Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-03-31
copyright. 1910. BY W. G. Chapman,

but they're a set of dubs when it comes
to serious or delicate work-Guess
they can nab some poor devil who
steals few buckets of coal, and they
are clever enough at bouncing some
ht-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 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 outfiy. Said the
latter:
THE car completely disappeared.
you say, silver and ALP"
Absolutely"
How much would the car by itself
weight"
Twelve thousand pounds-say six
TONS"
"And eight tons of silver-h'm-14
tons in ALL
There or thereabouts."
I'm what part of the train was
car 22662 coupled?"
Cohoon snorted. That's the devil
fish mysterious part Of the whole af-
fair" he said Fright in the middle of
the whole blessed trainl There were
Oscars in all-boxes and gondolas
or fiat cars-and the silver was in
No. 13, counting back from the en-
ginel"
Rather a 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 men-is out of it, because the
yard master at Reno swears that No.
43 pulled out with rs cars"
"And them
Nothing. When 43 pulled into the
yard at Oakland there were only rs
cars. No. 22662 was missing"
But how?"
Course you're wondering how a
heavy car could be cut out of solid
train. That's what gets the goat of every
man at this end of the road. Ask
me some more fool questions-excuse
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 it was imperative that he clear
the ground of all possible solutions.
Train robbers? Tramps? Inside
collusion-you know what l mean?-
fake shipment?"
To all of which Cohoon shook his
head emphatically.
Gar mislaid 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
ourselvesl' The representative Of Bull
liyants nodded in turn.
"Of course there's an answer" said
Marden, -"and probably very simple
one. I'm not railroad man, and per-
haps that's point in my favor"
"Yours?" Queried Cohoon in sur
prise.
I'm going to tackle the problem Of
your missing box car myself-it rath-
er interests me-" said Bullivants' man
ager, quietly.
"Goodl" calculated Cohoon. per
haps wen get some action. Want a
pass up and down the liner"
mo, think not" was the answer.
Guess I'd better not attract atten-
ton by flashing pass. News of that
sort travels fast, you know"
Maybe you're right" nodded Co
hoon. well, 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-
emit irrelevance.
Sometimes" was the puzzled an
swer "Why?"
And car poker?"
What the DEVILS that?"
MardeD 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 a new one on me-" con-
fessed the railroad man. How do you
play it?"
Just bet on the next freight car
with i've numbers that you meet. It's
great fun"
Il 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 mystified.
We'll. that looks to me like a
pretty good omen," said Marden.
Something tells we I'll find your car,
for I'm pretty lucky at poker. Good
day. Let you know soon as l have
any news"