The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-11-09


to the police station.
Messengers were at once dispatched &c
the house Of Richard Dunlap. the presi-
dent of the bank. and to that of Mr.. George
S. Rutherford, the cashier. The former was
not at home. and the family being out o;
town, there was no one who knew where he
was spending the evening.
Every eye turned toward Richard
Dunlap as this paragraph was read.
His features remained impassive, under
the full control of the veteran finan-
cier; but to an observant eye like Stur-
gis', the mans real anxiety was be-
trayed by the unconscious action of his
right hand, which lay upon the table
and played nervously with fork.
"Yes," said the banker, carelessly,
feeling the curious gaze of the other
guests upon him, and answering their
unspoken questions, Eyes, that is true;
I did not tell my housekeeper that 1
vas invited to dine by our friend
Sprague this evening. There was, of
course, no reason why I should. Well,
DR.. Murdoch, did they find Ruther-
ford?"
Murdoch had looked up while the
banker was speaking. He now leisure
ly found his place and continued the
reading of the article in the Tempest:
1.-THE cashier fortunately was at home
and he hurried down town at once with his
set of bank keys. Two detectives from the
central Office accompanied HIM, and the
three men carefully searched the premises
They found nothing out of the way there,
except that three gas jets were lighted and
turned on full blaze. At first the detectives
were inclined to think that bank robbers
had gained an entrance to the building: and
that ono of them. having caught sight of
Shorty Duff as he reached In to steal the
satchel from the vestibulc had fired upon
him. This would explain the pistol shots
heard by Flynn. careful examination of
the bank. however. failed to reveal any
trace Of n bullet.
Thc valise, when opened. proved to con-
tain only a change of linen for n man and
few toilet articles of but slight intrinsic
value. The satchel itself is an ordinary
cheap leather handbag, stamped in imita-
ton of alligator skin.
The police are now looking for its owner
in fhe hope that he will be able to throw
some light on the mystery Of the pistol
Shots
When DIR. 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 my little prob
lem?''
Il 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-
RESP"
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 knotty 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, it ends in an anti-climax. What
is thecrime here? The confessed theft,
by petty sneak thief, of a satchel
worth, with it's 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"
II cannot agree with you, Mr..
Sprague. While the crime in this case
may be petty theft, it contains, to m:
mind, interesting features, which yo
appear to lose sight of in your disdail.
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 eff.
feet has cause. should like to know
the cause that lighted the gas in the
Knickerbocker bank"
81 shall probably find out that cause
the day. after tomorrow" said Mr..
Dunlap. smiling, land I shah give the
fellow a talking to for his carelessness
in forgetting to turn out the gas when
he locked up"
Mr.. Dunlap's suggestion" contin-