Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-02

the office ROOM Tom Farthing had seen
this dog so the squire alleged, one rainy
day when at the store for coal oil. Failing
to find any one. he had sought the clerk in
the back room and had remarked on the
dog
That was clue number one.
The thieves. 1t seemed. had thrown to
this dog a piece of meat. undoubtedly drug
ged. The remains of the piece were still
on the Darkroom floor. and the evidence OF
the drugging was the behaviour OF the dos.
The squire declared that he mad never
known him to act numb and listless.
The thieves had entered by small window
which the clerk admitted had been left I'M
hasped. Clue number two was pocket
handkerchief found near the safe.
In one corner were the initials y f.
There were other startling details, The
gang had evidently started 10 blow open
the safe. They had rolled it into position,
had covered the top with horse blankets,
and had left behind a chilled steel bit and a
brace OF peculiar mechanism. Evidently
something had scared them at the critical
moment They had taken an old book IN
which the squire had kept his stamps they
had rified the money drawer: and had car
ried away, az far could be ascertalned, a
suit of ready-nlade clothes. wooden
blanket, twelve cans of salmon, two boxes
of cigars and pair OF shoes-a curious as
sortment, but one in keeping with the
plunderings in other places.
AS the news spread through the valley,
the farmers once again dropped their work
and focked In TO the center store. An ex-
cited crowd had gathered on the front
porch. discussing the news in low voices, as
II the thieves were still near at hand. Squire
Hartswick was dangerously cool. The post
office inspector could not come until late in
the week. and the Old man was conducting
the case himself. He examined with utmost
care every trace left by the robbers. and
he made arrangements with cold precision.
BE careful. men" he counseled calmly.
NO mistake this time We've got him now
a. - -
sherins out OF town and can't get here
until this afternoon, and we must be
mighty careful not TO let Farthing know
what's coming We must catch him red
handed with the plumber right on him.
II doubt IL you can do it, squire" pro-
tested Tile. It's hid up In that old cabin
still, III bet yeh anything, and We don't
dast to go there.
You wait and see II It's hid Within ten
miles Wen find It. Wen begin with his
house and barn and the cabin and keep up
the search till we've run over his whole
property / tell you we've got EN- this
time" The sources unnatural calm was
more exciting to the men who knew him
than any amount OF buster would have
been. 1t was the hush before the typhoon.
Amos alone seemed to be unimpressed
He sat and smoked slowly. but there was a
little knot between his eyes that no one
had ever seen there before.
AS / said before. squire" no said at
length, hadn't you better kinder go siow7
You say this JOB Is Jest IKE the
Sugar valley job and done by the
same gang, but the Farthings cleared them
selves OF that"
''Who says they did? What's your proof
that Jim Farthing want in it?"
Wal Rose"
"Pshaw, That don't prove nothing. She
want responsible; the doctor says so. The
Paintings had her right In their power
Didn't you see how Al Farthing's little
black eve was on her every minute and
how wild and frustrated she iooked7 Her
story Is absolutely unreasonable on the