Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1909-07-28
A VERY SIMPLE
DETECTIVE CASE,
BY BERTHA pALsoP.

UlILUjjvl UnOlI
BY BERTHA DALsoP.
Copyright. 1909. by American Press Asso-
ciation.]
"Waiter, call a cab"
So spoke Walter De Forest while
sitting In the cafe of his club. In a
few minutes the waiter announced that
the cab was at the door. De Forest
went out, gave a street and number to
the cabman and got into the cab.
There, before him on the seat, lay a
package.
"Ah," exclaimed De Forest, ''some
one has lost something"
Taking up the package, he opened it
and saw on the top q bank bill for
$1,000. He opened his eyes very wide.
Lifting the bill, he came upon another
for the same amount He opened his
eyes wider. Fifty bills, each for $780,
were in the parcel.
He looked at the wrapper. There
was neither name nor mark on it to
give the slightest clew to it's owner
ship. He tied up the package and put
It in his pocket. On reaching his des-
tination he said to the driver:
"Who was the last person in this cab
before meY'
"A young lady, sir"
"What name?"
II don't know, sir.''
"Where did she engage your"
"She called me from the sidewalk"
"Where did she tell you to driver"
ITO "a Union street"
Mr.. De Forest started. did you
take her thereY'
mo, sir. A pair of horses were
plunging in the crowd of vehicles be-
side US. I drove on, but when l got
down to open the door there was no
one inside. think the lady got scared
and slipped out"
did you go to the location she gave
you to collect your fare?"
mot yet, sir"
"How much does she owe your"
"A dollar"
"Here it is. know the lady. I'll
tell her."
THANK you, SIR"
The coincidence was a strange one.
Julia Drayton. aged twenty-one that
day had been paid in bills legacy of
$4,000. She had stepped from bank
to the sidewalk, got into a cab, SUI
fered from a fright, jumped out and
left her fortune inside. Walter De
Forest was an admirer of hers and
had at the time made up his mind that
he would marry her If he could. Mon
ey was no special object to him.
The next morning he saw an adver-
tisement in the papers Of large re-
ward for the lost money. In the even
, Ing he called on Miss Drayton. The
servant who received him said that
her mistress was indisposed.
''Tell her that have called to speak
to her about her loss," said De Forest,
and in q few moments Miss Drayton
came down. She was much agitated.
Il saw an advertisement this morn
Ing" he said, (which from its reading
think must be yours"
II have lost my Inheritance"
De Forest asked her to tell him the
story, which she did.
II am very sorry for you," he said
when she had finished, indeed SO
sorry that am going to exercise my
ingenuity to find who has the bills.
have plan that will put into opera.
ton. and If it succeeds shall recover
your fortune"
"All Of it?" she gasped.
"Au or none"
"But there is the reward"
'That we may talk of after getting
the bills"
; Mr.. De Forest called often to report
progress. Miss Drayton begged him
to tell her Of his methods, but he as
sured her it was not best. Though at
times he spoke encouragingly and at
> times the reverse, he continually kept
her up by a steadfast hope.
One evening De Forest left the young
lady conscious Of the fact that he
might as well bring his detective in
vestigations to a close. A few days
later he showed Miss Drayton a piece
Of paper on which was scrawled by
some illiterate person an agreement to
return fifty $1,000 bank bills provided
that immunity were guaranteed. Miss
Drayton caught her breath. But De
Forest reminded her Of the many
frauds in such matters and warned
her not to feel too sure. Nevertheless
she wrung his hand.
A week passed, during which Miss
Drayton suffered alternate chills and
fever-chills Of dependency and fever
Of hope. And all the while she was
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