Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1888-05-17

but comfortable establishment. He was
bachelor of fifty, small, mild man, looking
even older than he was.
One half of his friends and acquaintance
regarded him as a crank, while the rest
maintained that, IN spite of some eccen-
tricities. he had fund Of native shrewd-
ness that might have been genius under
different circumstances.
The trouble was that he had never been
obliged to pin down to any regular work.
As a young man he had taken up first one
Profession and then another; he had veered
around to science and then to trade, and
finally settled down to books and gardening
for pleasure, varying his seclusion by dip
ping now and then into the affairs of the
world, sometimes an agitator, sometimes
as philanthropist. With all his vagaries,
he was a generous hearted man, and his
nephew, Norris. had lived for a half-dozen
years in his household, the recipient of his
bounty and the weather-vane of his ideas
which had left the young man little worse
off, perhaps, than if he had been thrown
upon his own endeavors in his tender
years. However, he had the good sense to
rebel when he came Of age, and turned his
hand to the first honest calling which Of
fercd. He had been two years in the eX-
press service, and t1attered himself that he
was a trusted employe, when his abrupt
dismissal brought him up standing, as it
were, and cut away some of the self-con-
ceit which goes with youth and inexperi-
ence the wide world over.
There being nothing to interfere, he went
on the afternoon following his receipt of
that dispatch to pay visit to his uncle.
Amos Bergman met him with hearty
handshake and congratulation for what
the young man was disposed to regard as q
decided misfortune.
''Glad you are out Of the business, my
boy. 1t never did give 4 chance to the
capacities that are in you. Purely mechan
zeal, without scope for the reasoning pow
ers, but there's an opening now that will
tax them, if you choose to avail yourself of
it''
'If can reason out new situation l
Shall be very glad, Uncle Amos"
That's it exactly" cried Amos Bergman.
''Or let US say occupation, to be eX-
act, for it will be to your advantage to
work independently in this matter. l
haven't any doubt of your fitness for the
work, and I'll advance the necessary funds
for expenses, etc. No thanks, my boy! I'll
have my reward in seeing you win the
honors, as I'm sure you will"
"But, my dear uncle, what is the work!"
"Well-you know always said you had
the making of a lawyer In you:' broke Off
Uncle Amos, with just the least suspicion of
anxiety apparent IN his manner.
''Yes," laughed Norris 'And of doctor,
and minister, and stock broker, and l
dare say, of gambler, and a craftsman,
also, if the simple idea were not too shock
ing to contemplate. You have always rated
my abilities away to the upper notch, that's
certain. What is the fancy now, Uncle
Almost"
at struck me, as soon as l read the re-
ports. / said to myself Norris has all the
advantage of having been on the ground
He has the making of a detective in him'-I
think had it myself, when was younger
and he'll see what l sec that the second
robbery'is only 4 cover for the first. Find
out the man who stole the single package,
and you'll have the root Of the whole affair
in your hands You'll make name for
yourself, my dear boy, for mark my words,
this is no ordinary robbery. There is some
deep plot, some scheme of wrong doing
which reaches farther than the public sus-
poets, and yours will be the grand oppor-
tunity to unearth the whole villainous COM
pication, and bring it to naught.''
Norris was well used to his uncle's enthus-
iasm over his hobby of the moment, and an
amused smile covered about his lips as he
listened to the growing eloquence of the
elder man.
..You evidently allude to the recent ex-
press robbsries. You seem to forget, though,
that the regular detectives are at work, and
at fault, too, as far as can learn
''Of course they at fault. They're deep
in the old rutS. 1t needs a young. clever
fellow. without bias, unntiuenced by the
deductions drawn from previous cases.
Don't | tell you this is a robbery without a
parallel. The superintendent of your di-
vision himself admits that. He told NE
had grounds for my theory when l ex-
planned it to him.
What! you have been to the officers of
the company. uncle: When: What had
YOU 10 say to them:'
Nothing to your discredit, you may be
sure, Norris. They seemed quite struck by
my reasons for thinking you the very man
to unravcl their mystery
''What reasons. IN the name of all!''
swell. there's that affair of the trap in
the car floor, evidently the work of Il me-
chanc. nothing rough or bunging about the
job. When told them that you had quite
a genius for working in wood. that You
were as wellupi calculations and measure
ments as any skilled carpenter, and could
do as neat a job of repairing conveying
the idea that you might find something in
the shape of clue that would pass I'M
noticed by an unframed eye-they really
seemed quite impressed
You did that, Uncle Amosr:
Norris spoke slowly, looking at his uncle,
with sudden cloud dropping over his face
Certainly l did it, testify Il have
your advancement too much at heart to neg
lect such an opportunity
A dim vision of all that this statement
meant dawned upon Norris. What wonder
if the company looked On him with sus-
picious eyes! What wonder if they re-
garded the concealed aperture in the car
floor as a ruse of his own creating and his
story of Robber No. One as mere cover to
shield himself!
Here was the true explanation of his alb
rupt dismissal, and of the spy set to dog his
steps.
Quite unaware of his nephew's bitter
thoughts, Uncle Amos concluded, cheer
fully:
YES. they seemed quite impressed. and
though of course they couldn't feel justified
to put the job wholly in your hands. know
from a remark of the superintendent they'll
be glad 10 have you at work on it. Your
nephew shall have abundant opportunity
for proving your good opinion Of him. Mr.
Bergman'-those were his very words 4
shall not be at all surprised if our mystery
is solved through HIM yet So you see.
Norris, how much depends on the efforts
you make"
81 90 see very clearly. Uncle Amos, and
shouldn't wonder if you were to drive me
INTO playing the part of detective YETI
CHAPTER ".