The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1913-05-06

That was how | entered this bust
ness. / had been accustomed to see
Ing things move with businesslike ex-
pediency In other offices. but this beat
all records. Thirty minutes before 1
had entered the office inQuiring for
the chief. | had not seen the chief.
had not been questioned; but here |
was handed $50 sent out on what
seemed to me like complicated case
or detective work. and being calmly
told to get a full confession from a
man | knew no more about than about
Adam.
They are Just trying me out to see
now l act" | thought as / took the
money order. So | said: "An right.
When shall | report here AGAIN."
I'VE will let you know" was the
answer.
l caught three o'clock train on the
New York Central and took a seat in
tAc smoking car. Across the aisle
lolled tail, lanky. good-natured young
fellow whose ticket, stuck in the seat
in front of him, showed that he was
going to Peeksville. my destination
On the chance that he lived In the
town, or knew something about IT,
TOOK out my pipe. stuffed IT. and be
gan to search, ostentatiously, for the
matches | pretended not to have.
drew his attention first, then said
You don't happen to have an extra
match. do your"
Sure" he said. and began to dig.
l crossed over and sat down beside
him. AS l accepted the match and
prepared to light my pipe stuck my
ticket in the seat before us, where he
could not fail to see It,
Going to Peeksville, too?" he said.
geEially.
Yes" l said, putting away. "You
going there?"
Yep" he said. Il live there. You
don't live there, do your"
NO" | answered.
Thought not" said my friend. "I
know everybody there. Peeksville is
Il mighty nice little place" He looked
me over. ] was prosperous looking.
say" he said, If you're thinking
OF buying a place up there you want
TO see Donlin by all means He's the
agent for the best real estate bargains
In town. I'm friend OF his, and |
know he's right"
Donlin was the man / was after
pretended TO misunderstood the name.
Who? 'Donaldson'?"
"Donlin." he corrected. Harry
Donlin. I'll introduce you to him If
you wish when we get up there"
| did my best 10 get on a friendly
friend, and by the time we neared our
destination | knew that his name was
Daley, he knew that mine was Cor
nell, and we were getting along SO
well that when we stepped from the
train we walked straight across the
street to have a friendly glass of beer.
In the barroom We ran into a short.
heavy set man, with nervous.
twitching mouth. and restless eyes.
lie was one OF the most worried look
ing men | have ever seen.
"Ah, hello, Harry" bawled Daley
say, Harry, | want to introduce you
to an old friend OF mine from Chicago
Mr. Cornell, like to have you meet Mr..
Donlin. Mr.. Donlins an old pal of
mine. too"
Mr.. Donlin's expression relaxed a
little when he heard that / was IAN
old friend OF Daleys" IL was obyi.
ously relief to him to hear that |
was known by one OF his pals" and
he showed II by greeting me in
hearty manner. and by insisting oil
buying drinks / told him that ]
might be interested In a house I'm
~ &c no
with considerable Difference. When |
left him for the evening we had made
an appointment for ten O'Clock next
morning to make tour OF inspection
OF the desirable houses for sale in
Peeksville.
We drove through the town and
looked at half dozen little houses. |
was not particularly impressed with
any OF them, or at least pretended not
to be. There was one that told Don.
lin might do-if decided that the
town was to my liking.
For the next two days he spent
about half of his time and some Of his
money proving to me that he was "A
good fellow. and that the town was
full OF good fellows. On the second
day he was calling me by my first
name, and / was reciprocating. Ho
was an easy-gOing, not oyer-brilliant
lrishman, who apparently was afraid
ever to become entirely sober. and
who never wanted to be- without
congenial companion to talk to. He
was plainly living under great
strain.
On the third day a letter from the
office directed me to come In TO the
New York Office that evening.
GO in and see the chief" said the
office manager when I reported The
chief was I'm his private Office with my
reports on his desk before him.
Well" he said. without troubling
about a greeting. you're showing con
siderable speed for a big fellow. !
guess you'd better begin to do the
crook stall right away. You're from
Chicago. You got into a little trouble
out there and you had to leave You
are keeping out OF sight OF the Chi
cago authorities, and you picked out
Peeksvllle as a likely place to hide
in You understand don't your"
I'm to pose as a crook"
Certainly. This man Donlin is a
natural blabber, who'll talk n you get
close to him. You have got good
start by pretending 10 De looking for
a house. Now, tomorrow you stall
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