Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-12


missing. If your inspection is made
in the presence of two witnesses there
can be no question about your state
ment of the condition in which you
found things. I really think 1t Is a
necessary precaution. ! would suggest
that two Of us, say the constable and
myself, be permitted to remain as wit
nesses."
by ginger, he's right said the con-
stable, whose attitude toward me at
once became one OF decided friendli-
ness.
maybe had" said Miss 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 l 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
this 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 just
drifted around, getting meal where
he could and his clothes growing shah
bier and shabbier. The women-folks
all liked him and was always trying
to find something for him to do. He'd
work IL he had It, but he wasn't the
kind of fellow to be teaming or
gardening or trucking, and 1t was the
hardest sort of job to find some
thing that would suit him. The old post.
master died and the politicians were
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 women-folks guess 1t
was, and first thing you know he had
it. ~"
1T don't pay much, only six hundred
"a year, but Charlie don't drink and
don't gamble, so he's been able to get
along on that we'll enough, and he amt
made bad postmaster. He's a weak
youngster and easily led, and if he'd
lever got into bad company | can see
his finish, Lately I've noticed he
seemed to be spending lot Of money,
though where 1t came from, II the
books is all straight, is more than I
can imagine"
"Well, noticed him the other day
wearing a big diamond in his necktie
and he bought himself gold repeater
watch and he's always hiring horses
at the livery stable and going off for
drives in the evening. One night l
seen him buy round Of drinks that
cost dollar and ten cents That's
what call spending" ~
Maybe he met with an accident on
his drive
Maybe he did, but don't believe it
likely. A fellow that can get along
with women can get along with horses,
and while Charlie wasn't athletic or
anything like that, I never seen the
horses yet he couldn't drive" t0N
BY this time Miss Cox had her mail
sorted and turned to us with: IF you
two gentlemen want to see what's in
the safe, now is your chance. I'm 60
ing to open It,"
Everything inside the safe was in the
neatest order. She removed the ledg.
ers and put them on the desk, inspect
ed the cash-drawer of the safe and
made a tab of the amount She also
carefully counted the reserve supply
Ia cfo tol vHe or
envelopes, and added them to her
tally. ,,
Now for the daily cash-drawer,"
suggested the constable. Let's see
if he's taken any of the cash."
That's just like a man." snapped
Miss Cox. How are you going to
tell till l 60 over these books and see
how much there ought to be? Well
open the cash-drawer after I'm through
looking"
There was nothing to do but wait,
and it was perhaps half an hour before
she completed her calculations, being
often interrupted by callers for mail
IF that cash-drawer hasn't been rob-
bed" she said, "we'll find exactly
sixteen dollars and forty-eight cents
in it."
In the presence of both of us she
opened the drawer and carefully count
ed out it's contents. One flve-dollor
bill, two two's, four ones and three
dollars and forty-eight cents in silver
and pennies were in the drawer.
Fright to a t." she exclaimed
triumphantly. II believe you two are
disappointed at not finding short
age. Charlie Rouser may have his
faults, but he's honest"
whats that there at the back Of
the drawer?' asked the constable, pay
ing no attention OF her remark
The drawer, one Of those heavy wood
EN- affairs with circular pocket for
siler, had been pulled out almost to its
utmost length. Where the money COM
partments fitted into the back OF, the
drawer little space was left, barely
visible under the overhang of the desk
1t was at this particular space that the
constable was pointing.
Following the line of his finger, I
caught a CLINT Of yellow, just as the
energetic Miss Cox gave the drawer a