Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-12-01

ieTeu IL 10 me Tor -,
How did you know the watch?"
Winters snapped at him.
Il had seen Il before. many tiides.
| used IL at night when I was watch.
ing at the foot OF the staircase" The
detective was satisfied. When he OF.
fered the watch TO me. | knew IL. and
l pretended | was going To buy t. We
went into an alley and | got the
watch" The tramp shivered. IL was
PLAIN how Alex had secured the watch.
Then got the story from this fell
low. lie claims to have seen the
whole affair He says he was in an
empty car--in the car the automobile
struck"
The tramp broke In here and told
his story, with frequent interpreta-
tons by Alex and Dir. Winters. He
used strange medley I'm which In.
miliar words took unfamiliar mean.
ings. but II was gradually made clear
To us
ON tho night in question the tramp
had been pounding his car"--this
struck me az being graphic--iu an
empty hoX-Car along tho siding at
Casanova. The train was going west.
and due TO leave at dawn. The tramp
and the "brakey" were friendly. and
things going well. About ten o'clock,
perhaps earlier. terrific crash
against the side OF the car reused him.
He tried to open the door. but could
not move It. lie got out OF the othor
side. and just as he did SO, he heard
some one groan.
The habits OF lifetime made him
cautious He slipped on to tho bum
per of car and peered through An
automobile had struck the car and
stood there on two wheels. The tail
lights were burning. but the head
lights were out Two men were stoop-
Ing over some oLa who lay on the
ground. Then the taller OF two started
on dog trot along tho train looking
for an empty. He found one four cars
away and ran back again. Tho two
lifted the unconscious man into the
empty box-cnr, and getting In them
selves, stayed for three or four min
utes. When they came out, after clos.
ing the sliding door. they cut up over
the railroad embankment toward the
fCNhs OhNp NhN oAAOlN INV btolucu W
limp.
The tramp was wary. He waited
for ten minutes or so. Some women
came down path TO the road and In
spected the automobile When they
had gone, he crawled into tho box.oar
and closed the door again. Then he
lighted match. The figure OF man,
unconscious, gagged and with his
hands tied, lay far at the end. The
tramp lost no time; he went through
his pockets, found a little money and
the cuff.links. and took them Then
he loosenod the gag-lt had been
cruelty highland went his way.
again closing the door OF the box.car
Outside on the road he found the
watch. He got on the fast freight east,
some time after. and rode into the
city. He had sold the cuff-links, but
on offering the watch to Alex he had
been "copped"
The story, with its cold recital Of
villainy was done. ! hardly knew II J
we're move anxious. or less. That "
was Halsey there could be no doubt.
How badly he was hurt how far he
had been carried, were the questions
that demanded immediate answer, But
IL was the first real information we
had had; my boy had not been muir
dered outright But instead Of vague
tCrrOra there was now the real fear
that he might be lying in GONE strange
hospital receiving the casual atten.
ton commonly given TO the charity
cases. Even this. h9d we kpown n,
would hay" been paradise to ,he ter
riblc truth ! walc vet ,nd feel my
self cold and tremblirg Vith the hor-
ror Of IIalsey's situation for three
days after his disappearance
Mr. Winters and Alex disposed Of
the tramp with warning. II was evil
dent ne had told us all he knew. We
had occasion. within day or two. 20
be- doubly thankful that We had given
him bis freedom When Mr. Jamie
aon tclophOuo1 that night $50 had news
for him hc told mc what bad not
rc2liZ'I hr.orc that 80 would NOT Do"
possible to find iialsey al once. even
with this clcw The cars by this time.
three days might be scattered over the
union But nc said 20 keep on hoping.
that II was the best news we had had
And in tho meantime. consumed With
anxiety as uc wore things were hap.
p"uing M thc house I'm rapid success.
sion
We had one peaceful day--thcn Lid
dy took sick In the night I went in
when hard her eroanIng. and found
her with q. hotwator bottle TO her
face. and her right cheek swollen un.
~ n was CLASSY
Toothachc?' ] asked, not too gent
~ You deserve &c. a woman OF
your age, who would ran ~ arou
with an exposed nerve in DR. mead
than haze the tooth pulled II would
be over IN moment"
Continued Tomorrow.
Subscribe TO the cLador today and
get. back COP Ca Containing tho "ircy.