The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1913-01-24
CHAPTER xI-(Continued) .


d week ago Tuesday-no, 1t was We'd
nesday, for | went over to my sisters
Tuesday and Mr.. Rouser left word
for me, and l found it waiting for me
when / came back. He asked me to
come over and take the office for the
day. / was surprised when I 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 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 | was handling the
second class and the papers. got
through with that and picked up the
last bundle of letters. In 1t was no
less than six letters addressed to Lock
Box II. 'Seventeen's rented at last,
says /, thinking it funny that 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
letters right out Of my hand before l
had chance to look at the postmarks
or anything. / noticed, too, that he
didn't put them In the box, but jammed
them into his pocket along with a lot
Of other letters he had. l couldn't
say who the her letters was az
dressed tc, for L didn't get a chance
to see them. They might have been
his own, for all know. But couldn':
help thinking that the only reason he'd
waited till the mail was distributed
was to get hold of them Lock Box II
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 l come over here that day l
supposed he was going to the city, but
few minutes after he left the office I
saw him driving past in one of the
livery rigs"
Which direction did he go?" l
asked, feeling more and more sure
that / 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 off some
where to meet Crandall and give him
the Lock Box II letters, for was con-
Finced that Stewart was merely an
&lias of the villain who had been send
Ing out the yellow letters. Ii / could
learn where the postmaster had gone
On this visit, might be able to find
aim now.
Every time Charlie Rouser goes
driving" said Miss Cox, "he always
goes that way" indicating the opposite
direction from the station. Il shouldn't
be surprised in the least If he was
keeping company with some farmers
daughter"
A sudden light came into her eyes
and smile Of satisfaction spread over
her face.
Land alive, never thought of it
before" she exclaimed, but I'd bet
anything he's gone off to get mar
RED"
Hardly likely said l. He wouldn't
go off and leave the office unguarded
without telling any one. And he
wouldn't leave five 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 go
and tell the girl"
Somebody would have known it if
he got a horse at the livery stable,
would they not?"
"Oh, that's neither here nor there.
He might have gone on his bicycle.
He generally keeps it over there in
the corner, and 1t amt there now"
1T might be up at his boarding
house."
ut might be-" said Miss Cox.
1t 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 fos directions, told
her i WAS going to see if Rouser's
wheel was missing, and made my way
up one of the side streets to the
clearinghouse. Davis visit evidently
had ruffled the widow. / found her
in anything but communicative
mood.