New-York tribune., 1906-11-11
THE PHANTOM AUTO
Continued from page 10

serted and silent At last the voices are
heard again, the car stlrs. moves away, and
the cyclist drops in behind. Another race
which leads off in another direction. Finally
from a knoll. the lights of a city are seen. Ten
minutes elapse, the auto stops, the head lights
flare up. and more leisurely it proceeds on its
way
On the following evening The Thinking Ma
chine and Hatch called upon Fielding Stan
wood. president of the Fordyce National Bank.
Stanwood looked at them with interrOgative
eyes.
1--WE called to inform you. Mr. Stanwood. >"
explained The Thinking Machine. that box
of securities, probably United States bonds, IS
missing from your bank"
What" exclaimed Stanwood, and his face
paled. Robbery"
Il only know that the bonds were taken
out of the vault tonight by Joseph Marsh,
Your assistant cashier" said the scientist, and
that he. together with three other men, left
the bank with the box, and are now at-a place
| can name"
StanwoOd was staring at him in amazement.
"You know where they are." he demanded.
:" | said did, replied the scientist shortly.
Then We must inform the police at once,
and"
Il don't know that there has been an actual
crime" interrupted the scientist. " | do know
that every night for a week these bonds
have been taken out through the Connivance
of your watchman, and IN each instance have
been returned intact before morning. They
will be returned tonight. Therefore | would
advise, If you act, not TO do until the four
men return with the bonds
1t was singular party which met in the
private office of President StanwOOd at the
bank just after midnight. Marsh and three
companions. formally under arrest. We're pres
ent, were President Stanwood. The Think
ing Machine. and Hatch, besides detectives
Marsh had the bonds under his arms when he
was taken. He talked freely when questioned
Il VIII admit" he said without heSitating
THAT have acted beyond nv rights in rernOv-
ing the bonds from the vault here. but there is
no ground for prosecution. | am a responsible
officer of this bank, and have violated no trust
Nothing Is missing, nothing Is stolen. Every
bond that went out OF the bank is here
But why-why did You take the bOnds2"
demanded StanwoOd.
Marsh shrugged his shoulders.
Its what has been called get rich quick
scheme" said The Thinking Machine. Mr.
Hatch and | made some Investigations to-dav
Mr. Marsh and these other three are interested
in business venture which IS ethicallv dis
honest, but which Is within the law. They
have sought backing for the scheme amount
ing to about million dollars. Those four or
five men of means with whom they have dis
cussed the matter have called each night for
week at MarSh'S country place. IL was neceS-
sary TO make them believe that there was
already a million or SO in the scheme so these |
bonds were borrowed and represented 10 be |
and fro between the bank and his home in a
kind of automobile"
And his statement of the affair proved TO be |
correct. Marsh and the others admitted it. |
1t was while The Thinking Machine was home
ward bound that he explained the phantom
auto affair to Hatch.
The phantom auto, as YOU call it." he said |
is the vehicle in which the bonds were moved |
about The phantom idea came merely BY |
chance On the night the vehicle was first |
noticed it was rushing along. We'll say. to /
reach MarSh'S house in time for an appoint /
ment. \ road map will show YOU that the |
most direct line from the bank to Marshs was /
through The Trap. If an automobile should |
go half way through there. then cut across the
StOcker estate to the other road, the distance /
would be leSSened by good five miles This |
saving at first was of course valuable so the |
car in which they rushed into The Trap was |
merely taken across the Stocker estate to the |
road IN front. OF course they always returned |
to the bank by another route"
But how?" demanded Hatch. There is |
no road there"
Il learned by telephone from Mr. Stocker |
that there Is a narrow walk from verv narrow
foot gate IN Stocker's wall on The Trap Lead |
ing through the grounds TO the other road |
The phantom auto wasn't really an auto at /
merely two big motor cycles arranged |
with seats and steering apparatus. The /