The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-05-23
Johnston
m 0o0A'Ma0u 0@A~~ MhA7ahowMWBauey

he generally Keeps 1t over there In
the corner, and 1t amt there now"
1T might be up ut his boarding
house"
1T might be-" said Miss Cox.
It came to me hat Ii Davis had
thought II worth while to 20 to the
Widow Smiths to make inquiries, II
might be worth my while, too After
asking Miss Cox for directions, ] told
her | was going to see il Rouser's
Wheel was missing. and made my way
up n of the side streets to the
clearinghouse. Davis visit evidently
had ruffied the widow. | found her
in anything but a communicative
mood.
IF you're another OF those detec
tive men coming prying around here
she said. you might just as well get
out. I've said all I'm going to say
and that's all there is to it,"
Please don't mistake me for a de
tective,' | said as pleasantly as
could. 'fm-a-friend of Miss Cox
down to the p~ost-office and We We're
'~''%'ihS "ltttiiti 1llalIIt 1du I'd hNIl
his bicycle when he went away and
Miss Cox thought you might know"
If you're a friend of Jennie Cox
said Mrs. Smith, i guess Id be likely
TO know it, being her own cousin and
knowing as well as | know my own
face that she hasn't had a man friend
FOR eleven years, since Aleck Thomp-
son died. As for Charlie Rouser going
away on his bicycle. | don't know
nothing about it. All | know is his
wheel amt here, but he never kept
II here anyway. He always kept it
down to the post-ofice."
With that she slammed the door
in my face, but | went away we'll sat
isied. As | walked down the dusty
path Of the so-called street toward
the hotel reviewed all | had learned
and was delighted TO think how
amazed Davis would be when / pre-
sented my facts gathered in the last
t~Wenty-four hours, which Were these:
Hugh Crandall was aware that we
We're on his trail.
Unable to learn anything from Lou
ise over the telephone, he had dared
to go to the Parrish home.
He had 81 inundated Louise that
she had asked me to withdraw at once
from the inquiry.
Acting on her fears, he had persuad-
ed her to accompany him to some
place IN New jersey.
Lock Box II was used for the mail
OF some one who had taken tho alias
OF Henry Malcolm Stewart.
All the mail that came to that adj
dress was taken care of by Charlie
Rouser, the postmaster.
Rouser was in the habit If going
at frequent intervals either on his
bicycle or in a buggy out on the road
that led away from the station.
Rouser, when he disappeared, IN
doubtedly had gone away on his BIZ
cycle.
Everything. to my mind, pointed tn
his having gone to e Crandall.
How TO account for the fact that
Rouser had not returned was still a
poser to me, but as | reviewed Gran
dall's connection with the chain Of
who had been driven TO death
| found myself believing that it was
lot at all u Of the range of posi-
bility for Crandall to have made away
with Rouser for fear Of betrayal. From
all | had learned about the missing
postmaster, was convinced that he
weak rather than vicious, and |
felt that he probably was an innocent
party to, the nefarious plot of the vel
low letters. Davis story that it was a
crime of two persons, after all, was
only a theory. When the mystery was
cleared up l was positive hat the only
criminal who would be uncovered
be Hugh Crandall. I s%huddered
as | recalled that Louise ever now was
with him, not exactly
alone, to be sure, for the car was
driven by her chauffeur, but still it
was a most dis%concerting thought.
As I approached the hotel | saw a
buggy stop before 1t, the occupants of
which were Davis and the constable.
As Davis dismounted | heard him say
the constable:
Tonight at eight"
"Ill be on hand, you bet" said the
constable as he drove off.
| quickened my steps and overlook
Davis justlas he started up the stairs
,oshiS room.
I've got some great news for you"
whispered and went on up with him.
The minute he got into the room he
lung himself on the bed. as IL utterly
worn out, and lighted a cigarette. l
1ad expected. that he would be eager
question me but this did not seem
be the case. He lay there with eyes
lalf closed as II OF my pres
ence.
Annoyed as l was at his seeming in.
Inference, I was sure that when l told
him my amazing news about Crandall
my discoveries about the post
master he would be efectually
took 1t for granted that his
was due t. dependency over
1is failure to find either OF them.
II have zen Hugh Crandall twice,
10. three times, today" / said by way
- har{~~S-At S~-A 49, 49, -