Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-16
ms0o0a'nnasm 0on7h0 NIznzaAiwWURazues

He generally keeps it over there In
the corner, and it amt there now"
1T might be up at his boarding
house"
1T might be-" said Miss Cox.
It came to me that if Davis had
thought it worth while TO go to the
Widow Smiths to make inquiries. it
might be worth my while, too After
asking Miss Cox for directions. told
her I was going to see if RouseT's
wheel was missing, and made my way
up one Of the side streets TO the
boarding house. Davis visit evidently
had rufled the widow. l 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 il"
please don't mistake me for de
| tectiye,' I said as pleasantly as I
could. 'Tm-a-frfend of Miss Cox
down to the post-office and we were
wondering whether Charlie had taken
his bicycle when he went away, and
Miss Cox thought you might know"
IF you're a friend of Jennie Cox, "
said Mrs. Smith, L guess Id be likely
10 know it, being her own cousin and
knowing as well as l know my own
face that she hasn't had a man friend
! for eleven years, since AIeck Thomp-
| son died. As for Charlie Rouser going
away on his bicycle, l don't knC u.
nothing about it. All | know is his
wheel amt here, but he never kept
it here anyway. He always kept it
| down to the post-0ffice"
With that she slammed the door
IN my face, but | went away well sat
/ Isfied. As | walked down the dusty
| path Of the so-called street toward
the hotel I reviewed all | had learned
and was delighted to think how
amazed Davis would be when | pre-
sented my facts gathered in the last
tWenty-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 so intimidated 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 the alias
of Henry Malcolm Stewart.
All the mail that came to that ad-
dress was taken care of by Charlie
| Rouser, the postmaster.
Rouser was in the habit of going
at frequent intervals either on his
bicycle or in buggy out on the road
shat led away from the station.
Rouser, when he disappeared. I'm.
doubleday had gone away on his bi-
cycle
Everything, to my mind, pointed to
his having gone TO meet Crandan
How to account for the fact that
| Rouser had not returned was still a
| poser TO me, but as l reviewed Gran
/ GaIIs connection with the chain Of
/ persons who had been driven to death
| I found myself believing that it was
! not at all out of the range Of posi-
! bility for CrandalI TO have made away
with Rouser for fear of betrayal. From
| all | had learned about the missing
/ postmaster. l was convinced that he
| was 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 theory When the mystery was
| cleared up l was positive that the only
criminal who would be uncovered
would be Hugh Crandan. | shuddered
| as 1 recalled that Louise even now was
somewhere with him, not exactly
alone. to be sure, for the car was
driven by her chauffeur but sill it
was a most disconcerting thought.
As l approached the hotel I saw a
buggy stop before it, the occupants of
which were Davis and the constable.
As Davis dismounted I heard him say
to the constable:
Tonight at eight
III be on hand, you bet" said the
/ constable as he drove off.
I quickened my steps and overlook
Davis just as he started up the stairs
to his room.
I've got some great news for you,
I whispered and went on up with him.
The minute he got into the room he
| flung himself on the bed, as if utterly
worn out, and lighted a cigarette. l
had expected that he would be eager
| TO question me but this did not seem
! to be the case He lay there with eyes
| half closed as if unaware of my pres
/ ence.
Annoyed as | was at his seeming in
| difference, l was sure that when | told
| him my amazing news about Crandall
and my discoveries about the post
master he would be effectually
! aroused. l took it for granted that his
! mood was due to dependency over
| his failure TO find either of them.
4 have seen Hugh Crandall twice.
no, three times, today" said by way
of beginning, and l have found out
how Rouser went when he left the
| post Office"