Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-06-09


sembled the man he had met on the
train.
The fellow entered a saloon, and Stu
art followed him and heard him speak.
He believed he recognized the voice, but
he was not positive. The man wore
cap pulled down over his face. so that
his eyebrows were concealed. But when
the man left the saloon, as he presently
did, he raised his cap, and Stuart made
a recognition.
At last he had found the man who had
brought an added weight of dreadful
suspicion upon him, and whom he be-
neved to be John Oakburn's murderer.
Stuart's heart leaped, and wild, ex-
ultant feeling came upon him, while his
nerves were tense with excitement.
At that instant the man turned and
looked Stuart full in the face.
The latter saw q look of recognition in
the fellows eyes, and no doubt the
other saw the same expression in Stu
arts flashing Orbs, for he wheeled about
and started to run.
Stuart Harland leaped after him, de-
termined that the supposed murderer
should not escape.
Halt" cried Stuart, and he strained
every muscle in the attempt to overtake
his man.
The next instant, when the chase had
blow on the head, and he fell to his
knees, but with a desperate effort, in
spired by the thought that the man who
might prove his innocence would escape,
he staggered up again, half senseless,
and saw Levi Kredge disappear around
a neighboring corner. The man of
whom he was in pursuit was no where
10 be seen. He had vanished mystic
riously.
Stuart reeled back against the wall Of
the nearest building, daZed and stunned
by the blow.
When he had sufficiently recovered,
Stuart made his way TO a neighbOring
corner, suffering from vertigo and dull,
heavy pain in his head.
The first passing car halted at a signal
from Stuart, and, boarding it, he was
carried rapidly out Of the neighbOrhoOd.
The incident which we have just re-
lated transpired so quickly that scarcely
anyone witnessed it, and no excitement
was occasiOned.
Stuart was enraged and bitterly dis
appointed.
1t maddened him to think that the sup
posed assassin had eluded him, and he
vowed to repay Levi Kredge for his das-
tardly blow if he ever had an opportunity
TO do so.
The young man proceeded directly to
the office of Paxton, the detective, to
whom he related his experience.
Acting under PaxtOn's instructions,
five minutes later Sayer and another of
the detectives agents were on their way
to that particular part of South street
In which Stuart Harland had encountered
the unknown and Levi Kredge. They
were TO attempt to trace these men from
this point.
While Stuart Harland was relating his
entered the detectives office and be-
came an interested listener to all the
young mans story.
Am 1 never to prove my innocence?
Am to be again placed on trial for my
life?" said Stuart, despondently, as he
concluded his narrative
4 believe disclosures will yet be made
that will flood this dark mystery with
liget, said Paxton, and he added:
Il made a little discovery the other
day, which l saw fit not to mention to
any one. but to encourage you will tell
you about it now"
Thus speaking, he opened a desk and
took out n small package.
1t was the very parcel we saw him
take from the closet in Levi Kredge's
room when he searched that apartment.
4 wish you to closely observe what
am about to show you" he said, and
canvas bag, such as gold coin is packed
in at the mint.
Paxton held up the canvas coin bag,
and both Stuart Harland and Stanmore
saw the name John Oakburn" printed
on the bag, as though the work had been
done with a pen.
Stuart Harland sprang forward and
examined the coin bag more closely.
I have seen that money bag in
John ORkburn's little safel Where did
you find it?" he cried.
I found it in Levi Kredge's room,
answered Paxton.
Then he had a hand in the murder
Perhaps" answered Paxton. AT all
events We now have good case against
kredge. Let me reeapitulate the point
i have made against him. First, it can
not be determined where he was at the
time OF the murder. Second, his boots
made the tracks under the office win
dow. Third, he has a large sum of
money now, which he did not have be-
fore the murder. Fourth, the money
bag known to belong to John Oakburn
and to have been kept in his private safe
is found in Kredge's room"
After all your labor has not been
In vain You have accomplished much, "
said Stuart.
True. but it yet remains to really
prove his guilt. After all, ours is but
presumptive evidence, replied the de-
teetive.
Paxton had business on hand, and ex-
eusing himself, presently he left the Of
fee
From the time of Levi Kredge's dis
appearance Paxton had felt confident
that his sister Judith knew where he
was, and he had placed a shadow on the
Woman's track as We have seen.
Although the result had not confirmed
the detectives belief, he had not
abandoned his opinion, and he had de-
termined that Judith should be the guide
to conduct him to her brothers. hiding
place.
He had racked his mind to devise some
ruse whereby he might turn Judith s
supposed knowledge to account, since
the shadow" had failed to track her TO
Lewis concealment-
Paxton tried the letter dodge, as the
detectives termed 1t among themselves
That is. he obtained a copy Of Levi
kredge's handwriting, and wrote note
like this:
-JUDIrH-Meet me tonight; same
place. l."
The note he duly mailed, and he
knew Judith received it.
But the woman paid no attention to it
whatever.
1t seemed that Judith Kredge was too
cunning to be easily overreaehed, but
Paxton did not despair
The detective had determined to at
tempt a grand eOup-to try the most
difficult representation of his life, all
things considered. In short, Paxton had
resolved 70 personate Levi Kredge, and
try to deceive the ianitor's own sister.
For a week the detective had been
considering this last and most difficult
expedient.
Every day he had been studying his
part and practicing the character upOn