Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1900-08-17


cheap leather handbag. stamped in imita-
tion of alligator skin.
The police are now looking for its owner
In the hope that he will be able 10 throw
some light on the mystery OF the pistol
shots"
When DR.. Murdoch had finished read
ing, everybody, except Dunlap and
Sturgis, looked disappointed. The
former settled back in his chair, the
muscles Of his face relaxed, and the
anxious bank president once more be-
came the genial and polished man of
the world The reporter sat gazing
thoughtfully at his wineglass
"Well, Mr.. Sturgis," said Murdoch,
what do you think of py little prob
LEM"
81 have already been assigned to
work up this case for the Tempest" an
swered the reporter, quietly.
Indeed? Perhaps you are the au-
thor of this very article? No? Then
are you willing TO make the solution
of this little mystery the subject of
our wager and the test of your theo-
-: %"
Hold on, DOCTOR" exclaimed
Sprague; you are doing Sturgis an
injustice. Why pick out, as test of
his ability, problem which, TO all in
tents and purposes, has already been
solved by the police? Give him some
truly lnotty question and he will be in
his element; and then, at least, some
interest will attach to your wager"
"Ah. you think the problem has al
ready been solved?"
ITO be sure. The article YOU have
read us started out as if it were going
TO prove interesting; but, instead of
that. il ends in an anti-climax What
is the crime here? The confessed theft,
by a petty sneak thief, of a satchel
worth, with its contents, perhaps eight
or ten dollars. And where is the mys-
terry? The ownership of few pieces of
unmarked linen of so little value that
the owner does not care to take the
trouble TO claim them"
Il cannot agree with you, Mr.
Sprague. While the crime in this case
may be petty theft, il contains. 10 my
mind. interesting features, which you
appear to lose sight Of in your disdain-
full summary. The problem, it seems
TO me, involves a suitable explanation
of two rather mysterious pistol shots,
TO say nothing of such minor details as
lighted gas Jets behind securely locked
gates. AS Mr.. Sturgis has informed us,
in his earnest and lucid way. every ef-
feet has cause. | should like TO know
the cause that lighted the gas in the
Knickerbocker bank.
Il shall probably find out that cause
the day after tomorrow" said Mr..
Dunlap, smiling and | shall give the
fellow a talking TO for his carelessness
in forgetting to turn out the gas when
he locked up"
Mr.. Dunlap's suggestion" eontin-
ued Murdoch, sis plausible in itself.
and we might even assume that the
same careless employe, after locking
up the bank. forgot 10 close the outer
door on the Wall street side. But even
then. we have not disposed of the own
ership of the satchel nor of the two pis-
toll shots. The police theory that these
shots were fired by bank robbers seems,
/ admit, very far-fetched. Profession
al cracksmen would hardly be likely to
fire unless cornered; and then they
would fire to kill or at least TO disable.
If their bullets failed to hit the mark,
they would at any rate leave some
trace"
81 beg to suggest" remarked Dunlap,
that the shots heard by the policeman
and his prisoner were not fired from
the inside of the bank"
THAT appears quite likely" admitted
Murdoch; but they must at any rate
have been fired in close proximity to
the bank, since the witnesses agree
that they appeared TO come from in
side. In that case, whence were they
fired? BY whom? And why? On the
whole, my little puzzle does not seem
to me so i'll chosen. What is your own
opinion, Mr.. Sturgis?'
Il quite agree with you that the
problem is probably not so simple as it
seemed at first blush 10 Sprague.
Very well. Then doubtless you are
willing to undertake the task of supply
ing whatever data may be required to
complete the chain of evidence against
Quinlan?"
by no means" replied Sturgis, de-
cidedly.
Indeed? All! well, of course, if Mr..
Sturgis wishes to withdraw his bet"
Il do not wish TO withdraw my bet"
said Sturgis; Il will agree to solve your
problem within 80 days or to forfeit
my stakes; but l cannot undertake to
prove the truth or falsity of any
priori theory. l have no personal
knowledge of the matter as yet, and
therefore no theory
quite So" observed Murdoch, iron
ically. IL had forgotten your scientific
OF course, it may turn out
that it WAS the policeman who stole the
satchel from Shorty Duff"
perhaps" answered Sturgis, imper-
Murdoch smiled.
"Well, gentlemen" said he, Il ac-
cept Mr.. Sturgis' conditions. If you
are wiling" he continued, turning to
I.,lI L..