The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-05-13
FORT WALLA WALLA DEVELOPS
A SHREWD DETECTIVE WHO
is HIS SUPERIOR
Exceptionally Good Piece of Work Ac-
complished Recently at the Gar
rison by Nick Carter

1t was on a windy spring afternoon,
just as the sun was sinking behind the
western end of the foothills, that he
was summoned to clear up a mystery.
He was Detective Nicholas Carter,
Or plain Nick Carter, Troop A, Fourth
Cavalry and known from one end of
the garrison to the other as the man
who ran down two desperados recent
ly. Not since that day, last Tuesday,
had ne found business for the sum-
mary court officer. He was resting and
in a reminiscent mood. Almost sleep.
ing in his chair with his feet higher
than his head, on the desk, he was
given a quick sharp Snake.
Surely something was amiss. Open
ing his eyes and lodging the shaft of
limelight, the great detective gazed
upon the features of Kit Carson, the
trapper, Corporal Carson, Troop Az.
Come, Nick, comet" cried the trap
per. 'The game is afoot.. Not word
Rub the sand from your eyes AMI take
the trail.''
Ten minutes later, Detective Carter,
disguised as himself, was walking
through the troop corral, giving here
and there to the men he met friendly
nod, and to some of those who had
dropped hints on previously big cases,
the wise droop of the left eyelid. The
very atmosphere was charged with
mystery.
Making his way into an escort wag-
on, the detectice sank into the luxu-
rious seat near the end, which gave
him a commanding view of the sur
rounding country, and at once began
a review of the details he possessed.
He subjected every incident to scien-
tific analysis, the while he unused.
Now, was this an inside job? That
is the question to be solved and the
correct answer will surely lead me to
a speedy clearing up Of this case. Ger
tainly, it was wedding. If it handn't
been wedding they would have taken
all the stuff. When the reporters call
must tell them that wedding is our
way of describing job in which only
a part of the stuff available is pill
fered
wedding is nearly always done in
an inside job. The servant who takes
a $40 bill from the purse Of her mis-
tress in the hope that it will not be
discovered is a weeder. Yet, it must
have been an inside job. Let me look
the ground over"
Carefully polishing his magnifying
glass as he proceeded, Carter carefully
examined the tracks. Surely wagons
had passed over the ground during the
day. Yes, there were marks of feet
he said feet, but ne means shoes-on
the ground. But, he was baffled, the
COMPOUNDED foot prints let everywhere
and were of every variety.
1t was time to think again, SO Detec-
tive Carter went into the shack where
the stablemen enjoyed shelter. No one
was at home so Carter seated himself.
In a minute he was in a brown study.
Suddenly there was a flash of inte1li-
gence. Detective Carter looked hard
at the floor, so hard was his look that
the floor snrunk perceptibly. Yes,
there it was beyond the shadow of a
doubt. Ashes were strewn all over
the floor.
Quickly drawing out his magnifying
glass again, Detective Carter was
down on his knees closely examining
the ashes. He was convinced it was
cigar ashes. Again he must think.
Now, cigars are not the favorite
weed of farriers or troop blacksmiths.
They enjoy the pipe more, as it is
cheaper. But this was surely cigar
ashes. The hunt grew warm. Carter
followed the trail of ashes and it led
to a small table. There, extending
over the edge, was half a smoked CT
gar. or a cigar half smoked, or, per-
haps it would be proper to say an un-
smoked half of a cigar.
Again quickly drawing his magnify
ing glass Detective Carter subjected
the butt to close scrunity. There was
now no doubt The letters port" were
plainly to be seen, in fact were seen,
and it was just as plain that they
formed the end of word, a name for
the cigar. Detective Carter deftly
placed the cigar in his pocket, and took
more time to think. Thus he was en-
gagged when Fallon walked in, after
getting a load of forage.
"Howdy?"
How"
It was the deep-voiced, concise and
time and labor saving detective who
said "How." 1t is shorter and means
as much.
a>Y;oo x,;oht continued the Jetec-