Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-06-25

Forgery"
"Sure,' said Bailey.
Farnsworth paced a turn or two and
then addressed Bailey.
go out and hold Hartzell q couple
Of minutes before you let him in. Then
go owe to Kneeland's detective agency
and have him send a good man over"
Bailey vanished, and Farnsworth
turned to Miss Clarendon.
"Was Bob in Boston Tuesday,"
She flushed and %hesitated, then an
swered steadily, YES"
Gin this Officer"
Eyes"
"Came early, before 1 got here?"
eyes"
ing from Hartzell. He may have
known that it would be mailed on the
10Th. Waltz"
He opened the door and looked into
the outer Office.
"Mr. Hartzell!" he called. Come in"
A slender. keen eyed man Of forty
entered.
"When my nephew called on you a
month ago about the Gorhan deal, did
you mention any date when you would
probably settler"
Hartzell stroked his chin.
II may have mentioned the 18TH"
said he. 81 told you over the phone"
you told me the 2Oth," said Farms
worth, unless I've forgotten. But
what did you tell him? That's the
point"
81 think l said that Gorham would
probably pay On the 18th"
every good. Did you call at the Corn
on your way up here?"
Eyes; they're looking the matter up"
Farnsworth sat down to the tele-
phone and called up the Corn. There
was a brief conversation, at the close
of which Farnsworth pulled open a
tall drawer in his desk and took out a
check book.
WELL" said he at last, 'here's the
joker. A leaf containing three checks
signed in blank has been cut from this
book. and l didn't notice it. Shrewd
WoAh' 14oitAeli. LOU see, ludl cllech
of yours was too big to be safely ham
died at your bank, so the rascal de-
posted it in mine. That gave me a
balance Of 81, 7OO more than 1 knew
about, sc of course l wouldn't draw
against it. Then our thief filled out
my blanks to bearer and cashed them
at my bank. The way l play this
game, Hartzell, any smooth fellow can
cash a bearer check of mine at the
Corn for Il couple of thousand without
ever being asked to indorse it. l pre-
fer to make some of my payments that
way, and the bank knows it,"
Indeed" said Hartzell, and he
stroked his chin again. "Tm afraid
you're stuck. Farnsworth."
He turned to go, and Farnsworth did
not detain him. AS he passed out
James Kneeland, the detective, entered,
glance.
"Do you know Hartzell?" said
Farnsworth.
81 met him some years ago." re-
sponded the detective thoughtfully.
HAS Bailey told you about this
game that's been played on me?'
Kneeland. nodded and winked his
eyes behind his big round spectacles.
"Now, the point of it," said Farms
worth, sis that Hartzell's letter, with
the check, was intercepted and opened
in this Office"
tGTf 81 away. - bono (, .,:1 I~-ao
land.
II tell you the thing was done here
Checks have been taken from my
book. Who could have done that ex
cept some one who knows the ropes
here?'
81 could have done it," said Knee
land complacently. "a good many PEG
pie know where you keep that book"
"But the forged indorsement-hoN
do you account for that?"
Probably traced. You haven't the
check, Of course?"
eyes. Hartzell brought it up from
his bank. Here it is"
"Hartzell left it here" said the de
tective. "Well, that's good evidence"
"Evidence?"
"That he didn't do the trick himself.
"Ill tell you who did do it," sale
Farnsworth. "My nephew did it. IT.
no trouble for him to forge my name
Ask this young lady here. Is Bob:
writing like miner"
Remarkably So" said Miss Claren
don calmly.
important coincidence" said Knee
land. Have you got a specimen o
his hand? l am tolerably familiar
with yours"
There's a letter from him some
where here" said Farnsworth.
Miss Clarendon went into the mex
room and returned Immediately witt
an open letter.
Here is a sample Of MI. Rober
F~arnsworth's writing" said she ant
gave a page to the detective, who rea'
MS follows, Farnsworth reading owe
his shoulder:
"You know he lent me 5000 to settl
some matters in the west, and I wa
paying it back at the rate of $40 ever
Tuesday. I've kept it up since Nv
been here, and q fierce strain it ha