Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-04-25
But o expect me to arrest tni,

But you expect me to arrest thu,
man on just your say so?"
Cheney's eyes grew cold. Pughitt
was crowding near to the border line
or friendship. Look here. Bob, have
never yet arrested the wrong man.
Isn't that So" ~
That's true. Cheney"
wen. then. you &c, Abe Anderson
mt" this office. and If he isn't the guilty
man III pay all the damages any court
may assess for false imprisonment, and
guess I'm able to do that"
AN right. Cheney, I'll get him here.
as you say, but I'm dubious as to the
outcome"
1t was ten days after that that
Pughitt brought Anderson into Che
icy,s office. Anderson was "a Xix civ
,ookinH young chap and hadn't the
be MS shifty eyes. Cheney never adj
inlred IA man who couldn't look at YOU
IN the race. Anderson was not under
arrest when he came in and arknowl-
edged's Pughitt's Introduction cour-
teousiy.
81 down. Mr.. Anderson Guthrie
stood to the right and rear of Ander-
son. and Cheney. Pughit,. and the sus-
pect We're grouped around the colonel's
desk.
cheney came right 10 the point.
Mr.. Anderson. the registered mails
en- the route running through Boydston
have been systematically rohhed
Some time ago The government asked
me to take the case. agreed TO do
SO and also offered to apprehend thu.
lhlef without leaving my office. That's
Why have asked Pughitt to have you
come here"
Anderson paled AS he heard Chcney's
words N half rose.
Sit down. Anderson. sit down. and
be- calm. l know you're quick on the
irlgger. but there is a man standing
behind You who is a damned sight
quicker"
Anderson recovered himself and
snapped out: It's AN Internal outrage
To be brought i'm here and accused of
something know nothing about"
We'll, Mr.. Anderson. if you know
nothing about the case you need have
no fear at all. and I'll stand any dam
ages you may cali for. But if you do
know about the case you know all
abou; it. On the 2Sth of last month
dressed to Kuhn & CO.. bankers. New
York. You steamed open the letter.
extracted therefrom $1,000 and substi-
tuteo paper I'm its place. You've done
it before. But this time you're caught"
III rue us pTF:lcIIIlS. MY. An
derscn: but wait il me After
you had extracted the money you re-
sealed the letter. using a small muci-
laGe bottle. sue as will be found on
any postmaster's desk. The mucilage
IN that bottle was dociored. as was
the mucilage in every office ON thai
route"
Anderson palcd again: the coils
" re tightening round him. Pughitt
sat fascinated by the simple work of p
great man. Guthrie WAS on to the
whole game. Cheney proceeded.
Some few weeks ago u p%ostoffice in
spector went over the route. My man
Guthrle there was temporarily the in
spcctor. l knew some postmaster was
steaming open these registered pack
ages and then rcsealing With mucilage.
The robbed letters showed that. Sc I
gave Guthrie a little black box contain
ing twenty different liquid essences. At
each office he used IA little different
liquid and made rotations as to Just
what they We're. Yours happened to
be the worst of the lot-essence OF
a%'iinine. Therefore. when the last rob-
berry occurred and the envelope was
brought in here. l merely opened the
rcsealed flap. tasted the mucilage. and
tho bitter quinine taste was there.
Looking over the list of essences and
Offices Guthrie had prepared for me. I
saw 'BoydstCn: Essence of Quinine.s
Simple little thing. wasn't II, Mr.. An
darson?"
Good God. man." gasped Anderson,
that's ~uncanny."
NO" smiled Cheney. "quinine isn't
%uncanny, it's just bitter"
Pughitt was dumfounded. but took
his man away.
The dinner was had some time later.
and it opened with an Essence OF
Quinine cocktail" Only it wasn't Bit
ter.