The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-17
BY RICHARD F. STEELE.
THE ELK TOOTH CLUE.


 '.so the city editor says he is disap pointed in me. eh?" unused Tom El ington. lnstnuates that must make good or else the staff will be compelled to worry along without my services. Here's rather a sarcastic note he left on my desk"
 Two days previous to this Miss Cud- worth had composed and mailed the following epistle:
 Dear Harry--As you are an Elk horrid name for q recret society," can think of nothing more appropriate to send as birthday present than the enclosed elk's tooth. I purchased it of wandering Indian and had 1t mount ed At JacQuilin'e. understand that some of these teeth are found in old Indian graves which are despoiled of their treasures by sacrilegious van dals. Accept the fang dear Harry, In the spirit in which it is given. Shall certainly look for you eon the 18th. am afraid the tooth will make an awk- ward bunch in the envelope.
 Belle"
 At u:30 D. m.. the Limited" was drawing near Vinehurst. The United States mail van was backed up to the rear door of the postoffice. Two men in ulsters hung together in a doorway a short distance above and conversed In husky whispers.
 Say. Cooney." said one, tits the new leather pouch what's got the let ters we want. That's the sack to nail. ,
 All right, Skyline" replied his com- panion. have yez got the wrench in good shape?"
 Sure. One twist will wiring off the paddock. Whin toss yex the sack you go east. I'll cross the street to sperry's and join yez at o'clock. Are yez wise to it?"
 Sure"
 The driver jumped to his seat, cracked his whip. and away rattled the van. Before 1t was a block away Sky line was on the rear step placidly rid- ing toward the station. The night was raw. damp and disagreeablc. Few people were on the street, but Skyline discreetly waited until the van was well on the outskirts of the business district before he began operation. Then he wrenched off the lock, pos sessed himself of the new pouch and threw it to Coeney. The latter had patiently ambled along in the shadows of buildings, keeping abreast of the van.
 The robbery of the through eastern IL. Il morning paper people got the story" got it to the front and played it for all 1t was worth, locally. The AS sociatsd Press and string fiends" boil ed 1t to 8 skeleton and put it on the wires. The plain clothes man" at the police station talked mysteriously to reporters and explained that within twenty-four hours they would round up the whole push'' and recover all the letters. Forty-eisht hours passed without results. The plain clothes'' detectives discoursed in another strain.
 Those guys will be blowing their coin around the joints," said the chief of police. we can spot 'em any aay ''
 But at the end of seventy-two hours they had not been spotted.
 Heilo! exclaimed one of Jacaue- in's clerks, addressing Tom Ellington, who had dropped casually into tie jewelry emporium, "where did you ge, that tooth?''
 Well. didn't buy it at Jac luilin's for three prices." answered Tom. No friendly barkeep gave it to me last evening while was waiting for an interview with that returned s.Adier from Manila"
 And now I suppose you tlnagine that the trinket's yours"
 Indians sometimes take back thei, presents: barkeeps are different
 You would be 8 trifie sura ,,sed te know who really owns that elks tooth"
 Would IF"
 Tt is-or was-the property of Miss Belle Cudworth. I mounted that iden- tical tooth with gold for her only a few days ago. I notice that most ot the gold has been chiseled away. How ever, it's the same tooth.''
 ''See here. Wilson, isn't 1t rather a far cry from the barkeep of the Mint to the aristocratic Miss Belle Cud- worth?'
 While fully realizing the weight of Ellington's suggestion Mir. Wilson was not inclined to abate his statement in the least. Finally, the reporter said:
 'If this is one of Miss Cudworth C teeth, why. of course. l am bound tc restore 1t to her"
 That evening Tom Ellington was al the door of the Cudworth's. He fol- lowed a servant into the drawing room and his card awakened the languid in terest of the young lady. She soon joined him, Ellington produced the tooth and said:
 Miss Cudworth, it has just come to my knowledge that this is your prop