The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-01-04

i recalled that in my baE e. 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 20 shoot ducks
decided to get this and investigate
further. 1t had Begin to rain and
there were few people on the street.
| returned with my light in very Jew
minutes and began 20 explore. l did
not greatly fear interruption, for the
mail-boXes On the street side served
as a screen to shut off the shaft of
| light by which / worked.
My second inspection convinced me
that the postmaster had left in con-
siderable hurry. A pile of mail half
sorted. stamp drawer left wide open
and the books standing in an open
safe seemed to bear out this theory.
Even the cash-drawcr stood open, re-
vealing a few bills and some change.
| IF the cash-drawer had been rified,"
| | said to myself, Il night suspect that
the postmaster had been murdered
and robbed"
/ pushed tps cash drawer shut and
heard the automatic lock click on it,,
and then began a 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. II wa blank. l turned
next 20 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 ev-
cry box except No. II.
AS stood porting over this book,
perpleEed by my failure to discover
the owner, became conscious that l
was watched. A sixth sense con-
| WINGED NE that some one else was
near. Quickly ! pressed the button
that extingrished my electric lantern.
Noiselessly | turned toward the rear
door by which had entered. / caught
just fleeting glimpse of mans face
being hastily withdrawn Undoubted-
ly it was the postmaster who had
4 turned and caught ME there. OF course
he must take me for a burglar. It had
been too dark for me to recognize the
features of the man and / was certain
he could not identify me. / stood mo-
tionless for a minute or two, listening
intently. but could not hear even a
footstep-nothing but the patter of the
rain.
Yet undoubtedly whoever had dis
covered me had gone to summon as
sistance. 1t would never do for me to
be caught there. While felt 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 vermin-filled shack, perhaps
in irons. 1t might take several days
to establish my innocence. / decided
to attempt an escape. The sense OF
having revolver in my pocket com.
forted me, though ! realized its pos
session would be most damaging if
should be caught. l moved swiftly to
the door and peered out. There was
no one in sight.
sThrusting my lantern in my pocket
and turning up my collar l made a
dash around the corner of the build
ling and looked up and down the
street. II 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 l did not stop to investi
gate. With the best air of unconcern
1 could assume, l 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 q
moment besice the big oldfashioned
stove drying my clothes. The door
opened and tall smooth-shaven char
came in and approached the desk tc
get his key. AS he saw me standing
scrutiny. 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 il about to speak to me, but
changed his mind. l heard the clerl
say:
Good night. Mr.. Cook" as he van
ished upstairs.
II this was the man who had seer
me in the post-office, plainly he was
not the postmaster If not. who was
he? What was he doing there?
1t was long after midnight before
my mystified brain woulc let me sleep
Every step had taken seemed only
to be leading me deeper and deeper
into darkness.