Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-11-21
cHAPrER v-lcontinuedl


had not looked at it in that light,
set / felt that he was right There
could not be a moment of happiness
for the girl T loved until the black
shadow that menaced her home and
those size loved had been dispelled.
Yes. Davis was right I would 90 TO
aTd7ay that evening. / stopped only
long enough to telephone Louise Of
nv intention and to 60 to my rooms
for bag.
''If you have a revolver you'd better
take it with YOU" said Davis.
I never owned one in my life, [
replied.
lie drew out his own and handed
IT to me. 1t was Of the hammerless
variety, flat and almost square.
BE careful how you use it." he
warned me It's a magazine gun and
goes off with a very light touch.
What do you expect me to find in
Ardway?' / asked him as a taXicab
hurried US to the Hudson tunnel.
There are two things. First: find
out if Hugh Crandan is there, when
lie arrived and what he has been do
ing. Probably if he is at the hotel
he will be registered under an as
sumed name. Second find out who
has Lock Box IL. There is a list of
box-owners kept in every Office, with
the names Of the two references. Find
out all you can without arOusing sus-
picion. I'll be out and join you there
tomorrow evening I'll come out on
this same train. I'll leave it to you
to find a plausible preteXt for ques-
tioning the postmaster.
Tedious as the trip to Ardway would
ordinarily have been, so absorbed was
] In pulling over the mystery l hard
ly noted the passage of time and was
startled to hear the brakeman calling
my station I had learned from the
conductor that it was a village Of less
than two thousand inhabitants and
that there was only one hotel about
q block from the station. 1t proved
TO be q country hotel of the better
sort doing a thriving business in feed
ing moter-car folk who passed through
and in taking care Of trayeling-men
and farmers supply agents who Wis
tied the neighborhood.
As signed the register 1 scanned
fine names. hoping to see that Of
CrandalI, but it did not appear. Yet
registered the night before was
name Henry Cook" that caught my
eye. Something about the writing
made ii as distinctiyely that Of a city
man as his clothes would have distin-
auished him from the country boy be
hind the desk.
Where viii find the post-Ofiice?" /
asked the clerk 4 want to get a spe-
cial delivery letter eff tonight"
It's a couple Of blocks up Main
street" he told me, but you'd better
go in and get supper. The dining
room closes at half-past seven and the
postofice stays open until eight"
! TOOK his advice and. after an ex-
celIent meal, lighted my cigar and
walked in the direction he had indi-
Gated. The streets were lighted after
a manner by oil lamps at the corners.
There was no moon and the villagers
for TIE most part seemed to live in the
rear part Of their homes. Few of the
struggling stores had their windows
lighted, so it was with difficulty | read
the signs on the buildings l passed,
yet / had little trouble finding the
post-Otiice It was a one-story build
ing that stood on Q vacant lot in the
middle of the block. 1t evidently had
been built by some local politician for
the purpose, as it was not quartered
i'm the corner Of a cigar or grocery
store, as most country offices are.
Peering into the darkness I read the
sign "Post-OHlce," and noted with
some surprise that the windows were
without lights. / drew out my watch
and striking match looked at the
time Ii was half-past seven. For
lack Of something better to do L
walked round the building To my
amazement when 1 reached the end
away from the street found the rear
door standing wide open. Thinking
perhaps that the postmaster might
merely have gone to supper, relying
on the honesty Of his neighbors to
leave things undisturbed. I loitered in
the vicinity for a fun baIf-hour. At
last, growing inpatient. I entered the
rear door and striking another match
looked about me. AS far as the uncer-
tain light permitted me TO see, the
place looked as if the postmaster had