Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-12-18
A MYSTERIOUS BOX.
Amateur Detectives Smell MyS'
terry in Actions of q Little
Dark Chap.
BY ARTHUR w. PEACH.

lent, given to moments of staring
and the first day of his appearance.
Webster, who is something of an anna.
teur detective, came into my room.
looking bit as if he was startled, for
a chat
Say, you saw that dark fellow?
Well, I've got a suspicion that he's
mixed up in something that may turn
out into a serious affair. Not ten
minutes ago 1 saw him sneaking up
into his room, and under his arm he
had box, small oblong affair that
he tried to slide out of my sight as he
went by. I'm not saying what my sus-
picions are; it may be something that
he has stolen or it may be something
that one of these days will come out
in the papers-'Bomb Explosion!'
''You don't mean It'll" exclaimed,
somewhat Jared.
''I'm not saying, but smell mys-
terry that'll make this old boarding
house get up and walk around on it's
tip-toes one of these days. 1t would
be foolish to say anything now, but
keep the thing on the quiet and we
may be able to uncover something.
Keep your eye on him as he comes
and goes and at the table, and if
you're onto your job-we1l compare
notes and see VIII we work up"
l was perfectly illing to do that,
and the next few lays I gave a lot of
attention to the little dark chap with
the restless manner. And there GER
foin1y orb, +A Oh
der more and get little nervous, now
that Webster had rather put me on
the track of him. Every time he went
out, even to go downstairs, he in
varibly locked his door, and before
entering his room, he always seemed
to feel of his lock; and one day, aft
er a little skilful work, I found that
on leaving, he managed to get a little
wax in the keyhole. OF course, he could
tell whether any one had tried to get
in or not.
We were fairly sociable lot in the
house, but he kept away from us, so
we saw nothing of him. We learned
his last name quickly enough-Galvio;
and the name did not make US feel any
the less inclined to look upon him as
a mystery.
I saw him skipping out once one
evening with the box, and returning
cautiously.
The next big move that startled
us was the fact that one evening three
men came to see him, dark, silent,
men of his own type; and they went
as quickly as they came.
Webster's eyes were beginning to
light as we compared notes that eve
ming. Il tell you," he said, confident
ly, we're on the track of something
big. I don't know whether we should
put the police on the job now or not,
but | think it would be wise to wait
If I do make good on this, guess
I'll give up that bum clerks job and
try for a position on the force. I've
always believed I was fitted for some
such thing. But we better play the
game sure for a while. / think it's
just this: There's a plot up-perhaps
a Black Hand affair: anyway, those
three men are holding a council to-
gether. | can hear their voices talk
ing low and steady in my room. And
they come and go so oddly There's
a whole bunch in the house who are
talking about them, and getting curl
Gus, too, but no one seems to have
noticed the box. They aren't very OBJ
serving. Now, let's watch out for the
next move"
So we agreed. And it came that
night.
l was in bed when Webster came to
my room, and knocked on the door
softly according to a signal we had
arranged l looked out and he whis-
pered that he wanted to see me in his
room; and it was a short time that
found me there, standing still and
rigid in the room, in the dusk listen
ing against the wall according to his
whispered suggestion. | heard moth
ing at first Then slowly penetrating
into my consciousness, I caught a
faint tick-tick-tick. The ticking went
rather rapidly, and altogether different
from a clock or watch. l could hear
him moving about, and once in
while the ticking would cease, then
go on. and stop again.
l turned back to Webster. What
do you think he's up to-" | whispered
whats he got there?"
"A bomb! or internal machine that
is going to blow up somewhere one of
these days, if we don't get busy
The next day we talked it over.
THE scheme is now to see one of
the central detectives, tell him the
situation, and some night when these
fellows get together-nab 'em! Do
you want to see about arranging it?"
Webster asked
Not on your life," l answered,
"that's in your line"
He looked pleased and agreed to
do it.
He reported later that the detective
assigned to hear his story was a bit
skepticaI until he told him Of the
+iolziup Then he agreed there mioht