The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-04-26
Pulling Off
A Job

By Claudine Sisson

IN front OF the Bennett house, with
Miss Nellie Bennett looking out Of
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 1uttering after he had disap-
peared, and she walked out and
picked up 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 a business
hand and read:
mr.. Joseph Gale, Ferndale."
Ferndale was country postofhce
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
neighborhood, they had heard Of no
Gales. The letter inclosed was very
brief. It read:
Dear Joe-Yours at hand. Will be
down Wednesday evening to help
pull of the job. Will be bloody
affair. but I guess we can manage 1t
all right. Frank"
1T must refer to a contemplated
murder" said the mother. when she
had been shown the letter.
why, of course It Does" replied
Miss Nelly. III = bloody <tfah'
doesn't mean cutting some ones
throat, what can 1t mean?"
If Jack were here he could tell
u.s.
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 a 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.
Murders never come of before the
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. He lives alone and
is supposed to have barrel Of
money. Joseph Gale? Joseph Gale?
There's a family named Gale living
about three miles along the road, and
I believe there is a son. Was this a
young MANI"
Yes, think So"
Have reckless look about him p
why, can't say as to that
iii note 1t down that he had. He
must have, to plan cold-blooded
murder. Did he put the CAD to the
horse after Fighting 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?"
II didn't see him."
But I'll note 1t down here that he
did. Yes: he must have done so.
Murderers are always glancing about
in furtive way. Did his face wear
startled look when the cutter up
set?'
1T was too tar for me to see."
But it must have" said Nellie's
mother.
Right you are, marin. He thought
for a moment that had hold of him.
Anything startles q man when he has
planned a murder. He hasn't come
driving back to look for the letter. has
he!"
Not that have seen."
Another evidence Of his guilt An
honest man would have missed the
letter within five minutes and como