Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-09-03

d~es,h-laden secret, watched the clock
feverishly.
The minutes dragged as intolerabiy
for Alfred. though he wore his mask
more easily than Alvin. Would they
be in time? Would they catch the
little steamer before she left port for
her fate? Even then, would they find
the infamous secret before its fateful
moment arrived? What would it be?
Powder? A slit in the hull? A cum
ming injury to the boiler?
AT last San Francisco called. Alvin
sprang to the key. The steamer had
started, had been hailed, had waited
for a small boat and the message, and
had gone on her way.
Alfred rose, as stiff with the tension
as If minutes had been hours. That's
all We can do at that end. Keep your
eye and ear buster than your tongue,
Al, for the rest of the day, I'm off to
settle with his nibs, Phineas Cad
w%allader. By the way, couldn't you
contrive some way to get him left?
The train reported late in leaving,
false report, something like that"
Alvin Rodded. Guess | can think
up that trick in four hours"
At the hotel Alfred took only time to
don riding boots and to find Stella for
a hurried word. Get Sally B. to hold
Cadwallader here over train time, if
it's possible" Alfred said before his
goodbye. 1T may mean everything
to the company. I'll return tonight
if 1 can"
A swift horse tool him to the
Front" where he found the superin-
tendent riding his beat. Alfred told
his story briefly and asked if there
was a lineman on the force.
Jupiter! You can't track that
man, Vincent! The SHOWS come and
gone since that Hecate's job was done"
But, Mr.. Gregory, he'd have to cut
the wire, and he'd have to climb a
tree OF a pole to do it. Could that be
done without leaving a trace?'
What then? How can you prove it
was he?"
How'll ! know l couldn't prove it
unless ] try?"
"Linemen don't show up often in
my diggings. III ask Bennett; his sec
ton begins here
Inquiry discovered an intelligent
man who had worked on the line. His
climbers were at camp near by; and
Mr. CrouOrv'u rocO,,rooFuJpo, D,oy,idoJ
horse and saddle. The two men set
off without delay. They rode fast till
within nearly five miles of Dutch Flat,
Alfred judging that, since Phineas
took the stage there, his exploit must
be in that ~neighborhood.
The afternoon was past its half
when they began to inspect each pole
and w~ire-touched tree with close
scrutiny. We'll work east over these
five miles to Dutch Flat Alfred said.
IF We find nothing We'll have to stay
over night in town, go east a short
distance in the morning, and thea
take it west from here"
For the first two or three miles
their search was u~nrewarded by any
sign. Just at sunset, in a windy little
vale, the lineman's practised eye
caught a peculiar piecing of the wire,
and he climbed nimbly to inspect it.
1t was not a joining made by the regu.
lar force, but a recent cut. The
marks of the climbers were also fresh.
rs there anything about it to dis
tinguish it from regular work" AL
fred asked.
You bet! Any chump could tell, If
he see it close, that it was the work
Of an amachure by the way the wires
are tied"
That was something gained, but not
enough. How did the man get up
there?"
Before the mar could reply Alfred's
eye was caught by the CLEAN of a
crescent of FURNISHED gold. Lying
half imbedded in the wet remains of
a snowdrift, its upper surface washed
clean and shining, he found a cuff but
ton of a peculiar design-a star within
a crescent, the two free points tipped
with diamonds. He knew 1t, he knew
who owned it's fellow! Turning it over
he saw the engraved initials, P. c.
Good enough" he called. I'VE need
no more evidence. You can go on to
town for the night, or back to camp,
as you choose. Ill ride too hard for
you, perhaps"
The man chose to turn back. Alfred
arranged for payment for the extra
work and again rode east.
In a few minutes he arrived at the
Dutch Flat Office and telegraphed AL
win, asking of Phineas. Five minutes
later he was reading the reply:
"C.'s here, pacing the platform like
a mad gobbler. We did the leaving
trick for the regular train o. K. But
he thinks he's going on the special in
spite of fate"
Let him go in peace" Alfred wired
back; and Immediately sent a message
to the sheriff at Auburn that was an
swered after two hours as follows:
'Sheriff's office, Auburn. P. c. walked
into my arms as u~nsuspecting as a
lamb. He had no time to destroy in
eliminating evidence. Is now resting
noisily in the cooler"
(TO BE CONTINUED.j