Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-12-11
NhhaGlm5MNRazue5


midst OF his work. 81
| 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. l
decided to get this and investigate
further. 1t had begun to rain and
there were few people on the street.
I returned with my light in very few
minutes and began to explore. ! did
not greatly, fear interruption; for the
mail.boxes on the street side served
as a screen to shut of the shaft OF
light by which worked.
| My second inspection convinced me
that the postmaster had left In con-
siderable hurry. APPLE 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-
vealing few bills and some change.
III the cash-drawer had been rided, !"
l said to myself, Il might suspect that
the postmaster had been murdered
and robbed" .....
I pushed the cash-drawer shut and
heard the automatic lock click on it,
and then began search for the list
Of box-owners. At the back Of each
box slip was pasted with the own
er's name. To my great disappoint-
ment Box No.-17 was blank. I 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 ey.
cry box except No. II. -
AS stood porting over this book,
perplexed by my failure to discover
the owner, became conscious that l
was watched. A sixth sense con-
WINGED me that some one else was
near. Quickly / pressed the button
that extinguished my electric lantern.
Noiselessly l turned toward the rear
door by which had entered. caught
just fieeting glimpse Of 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being hastily withdrawn.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 q burglar. 1t had
been too dark for me to recognize the
features Of the man and wac certain
he could not identify me. stood mo-
tionless for minute or two. listening
intently. but could not hear even 9
rfootstep- nothing but the patter Of the
rain. l5.
Yet undoubtedly whoever had dis
covered me had gone to summon az
sistance. It would never do for me to
be caught there. While felt I was
perfectly justified in my mission, it
would be hard to make satisfactory
explanation. If l. was captured there
it certainly would mean an unpleasant
night in q vermin,f1lled shack, perhaps
Einsirons.s IT might take several days
to establish my Innocence. I,decided
to attempt an escape. The sense OF
having a revolver in my pocket com;
forted me; though \ realized its pos:
session would be most damaging ii ]
should be caught. moved swiftly to
the door and peered out. There was
no one in sight.
Thrusting my lantern in my pocket
and turning up my collar made q
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 did not stop, to investi-
gate. With the best air, of unconcern
| 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 stood there for a
moment beside the big old-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 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 II about to speak to me, but
changed his mind. heard the clerk
say: KS
Good night, Mr.. Cook as he van
ished upstairs. t.t@l :.
s. II this. was the man who had seen
me in the post-ofhce, plainly he was
not the postmaster. II not, who was
he? What was he doing there?
1t was long after midnight before
my mystifled brain would let me sleep.
Every step had taken Seemed only
to. be leading me deeper and deeper
into darkness.
CHAPTER VI