music. The music lay on the floor. It had been blown down from the piano by