The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1892-04-07

asked nlmSe1, ana 8lCnOuSu Hof0 was
no clue to guide his suspicious, by some
mental process which he could scarcely
have explained himself, his thoughts re-
verted to Levi Kredge, the janitor.
Perhaps the vague suspicious OF this
man, which entered his mind unbidden,
were prompted by an opinion which he
had recently formed that Levi Kredge
was spy and sneak.
Stuart had twice caught the fellow
with his ear at the key-hole OF Jason
Garrison's private Office when conaden-
tial transactions were taking place there.
The second time Stuart's anger gained
the ascendency, and he kicked Kredge
out of the Office.
The young man had not forgotten that
Kredge had flashed upon him a look Of
ferocious hate as he skunk away without
resenting the assault.
The fellow had not uttered a word,
but Stuart had read murder in the fierce
burning light of his eyes, and from that
moment he knew that the seemingly in
offensive and servile cripple was a dan
gerOus man.
The thought now occurred to Stuart
that it might have been the fellows pur-
pose in listening at key-hOles and in spy
ing about the Office to obtain knowledge
which would enable him to commit a rob-
berry when there was money in the safe.
So deeply impressed did Stuart be-
come with the idea that Kredge was
concerned in the murder that he deter
mined to mention the matter to Mr.. Gar
risOn, to whom he had never mentioned
.Kredge's eavesdropping, simply because
he despised anything like talebearing.
AS for himself, Stuart was sustained
by the consciousness Of innocence.
Meanwhile, when Daniel Pratt was
making his statement before the coro-
ner's jury, the elegant old gentleman
who had entered the Office just behind
him seemed strangely excited. His
hands were clinched, his lips COM
pressed themselves into rigid line, and
his beautiful, luminous dark eyes blazed
with dangerous light.
Despite this evidence Of his more than
passing interest in the proceedings be-
fore the coroner's jury, he was, as we
have stated, an entire stranger to all
present.
Did he hold some secret knowledge of
the actors in this life-drama which
caused his emotion?
When he hastily left the Office after
he overheard the banker inform the
coroner regarding the mark on the
money which had been stolen from
Jason GarrisOn's safe, he hurried d.
rectly to the office of Messrs. Pratt and
Weeks.
The Office of this firm of brokers was
arranged something after the manner Of
a bank, and at the moment when the
stately old gentleman entered it Mr..
Weeks, Pratt's partner, was behind the
screen-mounted counter engaged in
counting package Of money.
Producing a One-hundred-dOllar note
from his pocketbOok, the old gentleman
whom we have followed strobe forward,
and presenting the note alta little wicket
in the screen, he asked:
will you please accommodate me
with changer"
In one moment, sir, replied Weeks,
and he continued counting the money,
while the old gentleman remained
standing beside the open work screen.
From this position he obtained an ex-
cellent view of the money with which
Weeks was engaged, and he made dis
cOvery.
He plainly saw that each note in the
package Of money which Weeks was
counting was marked distinctly with
"V" in the upper left-hand corner of the
back of the same.
1t seems that the stranger must have
acted upon previously acquired knOwl-
edge when he hurried straight to the Of
flee of Pratt i Weeks, the moment he
acquired the knowledge that the stolen
money was all privately marked.
1T is the money John Oakburn'S muir
derer stole from Jason Garrison's safe,
said the aged stranger mentally, and he
thought:
Now, if he only gives me the marked
money in change, shall have the evil
its way into the possession of these vul-
lures. Are these birds of prey the as
sassin's accOmplices?"
In moment or so Weeks had counted
the marked money, and then he picked
the stranger had placed upon the cOun-
ter.
How will you have it?" he asked.
I'm two fifties, please" replied the
other, who had seen notes of that de-
money.
Lie Oh oil CA ACplCoScu tIC cACACCuucuC
he felt at this moment Of suspense, as
Weeks turned to the package Of marked
money. That he meant to give him two
notes from that package in exchange for
the one hundred dollar note was plain,
for he began to run over the notes in
search of the denominations required.
In a moment he found them.
With the two marked fifty dollar notes
in his hand, he was coming to the wicket
to hand them to the stranger, when the
door of the private department Of the
office, which was behind the counter,
was dashed open and Pratt rushed in.
Springing to his partners side. he
seized his arm, and Kissed in a whisper
some communication which he did not
hear.
Weeks uttered an oath and dropped
the two marked fifty dollar notes back
among the balance of the marked money.
Then he unlocked the money drawer,
and, taking out two other unmarked
notes, he spitefully threw them at the
aged stranger.
The latter secured them and turned to
the door.