Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-04-25

'E'' " I'i ~ W. ''f y
old man. Don't be too sure" Pughitt
was just Il bit nettled at Chcney's
manner.
II tell You what IN do. Bob. I'll bet
You a good dinner | catch your thief
after he makes his next haul. and |
won't &" out of this Office to get him.
MI l want you to do is to let one of
my men, Guthrie. for instance. be a
postoliice inspector for Il short while:
let him 80 make an inspection of this
route. then one robbery more and you
can (" out and bring in u man
III fix Guthrie out all right. but it
looks devilish queer to me. You're GO
ing to catch the man without leaving
this office"
"That's just what I'm going to do.
H"bert-for that dinner. eh""
AN right. you're on. Cheney. and
my appetite will not be small. | prom
Use you that"
Have j, as big as you like. Bob:
you'll pay for the food
Wait and see" said Pughitt. smil-
ing. send Guthrie over: I'll fix him
out al! right. So long. Cheney"
s long. Bob" Cheney thought for
awhile. smiled considerably over his
plans and then sent for Guthrie.
sid. you're a postoffice inspector.
You're to AZ ont and inspect twenty
two offices in :1ontana. Pughitt will
fix You out in HE proper way. but be-
fore you leave here for the west. see
me again, I've got IL few particular
instructions to give you.
IAN right, colonel. Postoffice in
speeding is new in my line. but Will
make Il stab at 1t all right"
Guthrie saw Pughitt that afternoon.
and in the evening Cheney and Guth-
RTE ine together. Cheney told him
of his wager with Pughitt.
Looks like ii hard game. Jack" said
Guthrie.
Not at all. Sid. You Just listen TO
me and do what l say" Then Colonel
Cheney told his plan. He went over
1t very carefully. smiling all the time.
and just before he finished he handed
-hlack- box and said:
Now. you just do MS | say. Guthrie.
and you'll see q modern version of the
spider and the fly
Guthrie nearly exploded with laugh
ter. Well of all the simple things |
ever heard OF. this beats en-. OF course
you'll land the thief: can't help it. h
plan is so internally simple no n
would even think of ii. I'll bet you Bob
Pughitt hits the ceiling when he finds
u how the trick is DONE
Don't let anyone know anything
about il. Sid. Go out and make your
inspection. do ~ l have directed and
then come back here and wait for de
v ClVRIHtiits. lOU WOE l MiIt ibi'S, ! M
.%-thinkin-."
"All right, colonel. got can coun on
me-" Aad well did Cheney KNOW ;liat
fact.
Cheney and Pusaitt met frequently
during the next few days and chaifed
each other regarding the case.
What fee are yoa going to charge
the government for this hypnotic, tele-
pathic demonstration you're going 70
give US. Jack?!' asked Pughitt. with Il
tlnSe OF sarcasm in his tone.
about 81. 900 and Guthrie's expenses
west" replied Cheney with n smile.
The government will pay ii il you
run him down"
Hes us good as run down now
Sob"
Wait and see"
Making AN inspection of a stage route
OF which there are tWent 1.-TWO Offices
is not ii small! undertaking. and Sid
Guthrie was gone about six weeks.
Cheney heard from him frequently and
knew th- work was being we'll done.
Pughitt became unnlerciful in his twit-
ting of Cheney. he really believed he
had a good one on the great detective.
Guthrie walked into the oolonel's Of
Ace one morning ana lacorically said:
"fIow about a 'kunch' on this case
sid. sol one"
Mary a bunch. colonel. Every one
Of those twenty-five postlnasters is Il
wholcsoulci. decent chap. They all
have @ood business and are prosperous.
l tried 10 find one who was spending
more none han he earned or course
everyone out in that country buys and
land ANA cattle. but to all inten;s
and purposes these men are straight as
trivc;s."
Il wonder" said Cheney, musingly.
m of the stage coach drivers
could nave Il duplicate key"
Hardly possible. colonel. THE
are ali pretty heavily loaded on
that route and h driver wouldn't
hav. much chance to do any trickery.
No. sir: lis someone in Il p%ostoffice.
who. I'm DANCED il | can tell"
Did you carry out my final instruc-
tons about the little"
Cheney got no further. Sure 1 did.
colonel replied Guthrie with a grin,
that ought to fetch EN-
Il think so. We'll. go report to
Pughitt and then be around"
Pughitt came owe a little later and
made great sport of cheney's failure.
The colonel stood 1t for awhile. but
finally said:
Look here. Pughitt. inside Of ten
days or two weeks there will be an
other robbery. TIL report will come
to you. When it does. bring all the
papers. packets. ETC.. in The case to me
n in three minutes Ill name your
robber. Is that lear?"
Clear all right. Jack. but I'm afraid
age is creeping OF YOU"
wait and see."
1t was just three weeks to a day
after that that Puphitt came back.
IL came of all right. colonel. and
here are the papers in the case Che
ncy looked them ove and cast all Of
them aside except the envelope from
which the money had been extracted.
I'll be back in a minute. Pughitt."
He returned shortly and said: Who's
the postmaster at Boydston? ?"
Pughitt looked up quickly and said:
His name is Anderson. Abe Ander-
son. and n better chap never lived"
Tint may au bo Roh hut N