The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-15
The guhia pay gagIs ghmrsdag gorrg October IS 1909

Nidiicy StEcue away from the taDle. dllO
out into the yard, where he was soon
joined by the other men for their evening
smoke
At headquarters, meanwhile, the road
master had spent all the afternoon in
going over the case with two detectives
sent from the main ONCE. The char
aeters of every one along the line within
the boundaries of the division had been
analyzed In the hopes that something
might turn up to throw some light on
the mystery. The theory thar the wreck
had been tbs work of thieves was soon
set aside as there had been no losses
reported by the detained passengers and
the railway men had been particularly
warned to look out for suspicious char
acters about the place where the train
was derailed.
The first thing We must determine. Mr..
Lane" the head detective said finally.
is who had a motive for this If we can
find that out the rest viii be easy
This was a poser. and the roadmaster
confessed himself stumped by it. The
farmers along the line, usually the ones
TO whom attempts to inture the prop
erty of the road could be traced. were
now all more or less well disposed to
the company, and Lone cast about in
vain for some one against whom sus-
picion conId be directed. A happy
thought struck him
There's boarding. house not far from
here" he said turning to the detectives.
where the men of the section gang all
live. Why don't you go and have a talk
with them? They might be able to put
you on the scent"
That's a good idea" the chief man
said. Come on, jim" to his mate. wen
go up and have a talk with the boys. Is
The detectives, following the directions
given them by the roadmaster, soon
reached Mrs. Klausemeir's and were clos
eted with Clancy in his room on the sec
ond floor. Codgel his brains as he would.
Clancy could not help them 10 any facts
that were of value. This suggestion and
that he haZarded, only TO have them set
aside by the investigators as of no i'm
portance. Then nally gave him up as a
bad job and prepared to go down stairs
On the landing they met the daughter
of the house. and the chief. stopping for
a second. gave a slight nod in her direc-
ton TO his assistant. Once downstairs
the three men separated. Clancy to draw
what consolation he could from a pile In
the back yard, while the one detective
mingled with the men and the other
sought out Miss Krausemeir. He found
her in the kitchen washing the supper
things
rs this Miss Klausemeir?" he asked
with elaborate politeness
Yes she replied regarding him sus-
piciousiy over the edge of meat platter
which she continued TO wipe assiduously.
What do you want?"
Most ingeniously the detective proceed
ed TO let her know that he had been so
struck by hr many charms that he could
not forbear making her acquaintance,
while his companion nished his talk with
Mr.. Clancy. Slowly Miss Krausemer
before the detectives oily
tongue. and when he finally left to rejoin
his chief he had extracted several bits of
information that gave him food for
thought.
In the first place, joe" he said, as he
Joined the other detective on the side
walk outside the boarding house none
Of the men like Clancy. He's rough I'm
his ways. and won't grant them any time
Off. In the next. he has been suspected
for some time OF not properly patrolling
his section. and the roadmaster warned
him some time ago that his track must
De better looked after. The girl says all
he men expect he'll be discharged I'M
ess he can prove that this wreck wasn't
Tue TO the bad condition of the track
I've had talk with the men, the
other said. taking up his side of the mar
rative. "and they think some one IA
miliar with the lire did the trick because
there is only this one spot on the whole
section where a man would be absolutely
safe from detection, while he was at
work"
The girl isn't receiving company" the
Dther Joined in. because her mother
wants her 10 marry Clancy. She has half
promised 10 meet me later in the even
ing though. for a walk. Maybe i can
land something
Three days later the rosdmaster sat in
his Office busily sorting his morning mail
when an excited middle-ased German
woman pushed by the clerk I'm the outer
1fice and strobe over to Lanes desk.
My Ehiel is goned." she cried. wringing
her hands Fife had goned nit your
man
Lane put down his pen in amaze. "Effie
run away with my detective he cried.
why. Mrs. krausemeir. you must be
crazy"
NO. I amt crazy: wish I vas. Look
1t it," thrusting a slip OF raper into the
hand. The note, scribbled
IN a piece of brown wrapping paper, was
as follows:
Dear Ma: Jim and me had got mar
lied. No time for more Your loving
laughter
Wei. I'll be damned" was all the
could ind to say. As he nerv-
ously fingered his unopened mail. a letter
n a plain MALTA envelope. addressed TO
him I'm the handwriting OF the detective.
sausht his eye Opening it he found it
the following surprising infor-
nation:
Mr.. Walter Lane. Division Roadmas-
er:
Dear Sir; We know no wthe man who
has been ditohing your trains. His name
: Harris. and he was Il section man on
-our division. 1t seems that he was much
AIKEN with a Miss Krausemeir. whose
mother kept the boarding house in which
ne lived He regarded his outlook as
lopeieSs. however owing 20 the mothers
iesire to have her daughter msrry a
nan named Clancy. who was foreman OF
he gang in which he worked He con-
'e.ve6 the idea evidently that IL he coald
brow discredit on Clancy By having il
lppear that wrecks were due to his In
,alcieney. he might be able 10 get his
,lace and win the girl. lie confessed
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