The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-04-26

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'ot3sf.l Gl4ourY va t4llsluE With SID
Guthtle o4 taittcrs ge4eraI When the
aooNaf lriuarh wts n4ndc
That's an true enough. colonel che
teS, bat you know plenty of ctaes
where intuition and peisricuity have
helped sou and uc wonderfully"
True enough. sid both these quali-
t.ea itelp up To . certain poini. but
youtN lind out bun luck Is the ,iecid-
tug factor."
'Scus" me, kunncl." said the ever
fasthfa! jen, poting his head in the
door, but Mistali PuKhitt is out heah.
M pow'ful anxious to see yo'."
Seems to me, JEFF. every one im-
presses YOU as being pow ful anxious
10 see me But Pugllitts all right;
show MIN Ia"
Vas. sab" said jeff. bowling out.
Bob fufhitt was Inspector In charge
oi the postoltice department al Chi
ago and Was one OF The best and
brightest inspectors in the business.
lie and Cheney had been together in
government work and We're fast
lends Cheney knew Pug!4itt's visit
NJ this time could only mean one
thins-"a case'-and he was not sor-
~, because things had been ONE
what slack lately. Cheney's blood was
just a trllie sluggish ana he needed Il
bracer. III Il %jocular way Guthrie had
told Cheney to get married. but the
colonel was still heart Whole and
Fancy free"
"Hello. Bob" said the colonel as his
round this time of day"
Pretty serious case, Jack. and i re-
reived an order this morning from
Nickery, chief inspector. TO take the
matter up with you. I'm not sorry to
TO IL. either"
..htjGt no ,,.a3t,, ear;o,,. l21h 90 ,.o,,
can't fathom it." This was not said
N a ilattering way. Cheney meant
svery word of it. on more THAI one
occasion Cheney had said: "Bob
Pughitt is the best natural detective
IN the business, n I'd ooner have
I'd committed a crime" But even nat
hral detectives sometimes get up
against it, and Pughitt was no excep-
ton.
We'll, Bob. III help you all 1 can,
though | don't promise any results"
smiled Charley.
You never do promise results, Jack,
but you generally get some of them,
Just the same."
Pughitt lighted a cigar and Cheney
waited. Guthrie, OF course, had left.
Tie knew If Cheney wanted him he
you'd let him know in short order.
Colonel Cheney waited for Pughitt,
'S'' AN'4o itS nc Nodlo SSI GIL Ilc QG-
tails IN sequence.
Its a peculiar case, Jack" said
many mail routes out west. where the
mani is carried only on stages. OF
course h Northern. Central and
southern Pacific roads are through, but
shey run straight across states and as
yet have no tributary lines amounting
to anything"
Yes, l know that, Bob" said Che
uey
There are a number of fine
ranches n several booming towns
In the section. There are no banks to
speak OF. and most of their business
mas TO be done by registered mail. St.
PAM 10 the first point where banking
city Is not much used the ranchers
and traders preferring to do their bus-
tness in Chicago or New York"
Cheney began TO see the trouble,
out waited for Pughitt to continue.
ON this line of which l speak there
a registry business. Now, Cheney, to
get down to business. Our registered
letters on that line are being tempered
with anG money extracted therefrom.
That's the gist Of the story. Jack. Go
ahead with your questions
sou' ODD, only a rev. He
thoush for a m and then said:
ines robberies come at seemingly
stated tines
no NOT AT an. one will take place
ana .. course We are active thereafter
ana tae crook lays low, until we let
UP q llt'le. We can't watch one place
ohlF. as you Wen know. Last week
more was a jim dandy of a robbery
out there and the chief went in the
AR about 1t: So did l, and his instruc-
lions for me to put you on the case
Were gladly received"
Yes. | sec. Eow long between the
last robbery anG the one previous??"
Two months"
You say, Pughitt, there are twentv-
two postofficcs on this cute? Does
each postmaster ave access to the
pouch?"
Yes, he does. You see. Cheney,
only IL regist red pouch is carried
and at each office it is opened, new
matter added to it, sealed up again
and passed on"
just so, and these robberies how,
are they discovered? 2"
We'll, Il firm in New York reco;vas
n registered letter supposed 10 eoJ ,
say. $4,000 in currency. The letter Of
.transnittal states that. but The le++or
--11.- ,.S II