Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-19

on this route, and the inspector had come
to Vigo to locate the leak-and having
found it to stop it,
Will Cantrell, the Vigo postmaster, met
him at Layne's after supper, and the in
spector was soon in possession of such III
formation as Cantrell had to give.
You say it's always money that's miss
ing?" asked Jaffray, after the postmaster
had told what he knew.
Yes. mostly, but as far as we know, it
began with ring that John Corny ordered
from Nashville for his girl 1t came this
far all right, because l mind seem a little
package marked to John; but he says it new
did rech him..
What kind OF ring was it?'
plain gold was what he sent for; there
was go.n' to be marryin', L reckon"
Where does Corny live?"
up in Loder's Cove; Graffville's his post
office"
That's this side of the Gap, ISN'T it?,
No. it's on the far side, the way the
routes carried Anderson goes up on this
side O. the valley and comes back on the
other-makes a circuit"
"Humph! Andersons the carrier 1 sup
pose. What do you know about him."
We'll, don't know. Lafe's a toler'b BILE
good sort of boy; son of old man Ande'soa
up on Long Mountain. Does his work all
right, far as 1 know, and new heard any
thing against him."
The inspector nodded absently and began
to make idle hieroglyphics with his pencil
on the margin of a newspaper he had been
reading. Cantrell waited patiently for the
final question, and presently it came.
What is your theory about this thing
Cantrell?'
The postmaster tilted his chair and thrust
his hands deep into his pockets Il don't
know as I've got any, Mr.. Jaffray Seems
like it's amongst half dozen of US up here,
and reckon I'd better stand on line with
the rest till you find out who's dom IT,
But you reported the thing yourself"
said the inspector.
Cantrell smiled. "Ye-es. but a heap big
I iuI,t,
that
That's so we'll keep you in mind as one
OF the poss!bles," said the inspector; but he
laughed in way to set Cantrell's mind at
rest upon that score. Then, with a sudden
return to the business of the moment-"Lets
see; tomorrow is the regular mail day l
suppose you have the pouch Anderson car
ries?"
Yes, it's.down at the store"
Get your hat and we'll go down and have
look at it,
They went out together and stumbled
along the rocky road through a half mile
of inky darkness to the country store Cam
trell admitted his companion, struck a light
and found the pouch. 1t was old and well
worn, and the inspector pointed out a small
hole frayed through one of the creases in
the leather.
why haven't You reported this?" he
asked.
II have; I've kicked about it till I'm nlum
tired. You know the supplies for the route
are ordered by Godfrey at the Gap and I've
sent word to him by LATE half a dozen
times"
Jaffray threw the pouch under the co,,n-
ter That's the Leak he said, briefly.
Good night"
And the next morning. when Farmer
Layne would have called his guest to
breakfast, the porch bed rcorn was empty.
Al half-past the same morning young
Anderson rode up to the porch in front of
oantreH brothers store, threw the lean
mall pouch across his saddle and set ont
whis.llng upon his twenty-t hrec-mile ride
to the Gap. He was a handsome young
iehoW, as the mountain youth go, which is
70 say mat he was not leaner than was
consistent with grace and suppleness: that
TVS race mad not yet taken on the express
zion OF settled melancholy which seems to
De the heritage of the mountain folk men
ana women, and that his eye was bright
ana f9driess, and his laugh had the ring in
IL Whlch is supposed to vouch for a light
neart and clear conscience. If Ipspector
1aHray' beng endowed with the gift of in
Fsinllly, could have ridden beside the
mail carrier through the September fore
noon, he would have seen nothing amiss
AT Bray's Flat ut Powderville and aa,Iin
al Long Mountain, Anderson kept well
Wltnn the letter Of his Instructions hand
ing the locked pouch to the postmaster
ana louhging about in front of the store
until 1t was brought out to him again. At
the Gap. however, which was tho ,nd nf
his route for the day. he hitched his
horse before the largest of the three stores
ard carried the pouch back to the high
desk, where young girl was perched upon
a stool, knitting her brows over a dog $
cared account book. r.
"Howdy, Lafe?" she said, getting down
to open the pouch.
Purity toler'Ele. Whar's you-un's paw
don't know; down to Lukens's,
reckon"
She pulled the strap through the staples,
and, dumping the mail on the counter be-
gan to call it off to the group of expectant
ioungers and towns people, keeping up
desultory conversation with the m all car
rier at the same time
Doc. Parks-Many Golfin-John Trevor
what-an news is there down at Vigo,
1afe?"
'Nothin' much, not as I herd"
You'd new hear anything nohow-Jeff
Greer-Eph Sanders-here's letter for you
all. Eph-hawss gone lame. LATER
mo; whyr'