Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-12-12
CHAPTER vIl-lcontinuedl


Maybe that's why Rouser has dis
appeared" suggested the constable
He's been spending a lot Of money
lately, Rouser has. Maybe he knew
the Inspector was coming and WIS
short in his ACCOUNTS"
lie couldn't have known it" I pro
tested The inspector himself didn't
know he was coming here until late
yesterday afternoon, and there isn't
any way possible that the postmaster
could have been advised of his com
ing"
The arrival Of the substitute official
diverted the conversation. Miss Cox,
an unimaginative, unattractiye wom-
an of thirty, in a most matter-offact
way entered the building and took
charge.
The nrst thing" she said as she
calmly hung up her hat and coat, is
for all you men to get out of here so
that 1 can sort the mail"
Even the constable moved toward
the door, impelIed by the authority in
her tone and his own respect for gov
crEment property. I determined not
to be routed so easily. 1t seemed to
me that the occasion afforded me an
excellent opportunity, not to solve the
mystery or the missing postmaster,
but o work out one Of my own puZ-
zles-who 1t was that had rented Lock
Box a.
Miss Cox" I said, "as a personal
friend Of Post Office Inspector Davis.
who is to join me here in a few hours
in connection with an important mat
tor. and for your own sake as well, |
would suggest that you should keep at
least two Of us here as witnesses. This
is government property. The pOstmas-
ter has disappeared and some Of the
governments property may be miss
ing. If your inspection is made in the
presence of two witnesses there can
be no question about your statement
Of the condition in which you found
things. I really think it is a neces-
Rary precauton. l would suggest that
two of us, say the constable and my
self. be permitted to remain as wit
nesses."
BY ginger, he's right" said the
constable, whose attitude toward me
at once became one of decided friend
illness.
Maybe I had" said SIS Cox. You
two may stay, but the rest get out"
With a narrow sense of duty she in
sisted on sorting the mornings mail
before she made any investigation.
Meanwhile the constable and I dis
cussed the case. From him | learned
THAT ROuser, the postmaster. was a
likable young fellow of twenty-five or
six. who had held the office for two or
three years.
The way he come to be postmaster
was this: His father had represented
his district in Congress for twenty
years or SO before he died. The old
man was an able citizen. but never
had accumulated much money though
he gave the boy a good education.
Charlie however. wasn't much good.
He was bright and smart enough. but
he seemed to lack the git-up and git
TODD for himself. After his father
died he lived on the little money left
him till it was all gone and then lust
drifted around, getting a meal where
he could and his clothes growing shah.
bier and shabbier The women-folks
alI liked him and was always trying to
find something for him to do. He'd
work if he had it, but he wasn't the
kind of a fellow to be teaming OIL. gar.
dening or trucking, and it was the
hardest sort of a job to find something
that would suit him The old postmas
ter died and the politicians was about
equally divided as to who was entitled
to the place They didn't seem able
to agree on no one. Then somebody
suggested Charlie Rouser, some of the
womenfOlks / guess it was, and first
hing you rkDow he had it.
Tt don't pay much. only six hun,
dred q year. but Charlie don't drink
and don't gamble, so he's been able to
Sc aIoug ON that well euough, and he
aiat made a bad postmaster. Hes a
weak youngstcr and easily led, and ii
he'd ever got into bad company T car
see his finish Lately I've noticed he
seemed TO be spending q lot ct money
tu-aah where it came from, if the