The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-03-01
CHAPTER xu-fcontInued).

Let me see," she continued, 1T was
. week ago Tuesday-no, 1t was We'd
nesday. for went over to my sisters
Tuesday and Mr.. Rouser left word
for me. and / found It waiting for me
when / came back. He asked me to
come over and take the office for the
day. was surprised when come
over here to open up to find him here.
for I'd understood that he was going
to be gone all day. He explained that
he didn't have to go till after the mail
was in. and he stayed here and helped
me sort. There was a lot Of mail
that day, people round here are great
for answering advertisements and get
ting circulars. Besides that. some Of
them get-rich-Quick concerns have got
hold Of our telephone subscribers
book and there's always lot of min
ing stock letters. There was no less
than four good-sized bundles Of letters
from New York. Rouser was sorting
the letters and l was handling the
second class and the papers. l got
through with that and picked up the
last bundle Of letters. In It was no
less than six letters addressed to Lock
Box IL. 'Seventeen's rented at last
says l. thinking 1t funny that l didn't
know the name on them, Henry NAL
colin Stewart. Who's got It? I'll take
charge Of them says he. taking the
lettvrs right out of my hand before /
had chance to look at the postmarks
or anything. noticed, too. that he
didn't put them in the box, but TANNED
them into his pocket along with a lot
Of other letters he had. l couldn't
say who the other letters was ad-
dressed to, for didn't get a chance
to see them. They might have been
his own, for all know. But couldn't
help thinking that the only reason he'd
waited till the mail was distributed
was to get hold of them Lock Box IT
letters. As soon as he got them he
went away. and he didn't come back
till after closing time"
Have you any idea where he went?"
When ] come over here that day
supposed he was going to the city, but
few minutes after he left the Office
saw him driving past in one Of the
livery rigs"
Which direction did he go?" I
asked, feeling more and more sure
that l had struck the right trail. In
all probability this young fellow In the
post-office was merely an innocent tool
Of Crandall. He had driven OF some
where to meet Crandall and give him
the Lock Box IL letters, for l was con-
WINGED that Stewart was merely an
alias Of the villain who had been send
Ing out the yellow letters. II could
learn where the postmaster had gone
on this visit, I might be able to find
him now.
Every time Charlie Rouser goes
driving" said Miss Cox, 'he always
goes that way" indicating the opposite
direction from the station II shouldn't
b surprised In the least II he was
keeping company with some farmers
daughter"
A sudden light came into her eyes
and a smile Of satisfaction spread over
her. face.
Land alive. never thought of II
before" she exclaimed. but I'd bet
anything he's gone on to get mar.
Yied."
Hardly likely" said /. HE wouldn't
90 on and leave the ONCE unguarded
without telling any one. And he
wouldn't leave i've thousand dollars
lying there in the drawer"
That's just what he would do. I'll
bet he had windfall Of some sort
and the minute he got the money in
his hands he just couldn't wait to 20
and tell the girl"
Somebody would have known it II
be got a horse at the livery stable,
would they not?"
"Ch. that's neither here nor there.
He might have gone on his bicycle.