The Raymer enterprise., 1911-03-02

steals a few buckets Of coal, and they
are clever enough at bouncing some
elght-dollar.a.week brakeman who lets
few too many hoboes ride on the
blind baggage or the brake beams:
but when 1t comes to ferreting out a
real mystery. / tell you they're a long
way worse than no good"
Cohoon paused because his vehe.
mence had pumped him dry and part
ly to see what Marden had to say
In response to this outfy. Said the
latter:
THE car completely disappeared.
you say. silver and all?"
Absolutely"
How much would the car by itself
weigh"
Twelve thousand pounds--say six
tons"
And eight tons of silver-h'm-14
tons in all"
There or thereabouts"
"In what part Of the train was
car 22662 coupled?'
Cohoon snorted. That's the devil.
ish mysterious part OF the whole af-
fair" he said Right in the middle OF
the whole blessed train! There were
Oscars in all-boxes and gondolas
or fiat cars-and the silver was In
No. 10. counting back from the en-.
gine."
Rather sinister fact. provided
you and believe In omens-which we
don't commented Marden, dryly,
Then: What do the two conductors
say"
Well, you see," answered Cohoon,
conductor No. lone OF our best and
Oldest mems out of II, because the
yard master at Reno swears that No.
i3 pulled out with 26 cars"
And then"
Nothing, When 43 pulled into the
yard at Oakland there were only 25
cars. No. 226Cs was missing"
But how"
Course you're wondering how a
heavy car could be cut out of a solid
train. That's what gets the goat OF every
man Ut this end of the road. Ask
me some more fool questions
me, didn't mean exactly that-but
the more questions you put OF the ordi.
nary common garden variety the
quicker you'll see what you're up
against. In fact, I'm free to admit,
before you take hold, that the railroad
mans experience gives no answer
and know the game from A to lizard.
The things id mystery, however
you look at it."
Marden grinned, but went ahead
with his necessary fool questions"
for II was imperative that he clear
the ground OF all possible solutions.
Train robbers? Tramps? Inside
colluslon-you know what mean?-
fake Shipment"
To all OF which Cohoon shook his
head emphatically.
Car mlslaid In the Oakland yards.
or routed by mistake over some other
road?"
Again that negative shake of the
head from Cohoon. half impatiently
this time as though he could say:
That sort OF trouble We can attend to
ourselves The representative of Bul.
liyants nodded in turn.
"Of course there's an answer" said
Marden, "and probably a very simple
one. I'm not n railroad man, and per.
haps that's point in my favor"
"iours?" queried Cohoon in sur.
prise.
I'm going TO tackle the problem OF
your missing box car myself-it rath.
er interests me" said Bulllvants man.
ager, quietly.
Good" calculated Cohoon Per.
haps we'll get some action. Want a
pass up and down the line?"
NO, think not was the answer.
Guess Id better not attract atten.
tion by flashing pass. News of that
sort travels fast, you know"
Maybe you're right" nodded Co.
hoon. We'll, good luck. Let me know
when there's anything to report"
Marden picked up his hat. relighted
his cigar, and rose to leave. Ever
play poker?" he inquired, with appar.
ent irrelevance.
Sometimes" was the puzzled an,
swer. Why"
And car poker7"
What the DEVILS that"
Marden laughed. Mean to say you
never sat In your seat and watched
or betted on the number OF freight
cars you passed, watching for poker
hands,"
That's new one on me-" con.
fessed the railroad man. "How do you
play IT."
Just bet on the next freight car
with five numbers that you meet. It's
great fun"
II don't see" grumbled Cohoon.
Il meant only this: Your missing
box car carried full house'--22662-
three Of kind and pair--don't you
see?"
Cohoon nodded and laughed, but still
appeared mystifled.
We'll. that looks to me like q
pretty good omen." said Marden
Something tells we I'll find your car
| for I'm pretty lucky at poker. Good