The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-10-17
Pulling Off
A Job
copyright. ,o,I. BY Associated Literary Prss.,
BY Claudine Sisson


one of the parlor windows on the
highway the horse and coulter being
driven by a stranger met with dis
aster. The left-hand runner Of the
cuttes struck an Icy lump and was
lifted up until the cutter was upset.
The driver was pitched out into the
snow. but hung to the lines and
stopped the horse after being dragged
a couple of rods.
Miss Nellie neither screamed nor
tainted away. She saw the man get
up, right the cutter and drive away,
and that was all there was to it-for
the moment Her eye caught some
thing fiuttering after he had disap-
peared, and she walked out and
picked up a handkerchief. Close to 1t
lay letter These things had been
dragged from his pockets. The hand
kerchief gave her no clue to the
mans identity, but the superscription
on the envelope was in business
hand and read:
Mr. Joseph Gale, Ferndale."
Ferndale was country postoffice
a mile away. The letter was post
marked from the city, and had just
been received. AS the BENEFITS.
mother and daughter and brother
Jack, had lately moved into the
neishborhood, they hao heard of no
Gales The letter inclosed was very
brief. 1t read:
hn
down Wednesday evening to help
pull off the job. Will be a bloody
affair, but | guess we can manage 1t
all right Frank"
at must refer to contemplated
murder said the mother, when she
had been shown the letter.
why. of course 1t does" replied
Miss Nelly. If bloody affair
doesn't mean cutting some ones
throat, what can it mean?"
IF Jack were here he could tell
US"
Yes, but he won't be back from
Buffalo until Friday, Mother, here
is matter that must be seen to at
once. Murder has been planned and
1t may be our murder. Providence
has put clue into our hands.
There's a constable living in that red
house a mile down the road, and I'm
going down there"
But | may be murdered while you
are gOne,"
This letter says Wednesday night.
har no
date set. Say ] won't have to go at
all There's the constable coming up
the road now. Jack told him to keep
an eye out for us. He'll be right on
to the case in no time"
When the constable had entered
the house he got the story and the
clue, and he patted the girl on the
back and chuckled:
I'VE have got 'em dead to rights
at the very first go-off. It's my idea
that they mean to murder old Shep-
hard, the miser. lie lives alone and
is supposed to have a barrel of
money Joseph Ga!co Joseph Gale?
There's a family named Gale living
about three miles along the road, and
| believe there Is son. Was this .
young MANI"
Yes, | think so.'
Have a reckless look about him?'
Why, | can't say as to that"
III mote it down that he had He
must have, to plan a coldblooded
murder. Did he put the CAD to the
horse after righting the cutter and
jumping in?"
He surely did that"
"A murderer always does something
like that to give himself away We
are coming on, girl-we are coming
on Did he glance at the horse in a
furtive way?"
Il didn't see him."
But III note 1t down here that he
did. Yes; he must have done so
Murderers are always glancing about
in a furtive way. Did his face wear
2 startled look when the cutter up
set?"
1T was too far for me to see"
But it must have" said Nellies
mother.
Right you are, marin. He thought
for moment that had hold of him
Anything startles a man when he has
planned murder, He hasn't come
driving back 10 look for the letter, has
he?
Not that | have seen"
Another evidence of his guilt. An
letter within five minutes and come
right back Oh, he has left clues
enough to hang dozen men"
And do you think you will get
them?" asked the girl
LAS sure as you sit there. Plainest
case | ever had Wednesday night
will see both of them in limbo, and
III give EN- the third degree and get
a full confession, Now. then, not
word from either of you. You must
be silent as the dead Not hint
not look. | want to take them red.
handed"
After repeated and other warnings,
the constable walked away. bearing
the handkerchief and the letter with
him. This was on a Monday after.
noon. On Tuesday he called to say
that he mad hunted up the Gale fam.
lily. and that there was Joe Gale
Not much could be learned about him.
and for this very reason he might be
suspected OF almost any crime He
could not deny the letter. and the let.
Ter spoke of bloody affair When
confronted with 1t he must break
down and confess everything
Wednesday afternoon the constable
called to say that his plans were all