The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-02-20
THECASE OFCLUETT PETERS

was geared TO loosen up at u mid
night"
.Eh?''
THE surest thing you ever knew, and
It's down there to look at if you don't
believe me, and II nobodys changed il
since we were below"
But that is impossibIe"'
"Of course it is Bovine smiled Sc
renely- You have no idea how many
impossible things happen every day in
the week, Mr.. Hungerford. But all the
same, it's the fact, and we've got to
get to some more facts. and get to
them in an almighty hurry at that
Here! There's no doubt whatever that
Peters set that lock?''
Not the slightest. I saw him do *.
In fact. I was at his side"
Good Could he have had any par
ticular motive for stealing half q. mil
lion dollars worth OF paper?''
why, man, the boys worth millions
in his own right
That doesn't cut much figure with
the concrete facts. sir, A man could be
worth billion and still commit a muir
der and be guilty. you know. Well
Bovine was on his feet again
and palpably thinking hard. Some thir-
ty seconds and: Il do1-t pretend 70 say
that that young man took the bonds;
and if he did I don't pretend TO say
why. But If he did take them he must
have tried to get away with them-"
But
"Al right II happens this morning
that I've got men covering the Penn
and the Erie and tho New York Central
train gates On-er-aEother job. They'll
have an eye on every one that goes
through, and, az I recall Peters. he's a
striking figure And-I sayl was he
carrying anything when he left your
house? DID he wear an overcoat?
well, he wore long-very long
tan overcOat, and he was carrying a
heavy alligator bag, Bovine" Hunger
ford replied dazedly.
"'Umum. Anything extraordinary about
the bag?'
only that it was an extremely fine
piece Of work, and one that almost any
one would notice.
Thank you" said Mr.. Bovine, with
a glance at the clock "Good-by for
the present"
He has gone.
Hungerford sat back and stared in
bewilderment at the ceiling.
It was nOnsense-idiotic uonsensel
The idea of man with millions IN his
own right coming into a bank and
sandbaggfng the Waterman and emp
tying the vault OF the better part of
its Eilt-edged paperl
And yet-who else, In the name Of
common sense. could have walked into
the bank without forcing so much as
a single inner door LOCKE Who else
could have found his way to the vaults.
. Who else couid-and then there was
that queer matter Of the time lock!
That was queer! Hungerford leaned
| farther back and thought and thought
and thought.
The clock passed 10 and worked
around toward the half hour, and still
/ the presidents brain paralysis remain
| ed He was trying hard to think II all
| out. and the job was showing poor re-
suits all around. Cluett Peters could
by no possible chance be guilty Of theft
| All personal qualities aside. his wealth
! itself rendered that ridiculous. Yet. II
/ he was not
| The door Of the private office opened
! unceremoni~usIy.
Mr.. Bovine, with a few beads OF per
! spIration on his brow, dropped into a
J chair and pufed-
We'll, with the help OF taxicab
/ I've done it in jig time, Hungerf0rd!'
/ he announced.
"DCne WHAT
I verified exactly what suspected,
Our Gentleman has left town
/ What"
{ yes, SIR Bovine ETinned. Mr..
( CIuett Peters left the Grand Central
station for Boston on the 4 O'Clock train
! this afternoon
I The Continuation OF This Story VIII
He Found in TomOrrOW's
Issue of This paper.