Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-12-04

had sold on the train. This occupied q
few minutes only, at the end of which
the conductor continued:
81 am sorry, but it is not here. You
see, use that book when sell ticket
for ANY distance, and as there is no
stub for anything from Lee it must be
that your man only made short ride.
The farmers along the line often do
that, and we let them simply pay the
agent where they stop off, the agent
giving us the ticket
"Can you tell, then, where this man
got Off"
81 cannot be sure about it. He must
have left the train either at Epping, the
next stop, or one station beyond that,
for we seldom let man ride farther in
the way that I have described. But
stop here minute and will ask my
brakeman if he knows"
The conductor was gone but few
moments and returned with disappoirt-
ment on his face.
"No.. He knows nothing; doesn't re-
member the man at all. But see here!
The thing is simple enough! ALI we
must do is to ask the agent at Epping,
and if not there it must have been at
the next"
Epping, a much larger town than
Lee, is but five miles from that place,
and therefore it was not long before
they reached the station. Immediately
Burrows and the conductor leaped from
the train and went up to the station
agent, who was delivering the mail
bags. 1t took but "a moment to explain
what was wanted and at once the agent
replied:
"Oh, yes, remember the man well
enough. He paid me for his ticket. !
hope there's nothing wrong"
'This gentleman will tell you," re-
piled the conductor in hurry, because
he could not keep his train waiting
Then turning to Burrows he continued:
"Mr. Burrows, let me Introduce you
to Mr.. Jennings. He will give you the
information which you want. Good
night! I wish you luckW A moment
later he and his train were lost to view
around curve, though deep rumbling
noise remained on.the air for many min
utes. Burrows turned to the.man beside
him and said:
81 am glad to meet you, Mr.. Jennings,
and I hope that You may be able to lend
me some assistance in the matter which
I am Investigating"
81 am at your service, sir. If you'll
tell me what can do for you, I'll be
only too happy, - replied the agent po-
litely.
~ am a detective and am after
man. I don't say the one who came
here on Sunday is he, but think so,
from the mysterious way in which he
acted at Lee. If you can tell me any
thing about him, you will earn my
gratitude.
"Well, don't know as can help you
much. I remember the fellow, partly
cause he stopped off from such a late
train and partly cause he had no ticket
and so had to bny one when he reached
here, but am afraid there amt much
more I can tell you."
Didn't he ask you any questions
where he could find a place to sleep at
so late an hour or anything Of that
kind?"
."Not word. He just took his satchel
ami marched off as if he knew all about
the place he meant to stop at. ="
"You say be took his satchel with
him?"
"Stop a minute. That gives me an
idea. You want to find where he put
up; ain t that the point?''
"That is precisely what am after. I"
"Very good As I said, he asked no
questions, but marched off. That's what
he did do. but your question about the
satchel reminds me- 1t seemed so large
that his going off on foot with it in his
hand attracted some attention, and as
one of the neighbors noticed that he
started off in his own direction he
jumped into his wagon, and as he drove
off he said to me, I guess I'll give the
stranger lift with his bag"
"Do you know whether the man ac-
cepted his offer or not?''
"Oh, yes; be had not turned the cor
ner there when Weston caught up with
him, and I saw him climb into the
wagon"
"Who is this Weston? Where can
find him!"
~ should say he's the very man you
want for more reasons than one. Not
only he can tell you where he dropped
his company Sunday night, but as he
keeps the hotel there be can put you up
for the night "
With few necessary directions as to
how to find the hotel kept by this man
Weston, Burrows started toward that
place. The hotel in question would
scarcely be granted so high sounding a
name in a city, but as it was the largest
hostelry in the place perhaps it was
we'll enough so to designate it. The
young detective reached it without any
difficulty and as easily found the pro-
prietor. After engaging room for the
night he at once approached the main
object of his visit.
"Mr. Weston," said he, 81 have been
informed that you picked up a stranger
at the depot last Sunday night and gave
him lift in your wagon. ."
eyes. that's true enough"