The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-02-08

NlYel! recognized within fifty yards of
the postoflice just after the safe was
( blown, and he was running away
That's how sure we are of him The
man who saw him had sense enough to
keep dark about it except to the post
office authorities. He didn't even tell
the police for which were much
I obliged"
/ 1t was Il fact that Aliens name had
not been whispered in connection with
the affair.
Now, here's curious circun-
stance" continued BdNtcr The other
robber was seen, too, but not recog
/ nized. lie may have been disguised or
/ he may be stranger. At any rate we
! have his description. and we know that
/ he carried a large black hand bag.
/ That bag doubtless contained $4,000
and more Of Uncle Sans money. He
had sense enough not to run. and Billy
Stern, the letter carrier. who was the
man that saw him, had no idea that
there was anything wrong with the fel-
low until after he heard that Allen had
been seen running in the other direc-
ton empty handed. Then the meaning
of the man with the big bag flashed
, upon Stern's mind, and he told me-"
Does the description fit anybody
hereabOutS| asked Graham.
Except for a beard, which might
have been false of course" said Bay-
ter, lit would fit Stuart Farnsworth
| the postmasters son, fairly well. And
/ there's a point: Young Farnsworth
might have known of the unusual sum
of money in the pOstofiice safe. But he
seems to have a fair alibi. He was
calling that evening on Il young lady
named Annie Davenport" And the de-
tective tapped the envelope with his
finger
1T lies in my mind that the robbery
was past r. said Graham, "and the
young man would not be staying at
Miss Davenport's so late"
We learn that he left about H." re-
sDonded Baxter, but the thieves were
at work in the postotiice by 10 at the
latest. 1t was better than IL two hours
job Oh that safe. And now. Mr.. Ora
ham, he continued, will you help me
read this letter? 1t is in cipher. and
we cant make anything of it. We
have reason to assume that Allen has
sent several to Miss Davenport since
the robbery and we think that we are
justified in trying to get at the bottom
of this puzzle. The young lady may be
entirely innocent, of course. It's prob
able that she knows nothing of Aliens
connection with the robbery or that he
is suspected. There's doubtless some
trick by which she is made to hand on
these letters to the right party"
I'D say the same to her if | was
YOU said Graham. Then youll be in
the way Of learning the insides of all
this"
Baxter baked at this suggestion, but
we succeeded in pcrsuadng him. and
he set out for the house where Miss
Davenport lived with her widowed
mother. l gave him note of intro
duction TO the young lady and some
rather severe admonitiOns as to his be
havior, for | could see that he vaguely
suspected her of some perhaps uncon-
sciouS) completely in this affair He
was gone about two hours and return
ed both pleased and puzzled. Our aft
ernoOn edition had gone to press by
that time, and Graham and | gave
Baxter our undivided attention.
This is Il queer business" said he.
I'll be hanged if / understand it. But
here's the story: A few days after the
robbery Miss Davenport got note
from Allen. He told her some sort of
faxed up story about being bothered
by his debts and the noble resolve that
he had made to pay them all 1t was
necessary, he wrote, that he should
communicate secretly with friend in
this town. Would Miss Davenport re
ceive the letters and simply hold them
until the friend should come and claim
them: She need not answer; he would
take it for granted that she would do
this small service for one whom she
had once been gracious enough to
count among her friends. Since then
she has received five letters ana has
held them unopened on the theory that
they were not for her. The friend has
not appeared. | made her understand !
mighty clearly that this was a part of
the postotice robbery, and naturally
she didn't like the idea. Here are the |
letters and her written permission for
Mr. Graham to read them if he can"
Give me the one that your gillie |
found on the street" said Graham. |