The Washington times., 1906-11-04

this Mr. Dunn expressed himse..
quite fatty
An idea that the man was not
Perry not once occurred 10 ne" he
declared "He spoke familiarly OF
oar business relations, was clad like
Wfstener. and carried a weli-worn
leather grip bearing Perry's Initials.
Had IL occurred 10 me 10 d.strVst him,
! think I should have dismissed the
idea as absurd"
THAT is because you were up
against a very clever man. Mr.. Dunn,
said Felix Boyd. now feeling that he
had grip on most of the superficial
features of the case. If we are 10
throw him down and recover your
bonds. We must lose no time in get
ting about IL. Let me see the letter
you received from Mr.. Perry. the
one containing his instructions"
The banker FASTENED 10 the outer
Office ia get ;he letter only 10 return
after several moments with the in
formation that il was mysteriously
missing from the files.
Missing" eXclaimed Boyd sharply.
Do you suspect auy person in your
Office Of having stolen it2'
II do not
do you know who had IL lasf?''
ITO tel tie truth. Boyd" the bank
CT bitterly admitted. Il fear that
am to blame for this"
What do you meane"
Just this" Dunn went on 10 cN-
plain. 1T has occurred 20 me that ]
was ssddenly called down 20 the floor
Of the exchange by nay partner, Mr.
Raddsn."
Did YOU take tho letter with your
Now that tho matter has been
brought up so seriously replied
Dunn. i distinctly remember thrust
ing Perry's better into the side pocket
of my coat. .ust as ! was Fastening
downstairs. / lid not happen 60 think
Of it again. the business relating To
it having been adjusted; but J now
feel quite sure that / must have lost
II. or that Il was stolen from my
pocket"
Much more likely lost than stolen.
said Boyd bluntly. Thieves do not
trouble themselves to steal letters
Of which they know nothing
That's true
You now hav. made the affair plain
enough, added Boyd. a biz censo-
riously. You dropped the letter from
your pocket. and some knave found II,
and has made the most Of Il.
And done as out of $4,000 groaned
the banker.
I'm not 50 sure Of that yet II looks
very much like it," Boyd hurriedly re-
Joined Did YOU take a receipt for
the bonds delivered this morning.
''Certginly."
Let me see IL. While he is bring
ing IL. Mr.. Perry. just write your
name on this block OF paper
The man from Kansas FASTENED 10
comply. and when the banker present
Iv returned with his cashiers receipt
book. Boyd carefully compared the
two signatures.
'.iIumahY' he muttered. reverting 10
Coleman. Evidently a forgery, jim
mie. set a very good one"
Almost a facsimile murmured the
ceHtraI office man.
Was your letter written and signed
with a pen, Mr.. Perry?''
1T was. sir. I wrote 1t at a hotel
IN Chicago. where I remained for sew
eral days"
state as precisely as you can what
il contained.
1t was only brief" replied the Wes-
terner. 4 wrote that 1 wished sixty
thousand dollars Of my account con-
verted into government bonds. as I
desired 10 take them with me 70 Kan
sas. stated that I should arrive in
New York this morning. and would
call here at noon for the bonds. / re-
quested that they might be ready for
immediate delivery. as ] wished TO
continue East at O'Clock to visit a
brother In Boston"
You think that was all7"
Il think that covers The entire letter.
Mr.. Boyd"
1T was quite enough. too. to have
given these scoundrels a cue 10 the
possibilities presented growled Boyd
with the lost letter In their possess
ion and ample time in which TO be
come familiar with your signature, the
Job comparatively easy"
yet there were dangers that"
began the banker.
"Faugh" interrupted Boyd contemp-
tuousIy. THE knaves who did this
job never shrink from danger, not such
danger as this episode invited. The
scheme vas simple enough. Perry was
Waylaid, lured into a vacant ofHce, a
kew 10 which the sCoundTeis had man
ufactured. and there he was easily put
down and out"
Not easily in one sense observed
Perry
THAT occurred about half past elev-
en-" continued Boyd. not needing the
remark. The knaves then had ample
time to go through Perrys pockets and
secure anything that would serve for
the purpose of identification"
Il had several letters. slr. and a
watch with my initials on it, All OF
them were taken.
Yes of course lcdded Boyd grim
ly. For one of them to slip into your
coat and hat, and repair TO this office
with your grip and successfully inn
personate you-pshaw, there was no
danger whatsoever. This was but
chid's play for the gang at work here
below the dead line"
Its the work of the Big Finger and
his gang. there's no doubt about that.
declared Coleman.
None whatever, Jimmie
But can you get no trace of them.
Eoyd?F pleaded Dunn. IN tones OF
despair. While it viii not cripple as
financially. We can iI afford 10 lose
such a sum. to say nothing Of being
SNIudl,a in this outrageous fashion II