The Washington times., 1908-02-02
The Morning After.


Burleighs sgss fairly started from
hiE head
THE paaz-ksy 70 tHs Isttsrboxes,"
ne repeated
yes, the very same Ia know II
among a sniInonl TIE man must have
been Brady. and he must have
dropped iti''
Burlsigh vas recovering himself
now.
1T may have been lest by one Of
the regular mail collectors. sir"
Graftons eyebrows rose slightly.
1T may have been. but-what does
1t matter nSWf We've got the thing.
and we can walk into that Internal
box! What's the time nOwT"
'It lacks q minute OF hRlf-past g.
sir"
"Thsn some along. and Wen have
it over. We've got half an hour lee
way OF the collector. ss II is
1T may not he the key. sir"
IT & isa'G We shall soon IND out
but Il is" ahueiSled Grafton. I know"
Burieigh laughed. and they hurried
on. Tho way was short now; they
turned the last corner and walked the
dozen stepa 70 the door OF the Grafton
Building. 6rafton's smile was weak.
by George. Burlelghi I'm shalI-
ing like q IeafI'
Grafton stepped 70 the box, Yes, the
key did At Grafton's frankly trezr-
bling hand twisted II the lock fell
back; the iron side hinged out The
box was open.
And then, as Graft0n's hand felt
about, a hollow moan left his lips.
.Burleigh! Burleighl It's empty"
..The letters gone. sir?'' cried the
detective. In hoTro--
Clean gone-thaJ box Is as empty
as the Day it was made"
For a uoment the men stared at
.ch Othse.
1T can't have been" Burleigh
commenced. All. Parker
Yes, sir?" The Waterman appear
&C. ready for the street.
Who has been at this mailbOx2'
Why, the collector, sir"
What The regular collector, at
this hour?''
Yes. I was talking with him. He
said that things are rushing 50 down
1T the office that they have TO start
cut half an hour earlier. beginning to-
day and"
Grafton was not listening With
firm. bu. sadly dragging footsteps, he
walked TO the door and stared out
into the sunshine.
"Burleigh." he muttered, with q
sour smile. Il thought our chase qas
over, butts only just begun!"
Grafton reached his offices once
more. a little past 1 O'Clock.
Five or six hours OF sound sleep had
worked wonders for KenyonvilIe's big
man. Where. ir the early morning
,hfurs lad appeared black and hope
less, more particularly after that last
awful shock Of the empty box, all of
his a1d-ume optimism had returned.
Tie saw clearly that the situation
was more than serious; ne admitted
ihat il might even be termed desper-
ate. BUT the end was not yet come,
ud hetWeou ncW ana noon Of the day
after tomorrow many pleasant things
might happen If they did not-weII,
Grafton might find himself face 70
face with the task OF piling up anotn-
cr s7.G1a0 00
Bug az lhe worst he was able to do
IL. ana lie aid not admit the worst al
though there were several puzzling
points 10 be cleared up.
Who had committed the robbery
il- gave it ur$ To whom, then. had
he envelope been mailed? He shook
ms head; that problem hinged upon
the first one. Next, why had Brady
declined so positively and amazingly
70 allow him even a sight of the
wretched thing? That, too. was uu-
answerable at the moment
After half an hour of careful
thought. he sent down for Burleigh.
The detective had not yet put in an
appearance. Word sent from his house
announced that ne might be expected
in the middle Of the afternoon; at the
time he was resting after hard
night.
Wen. that too. was just as well.
Grafton concluded When the detec-
tive did appear, ell OF his keenness
Wculd be needed; the. more he rested
February 2. 1908