Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-01-14
do but for the pilot to take his wages
and go,
CHAPTER Kill.
The Tracking of Kahn.

SllAI L LII ALL.
The Tracking of Kahn.
While Jacob Romer was being nurs-
ed towards slow-returning conscious
ness in the little white house in the
Cove OF Portogarten, Walter Grind
ling, in connection with the police,
launched himself on the trail of the
fugitives. He took with him Phil Cal
mont and Inspector Henderson of the
detective force - the latter a cele-
brated man in his way, both witty
and wise. The policeman and Grind
ling had been organizing the search
from the hour when the latter discov-
cred the fight of James Kahn.
The curious circumstance that, dur
ing the last weeks, Mr.. Romer had
gone each day to the new pit, and
had there conferred with Phil Cal
mont, seemed to the Inspector to have
an undoubted bearing on the case. He
must, therefore. see Phil. But, once
having spoken with that young man,
he was impressed with his straight
forwardness and quickness of judg-
ment, that, of his own accord, he in
v1ted him to make one of the search
party. Various men of the force were
on the track already, but nothing of
Importance had been reported.
1t became early evident that the
tracks of the automobile led away to-
ward the south. James Kahn had not
made for the great cities. Nor, indeed,
would one have expected so simple a
strategy from man of his intelli-
gence.
If the cities are full of people, they
are also full of officers Of justice. To
Walter Grinding, at least the design
of Kahn seemed clear The Conf
Dental" had had the command of the
Incubus" coal and ore feet. He could
call it together like an admiral, or,
according to his liking, dispense it to
the four winds. This had been priv
ilege which the two acting superin-
tendents, McKill and Grinding, had
always enyied him. Captains asked
for cargo. for leave, for long voyages,
or for short. according to their needs.
But there was nothing for it save to
send them to the general manager,
Mr.. James Kahn.
Grinding had borrowed an automo-
bile from one of his friends, with a
chauffeur in whom ESQ it was report
ed they could place every confidence.
A day of sun had followed the even
ing of soft growing" rain when
James Kahn had started.
AS soon as they were off - that Is,
Grinding, Phil and Inspector Hender-
son = the detective proceeded to ex-
plain:
with him. But something happened.
do, x,of ~
and driving gloves were lying upon
the table in the hall of "The Caravan
SERIAL Therefore. when James Kahn
sent him on mission with the let
ter to Mr.. Romer at the bank - he
did not take the automobile. That
would have attracted too much atten-
ton. He rode bicycle along the path
that skirts the town. over by One
Tree Farm, and then, leaving it
among some underbrush (where this
morning l found his brass pump he
walked UP to the door of the bank,
crossing the waste ground at the
back. where. in old times. they used
to burn the witches, handed in his let
ter. and so vanished"
"Casimir went bask to The Cara
vanseria thought" said Walter Grind
ling. thoughtfully. what did he do
that for? Why did he not join Kahn
on the road? He had his cycle ready
to his hand"
Kahn had promised to wait for
him." said the detective. promised
that is, and didn't = cleared out as
soon rs his back was turned"
s'Then Casimir took the big Mer-
cedes and got after him." broke in
Phil suddenly, the reasoning of the
police officer striking him quite sud
denly. But Grinding shook his head
slowly. His intelligence acted more
slowly.
We'll" he said at last, 81 suppose
you fellows of the force ought to
them together day by day, these two,
Kahn and Casimir. were playing one
game - bad game maybe, but the
same. They were fellow countrymen.
Have I not often heard them talking
in their queer outlandish gibberish
by the hour no, not French can
do little boulevard parly-vooing my
self nor yet German. | know Herr
ia. Nein & Coz But something sharp
and snappy like a green log laid on a
fire Kissing and splitting. Oh, l have
sat and wounded what they were
talking about. You may depend upon
where one is, the other is not far off.
The Inspector nodded cautiously.
Perhaps" he said 81 agree that
they were both in it that is. till
Casinir went to the bank with the
letter"
The pursuing automobile was not
one of the most recent type, and
twice it held the party half an hour
en- panne, which means Sin the sulks"
But the chauffeur understood his ma
chine and humored it as he might
have done FESTIVE horse
where are we going said Grind
ling as the long, undulating west
country road unrolled itself before
them Indefinitely.
ITO Dalmellington!" said the In
spector. THAT was where our man
Fox last heard of them. We shall have
other news there. But / don't under
stand, either. To the south there is
only the broken Galloway country, no
big towns, one single thread of rail-
road cutting crossways - the short
sea to Ireland in one direction, and in