The Springdale news., 1888-06-15
CHATTER XII.


 Norris paid that proposed visit to his uncle when be left the baaker's home. He found Amos Bergman deep in study of Vidocq, but noae the less glad to have his boy back ia the quiet cottage which was sometimes just little lonely for even such q self-sufiClent man as Uncle Amos
 "You couldn't possibly have come at a better time, Norris, be exclaimed, gIeeful- lY. |" l want to see how my theory holds together il other eyes than my own. think have is perfect at last, but they say an authors judgment is always at fault regarding his own creations, and if there is q flaw want to know it. You don't think l am filehing from yoar domain, I hopei This idea of yours about going into the bank Is not bad. Nou'I be in q position there to do me some good, perhaps, if yoar own case don't suffer by it
 What theory have you created, Uncle Amosln
 ''ln the first place, l don't take any stock in Eyerleigh's thought tAat there was some one behind Edson. That man did the work and got away With the sp8ils. He was sue cessful in dodgiug the officers and hiding, first in one place and then in another, but naturally enough hc got tired af tSat after time. Besides, he'd got little good out of his stolen fortune. l. Wasn the love of money madc hiH steal t; 1t WIS tho love of ease the desire for luxury, good living and the like. Having the means, he was as far of from the end ef enjoying these as ever, soto bring about the end for which he had sinned, hs--dieda
 "Certainly queer Way of doing it, Uncle Amos"
 T Not when y8H undeFztand. It only goes to show how clever u. nan ia. 1 don't say anaS, you p2rccivc.a
 "Then you thiali--u
 ''That he is still in the land of the living ! yes ! That the death was sham, planned and execated very skillfaily. have no doubt to stop pursuit If il was real, there would be some traco Of the bank funds. He would either turn them over to his friends or tsy t3 buy himself of from the judgment of the Hext world by return ing them to Everieigh. He did neither The detectives think that he had them hidden, and 30 do I-waere he con go back and eajey them when the whole affair has blown over and been forgotten T
 You are Pere Ta5aret for reasoning" said Norris, with Il smile.
 Tho thing seems plausible to you, thenm
 :" Oh, very plausible. The only point against it is, taaJ things of that kind arc not easily covered over. There would have to be aeeomp!iees CT at least false rec erdsn
 ;" A ctevor man coald manage it. We'll pass oyer the difficulties, aad see what eomea next. Sappoaiag that he is dead and buried H the eyas of the law, where would q person Of Easons stamp naturally turn to hide hi.aself' N] an intellectual man, a plodder Ii fact, understanding no language but his own, after living all his life here, what chance would there be for him to have a good time in foreign coqntriesl Not any. There's M3re probability Of his drift ing back here in some sort of disguise where he knows his ground, and viii not fee! altogether outcdst and alone.n
 "Then your idea is to watch for him here. 5
 Norris had learned to be patient with his uncle's hobbies. He looked at all thls as another ehimera. to Dc pursued while the novelty lasted, then dropped and forgotten, hut he would not wound the relative who had been kind to him III his own eccentric Way by saying as much.
 A shrewd lock came into Amos Borgman'5 5 shriveled face.
 !" I've gwen you my theory in fult, but shall not give even you my plan of action. pretty detective I'd make, even of the amateur sort, if didn't know when to hold my tongue It's a lessen you have learned very wei, my boy, very well indeed, and approve of it in you Come and sec my flowers while tae dayiigh, lasts"
 He arose with Hlacrity and lei the way, as if anxious to leave the subject they had
 
 to feel that he vas leaving q wrong impress sion by his silence. He aad lost all zest in la.s oNn effort at detective work; the mys- tery of the train robbery was likely to re- main as much mysterpto the end, and of late he had not fcit 80 sensitive on account Of the express company suspicion.
 He staid three days at the cottage. then finding Amos Bergman still absorbed ln his theories and plans, went buck to his city lodgings.
 It was only tae middle Of December now. He had quite two weeks at his Gisposal be- fore settling down to the routine of bank duty for Norris had made up his mind to go to work there with tho new year. He had check iii his p0ekef-book which Uncle Amos had insisted upon giving him "fer ey- penses. my boy; you know I sail would see you through ? and though Norris had seized upon the opportunity to explain that Ae had no hopeof discovering the trainrob- bcrs, the other had oaly ,au ghsd and refused to be convinced.
 "TalSe your eyvn timc my lad Thero's nothing gaa4ed by 5eiaE ia to much of q hurry. Come . me #aen you want more and Use that a you please. 1 haven't had my eyes shut, though you may think so Your friend Calder IS q brick, eh3-lucly that lis loss wasn't sueh as b worry him much a fine follow, bG, We could wish he was more socta5le and not SD much oil his guard By the way. did he % to see you ,fta-. ,..,s, ,... r44 fs,r+1 I tLa14-A4 u~tH Vut