The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1907-04-19
You've got a man out there to help

you?" =. q + ~. II p -. ~
Il sho' has, kunnel Ah'll bring EN-
in. Doan' yo' nevah feah."
The colonel didn't fear. He knew
jeff and he now felt morally certain
he was on the track of Count Rossi's
diamonds The joke about the soda
water bottle: he would use as bait
and see what it would bring. About
II o'clock jeff brought in Simpson.
AS jeff had remarked, "Simpson
was yaller coon and had a bad eye. "
Ferguson was brought in a few mo,
ments later but kept in the other room.
Guthrie and Lonergan had him in
hand. He was suspected Of several
shady transactions and of being "a
fence"
Simpson" said Cheney, you were
in charge of the car Idalah when
Count Rossi was robbed?'
"Yas, sah,'' replied the porter sui.
lenly.
Know anything about that rob-
berry, Simpson,"
No, sab, nuthin' at ALL"
"Tell me, Simpson, that Tins you
got left in Ogden, what did you do all
that afternoon and evening until you
went west on No. 1912"
Simpsons eyes were rolling ner.
vously from side to side; he shifted
from one foot to another; truly he
was uncomfortably in the grasp OF
Cheney.
"Ah jes loafed aroun' Ogden till
come time to go west at midnight
"How about a side trip you took
west that afternoon"
Cheney was cropping in the dark
He knew he had the thief right there
the mans whole manner showed it
He was watching him narrowly and
sooner or later Simpson would break
"Gawd, boss, didn't go west that
aftahnoon.' But his manner betrayed
him; the trail was getting warm
Cheney determined upon grandstand
play. jeff had spoken of "soda
water bottle joke between Simpson
and Ferguson. Cheney found out
Belfast ginger ale was sold on Pull
man buffets and he had an empty bot
tie of that kind in his drawer.
Watching Simpson like a hawk he
pulled it out and suddenly showed it
in front of the negro.
Ever see that" he said sharply.
Simpson turned lighter than ever;
, his knees almost shook from under
cfo Il
and he constantly moistened his
parched lips with his tongue. He was
cornered, trapped; white mans intr
ition and ingenuity had overawed
negro criminal instinct and cunning
"Wh-wha-whar yo'- git t. dat -
bottle, boss?" he asked
Where you left it,"
''Whah I left it? Why, I dun give
dat bottle to Lige Ferguson"
Yes, Ferguson is under arrest in
the next ROOM Now come tell me all
about it,"
And he did. 1t appeared when
Count Rossi and his party went in the
observation car Simpson put the
money and jewels in an empty soda
water bottle he packed them tight
and sealed the bottle securely. About
thirty miles west of Ogden he dropped
the bottle in the sandy beach of Salt
Lake. He marked the spot we'll After
the search he began to plan to get
back there. Getting left at Ogden was
all ruse, done Intentionally
Simpson did go west on freight
and returned in time to catch 1O1
west. At Omaha on his return east
Lige Ferguson met him, having come
west on the Burlington. Simpson
gave him the bottle and later they
would divide the spoils That was all,
"S'help him, Gawd!" That was
enough. Ferguson confessed his part,
and the jewels and money were recov-
cred. Both men got Is years in Salt
Lake penitentiary.
The jewels and money were sent to
Count Rossi, and true to his word he
sent the money back to Col. Cheney.
Jef's reward was commensurate
with the service he had rendered.
Copyright, by W. G. Chapman)
~NME1~