The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-04-08
A DEPUTY CULPRIT
By FRANCIS LYNDE.
Copyright, 1907, by the Aothor.l

daily events-the departure of the pas
senger train in the morning and its ar
rival at supper time. To do honor to
both of these the Vigon corps de loisir
was won't to gather in force on the sta.
tion platform twice day, and, know
ing this, Inspector Jaffray dropped from
the farther side of the incoming train
and beckoned to a man who stood in the
shadow Of loaded coke car on the
mine siding
How are you, Layne? Let's get away
from here before anybody recognizes
me" he said. You got my letter."
II did so. Hit come last night.
Good. hope it won't put you out
to take caro- of me-"
IL reckon you know better'n that"
said Layne responsibility. He was a
Tennessee farmer in whom hospitality
was in some sort birthright, and In
spector Jaffray was an old friend.
II do know it, but it's one of those
things man says from force of habit
Have you seen Cantrell?"
yes He'll be long up to the house
after he's called the mail. l didn't tell
him you all was comm. "
THAT was right
Layne led the way up to the mine
shoot, keeping behind the coal and
coke cars, and from thence they sllirted
the village, reaching the farmhouse in
its farther fringe without meeting any
one. As man the inspector was known
throughout his district as II jovial COM
panion, the best of story tellers and an
undisguised good fellow, but as an Off
Ger of the postofiice department he was
skillful to plan, quick to execute and
very beagle of the service in the secrecy
of his methods and the rapidity of his
movements. And it was an as officer
that he came to Vigo on this Septem-
Der evening
The little mining town was the ter
minal station on the Long Mountain
branch of the railway and the distrib-
uting office for biweekly mail route
which included half dozen villages in
the upper end of the valley. Within
month number of valuable letters and
packages had been missing on this route,
and the inspector had come to Vigo to
locate the leak, and, having found it, to
stop it.
Will Cantrell the Vieo postmaster,
met him at Laynes after supper, and
the inspector was soon in possession of
such information as Cantrell had to
give.
"You say it's always money that's
missing" asked Jaffray after the post
master had told what he knew
Eyes. mostly. But as far as we know
il began with ring that John Corny
ordered from Nashville for his girl. 1t
came this far all right because | mind
seem a little package marked to John.
But he says it new did reich him. -
"What kind of ring was it?''
"Plain gold was what he sent for
There was goin to be a marryin,
reckon"
"Where does Corny live?"
up in Loder's Cove. Grafville's
his postoffice. "
"That's this side of the gap, isn't it?"
mo, it's on the far side, the way the
routes carried. Anderson goes up on
this side of the valley and comes back
ON the other-makes circuit.
"Humph! Anderson's the carrier,
suppose. What do you know about
him?"
"Well, / don't know. Lafe's a toler-
bile good sort of Il boy-son of old man
Anderson up on Long mountain. Does
his work all right, far as l know, and
] new heard anything against him.
The inspector nodded absently and
began to make idle hieroglyphs with
his pencil on the margin of IA 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
81 don't know as I've got any, Mr.
Jaffray Seems like it's amongst half a
dozen of us up here, and ! reckon I'd
better stand on II line with tho rest till
you find out who's doin it.
But you reported the thing your
self, =" said the inspector
Cantrell smiled. Wees. But heap
bigger fool than l am might've thought
of doin that -
That's so Well keep you in mind
as one of the possibles, said the in
spector, But he laughed in way to set
Canuell's mind at rest upon that score
Then, with sudden return to the bust
ness of the moment: Let : see. Tomor-
row is the regular mail day. ] suppose
you have the pouch Anderson cairies2"
Eyes It's down ut the store. "
"Get your hat and We'll go downand
have look at il. "
They went out together and stumbled
along the rocky road through halt
mile of inky darkness TO the country
store Cantrell admitted his ompanion,
struck light and found the pouch 1t
was old and well worn, and the III
spector pointed out small hole frayed
through one Of the creases in the leather
why haven't you reported this?" he
asked.