Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-09-23
CHAPTER XII. NCOME r0 Mp 8

1 MOTHS paid that proposed visit to his
 uncle when he left the bankers home. He
 found Amos Bergman deep in a study of l V1docq, but none the less glad to have his
 poy pack in the quiet cottage which was l sometimes just little lonely for even such
 Q self-suficient man as Uncle Amos l "You couldn't possibly have come at a
 better time, Norris," be exclaimed, gleeful- l ly. "1 want to sec how my theory holds
 together in other eyes than my own. l l think have it perfect at last, but they say
 an authors judgment is always at fault | regarding his own creations, and if there is
 flaw want to know it. You don't think
 l am flching from your domain, hope9
 This idea of yours about going into the bank
 is not bad. You'll be in a position there to
 do me some good, perhaps, if your own case
 don't suffer by it."
 1 "What theory have you created, Uncle
 AmQQRSitnn QRi the ur,v p...ou,
 in Hverleigh's thought that there was some
 one behind Edison. That man did the work
 ana got away with the spells. He was suc-
 cessful in lodging the officers and hiding,
 nrst m one place and then in another, but
 naturally enough he got tired of that after
 a tune. Besides, he'd got little good out of
 his stolen fortune. It wasn't the love of
 money made him steal it; it was the love of | ease, the desire for luxury, good living and
 the like. Having the means, he was as far
 or from the end of enjoying these as ever. | soto bring about the end for which he had | slnned, he-died."
 ".Certainly a queer way of doing it. Uncle Amos.'
 "Not when you understand. It only goes | 10 snow how clever tho man is. don't say
 Uas, you perceive"
 "Then you think"
 "That he is still in the land of the living yes That the death was sham.
 planned and executed very skillfully, I have no doubt, to stop pursuit. If it was real, there would be some trace of the banks funds. He would either turn them over to his friends or try to buy himself off from the Judgment of the next world by return ing them to Everleigh. He did neither. The detectives think that he had them hidden, and so do I-where he can go back ana enjoy them when the whole affair has blown over and been forgotten"
 "You are Pere Tabaret for reasoning.n said Norris, with smile
 "The thing seems plausible to you, thena'
 "Oh, very plausible. The only point against it is, that things of that kind are not easily covered over. There would have to be accompllces, or at least false rec ords.''
 " A clever man could manage it. We'll pass over the difficulties, and sec what comes next. Supposing that he is dead and buried in the eyes of the law, where would a person of Edson's stamp naturally turn to hide himself? Not an intellectual man, a plodder ln fact, understanding no language but his own, after living all his life here, what chance would there be for him to have good time in foreign countriess Not any. There's more probability of his drift ing back here in some sort of disguise where he knows his ground and will not feel altogether outcast and alone"
 "Then your idea is to watch for him here3"
 Norris had learned to be patient With his uncle's hobbies. He looked at all this as another chimera, to be pursued while the novelty lasted, then dropped and forgotten, but he would not wound the relative who had been kind to him in his own eccentric way by saying as much.
 A shrewd look came into Amos Bergman's shriveled face.
 "1ve given you my theory in full, but shall not give even you my plan of action. A pretty detective I'd make, even of the amateur sort, if didn't know when to hold my tongue. It's lesson you have learned very well, my boy, very we'll indeed, and approve of it in you. Come and see my flowers while the daylight lasts.''
 He arose with alacrity and led the way, as if anxious to leave the subject they had been speaking on. Norris blushed a little to feel that he was leaving wrong impress sion by his silence. He had lost all zest in his own effort at detective work; the mys- tery of the train robbery was likely to re- l main as much a mystery to the end, and of l late he had not felt so sensitive on account l of the express company's suspicion.
 He staid three days at the cottage, then finding Amos Bergman still absorbed Tn his | theories and plans, went back to his city | lodgings. 5 It was only the middle of December now | He had quite two weeks at his disposal be- | fore settling down to the routine of bank | auty-for Norris had made up his mind to | go to work there with the new year. He | had a check ill his poclzet-book which Uncle | Amos had insisted upon giving him for ex-