Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-11-21
MZ}haH0mW URazna,


midst Of his work.
I recalled that in my bag at the no
tel was one Of those storage battery
lights, which happened to be there be
cause / often found it useful in the
cabin where went to shoot ducks.
decided 10 get this and Investigate
further It had begun to rain and
there were few people on the street.
/ returned with my light in a very few
minutes and began to explore. I did
not greatly fear interruption, for the
mail-bOxes on the street side served
as a screen to shut off the shaft of
light by which I worked.
Ny second inspection convinced ne
that the postmaster had left in con-
siderable hurry. a pile of mail half
sorted, a stamp drawer left wide open
and the books standing in an open
safe seemed to bear out this theory.
Even the cash-draWer stood open, re
vea.iug a few bills and some change.
IF the cash-drawer had been rided, %
I said to myself, 4 might suspect that
the postmaster had been murdered
and robbed"
I pushed the cash-dTawer shut and
heard the automatic lock click on it,
and then began a search for the list
Of box-owners. At the back Of each
box a slip was pasted with the own
er's name. To my great disappoint-
meDt Box No. IL was blank l turned
next to the safe and at last found the
book in which the accounts of box
rent were kept. In this were neatly
entered the name of each box-hOlder
and the two references given, for ev-
cry box except No. II.
AS | stood porting over this book,
DerpleXed by my failure to discover
the owner, [ became conscious that I
was watched. A sixth sense con
WINGED ne that some one else was
near. Quickly I pressed the button
that eXtiIguished my electric lantern.
Noiselessly I turned toward the rear
door by which I had entered I caught
just a fieeting glimpse Of a mans face
being hastily withdrawn. Undoubted-
ly it was the postmaster who had
turned and caught me there. Of course
he must take me for a burglar. It had
been too dark for me to recognize the
features of the man and I was certain
he could not identify me. I stood mo-
tionless for minute or two, listening
intently, but I could not hear even a
Ootstep-nothing but the patter of the
rain.
Yet undoubtedly whoever had dis
covered me had gone to summon as
sistance. It would never do for me to
be caught there. While l felt I was
perfectly justified in my mission, it
would be hard to make a satisfactory
explanation If I was captured there
it certainly would mean an unpleasant
night in a vermin-flIed shack, perhaps
in irons. 1t might take several days
to establish my innocence. 1 decided
TO attempt an escape. The sense OF
having a revolver in my pocket com
fOrted me, though l realized its pos
session would be most damaging if I
should be caught I moved swiftly to
the door and peered out There was
no one in sight.
Trusting my lantern in my pocket
and turning up my collar l made a
dash around the corner Of the build
ing and looked up and down the
street. It was entirely deserted. The
thought struck me that the man who
had been watching me might still be
in hiding on the other side of the
building, but I did not stop to investi-
gate. With the best air of unconcen
[ could assume, I walked. not over
hastily, back to the hotel There was
no one in the office but the clerk be
hind the desk and l stood there for a
moment beside the big oId-fashioned
stove drying my clothes. The door
opened and a tall smOOth-shaven chap
came in and approached the desk to
get his key. AS he saw me standing
there he gave me a keen glance of
scrutiny. l had noticed that he had
come from the, direction Of the post
Office and he must have seen that my
clothing was rain-soaked He half
halted as if about to speak to me, but
changed his mind. I heard the clerk
say:
Good night, Mr.. Cook" as he van
ished upstairs.
If this was the man who had seen
me in the post-ofice, plainly he was
not the postmaster. If not, who was
he? What was he doing there?
1t was long after midnight before
my mystified brain would let me sleep.
Every step had taken seemed only
to be leading me deeper ana deeper
into darkness.