The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-04-15

warned, I Jotted down his name. g
the registering procession moved along
until at last all had left their thumb
| marks and 1 had listed just about a
| dozen names.
"Now," said Banks, lifting the mys.
| terious package, Il have here a small
magic lantern through which propose
to put the slide bearing the impress
sions. 1t is now dark enough. I fancy.
! and-yes-the back of that large cal
endar yonder viii serve excelen.ly rs
q white surface. Oblige me. Mr.. VIII
liams, by turning its face to the wall.
Thank you"
While speaking my friend had busted
himself preparing the lantern so that
matters moved absorbingly and with
out delay.
ITO make the test little more in
teresting," he continued, II viii first
show you the thumb mark of gentle
man whom / have . great desire to
meet. We will compare the others
with this one"
On the disk Of light thrown upon the
wall appeared a peculiar arrange
ment of lines, jagged. running into
each other, beginning nowhere and
ending in the same place.
Presently with my list before him
Banks pushed the long slide in and
stopped at No. 4. For few seconds
he allowed it to show out beside the
first. 1t exhibited conformation en-
tirely different. He then superiInposed
them or placed the figure on the NOV
ing slide directly over that on the
stationary one. The result was
most confused network of interviewer
lines.
Quickly he hurried through nv list,
treating each in the same manner and
allowing the dissimilaritics to speak
for themselves. Presently one of the
thumbmarks fitted so nicely over the
stationary one that not o single veria-
ton could be observed. There was no
crossing of lines and no blur. So per-
feet was the matching of the impress
sion that turned ny eyes toward the
lantern TO be sure that the two sides
were really there. As 1 did so ]
noticed q commotion in the back part
of the room. Then cane yell from
Banks
''Seize him-John Trasker-the muir
derer! Don't let him escape, men,
Before Q hand could be raised to stay
him John Trasker had plunged head
foremost through the window and was
flying with terror at his heels down
the road.
Ere the doors could be opened and Q
hue and cry raised he had secured
long start. As it was only dusk out
side and there were few houses near
the factory. he was still in view. how
ever. and the men tore after him with
cries Of "Stop the murderer! Stop
him.
Presently a clatter Of hoofs was
heard and . horse and rider dashed
past them, and gained rapidly upon the
fugitive. Seeing he would be shortly
overtaken if he kept the road, Trasker
climbed stone wall and dashed across
meadow.
With leap the rider cleared his sad
die; with a single bound he went over
the wall and almost before the other
pursuers realized what was happening,
John Trasker was struggling to free
his pinioned arms from the iron grasp
of his muscular captor.
"Why, if it isn't Stantonr' cried Mr..
Williams in surprise, as he and tho
Others came up.
"Goodp' exclaimed Banks, with .
grin; this is little bit Of poetic jus
tice hadn't arranged for"
! Arriving at the factory. Trasker
broke down and made a most abject
confession. He had planned ito re-
main behind that evening to rifle the
open safe. Overhearing the quarrel
between uncle and nephew, he saw
how it might be used to his advantage.
On his way through the general Office
he looked through Stanton's desk and
secured his knife. Returning after
the deed to complete the evidence
against the young fellow, he had left
the discriminating thumb-mark-
IS for Stanton, his story was very
simple. He had returned to the prem
Uses last evening with view to apollo
giving to his uncle, but pride overcom-
ing his good intention, he had gone
away again without entering. Short
" afterward meeting friend, who
lived some twenty miles from town, he
had been tempted with the prospect Of
days shooting to accompany him
home. Three o'clock that afternoon.
and just after they had got back from
the woods, the first information of
what had occurred reached him, and
borrowing his friends marc he started
post haste for the factory, with what
result has already been made known.
+ Banks received a handsome check
and abundant thanks from his charm
ing young client, and some fifteen
months later an invitation to the we'd