The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1914-11-20

the GOLD COUPLER
BY AUGUST WHITFIELD.


Carlock BjOnes was the star 0etec
tive OF the Pole-toPole railway. Whel
] stepped into his sumptuous apart
ments and found him intently scru
tinizing coupling pin. ne gave me ,
quick glance. and said:
"Ah. Watchem, I see you have lott
OF leisure; and as your wife has gone
away. feel that / can depend on 20,
to join me In this case"
gasped.
| 'Remarkable!" / calculated. III
beats the timetable how you deduce
these things that none but myself an
aware Of"
Dead easy" he replied You have
on a bright red necktie. That fact
proclaims to the world that your wife
has gone to the country. You general.
| ~ shave yourself; but. as you have q
clean shave and your face Is free from
gashes. ! know that you have been to
the BARRIERS. That, and the fact that
you have been playing pool. is evil
dence that you have time to offer up
on the altar OF ennui."
But how do you know l have been
playing pool?" asked in an awestruck
voice.
WELL" he replied, you have chalk
on the lapel and tail OF your coat, and
also between the thumb and forefinger
of your left hand. That can indicate
nothing but that you have been play
ing pool"
Il might have been playing bill
liards,' l suggested.
Yes" he replied; but you don't
know how"
"Carlock," l commented. you're q
wonder. What is the case you are
working on?"
This he replied. us the most per
picking case that has come to my no
tice since l recovered my sanity The
time Pushem lost forty minutes on his
run, and l was assigned to the task Of
discovering and returning them. was a
kindergarten proposition to the prob
lem that confronts me now"
He paused. and. filling his pipe with
= piece of oily waste, he lit 1t. Then,
barring his arm. he vaccinated himself
with an ivory point.
Il am doing this" he said, ito make
1t difficult for me to catch anything
l hate to work on an easy Job"
But what is this case that is baf-
fling your" l asked.
"Watchem," he replied irritatedly
~ fol H.
should be more perspicuous In your
remarks? l am not baffled am
never baffled. l may be perplexed, but
not baffied. Perplexity is what gives
zest to my art.
''The only time was baffled was
when was run over and cut to pieces
by the night express. Then my skill
in putting jigsaw puzzles together
stood me in good stead. and l was
quickly on my feet What bafiled me
was the fact that people thought me
dead one when I was merely run
down.
Il received this coupling pin in a
letter this morning. Even with my
wonderful power of perception, which
l have cultivated with the latest ap-
proved patterns of cultivators. l might
have overlooked 1t had it not dropped
from the envelope and struck me on
the pedal extremity. Had it struck
me on the head, l would not have
thought much. but l instantly rea-
soned that there was something on
foot" 4
He opened sub-cellarette, and |
pouring out glas of benzine, he |
tossed it off neatly. Then, striking a !
lucifer, he ignited his breath, and his
face was illumined.
'Vrhat is it?" ! gasped.
Just a light luncheon" he replied.
When he had finished his naphtha
lunch, he picked up the coupling pin
and gazed at 1t intently.
"Watchem," he asked, do you no.
tice anything unusual about this
/ gazed at it quizzically.
Nothing" replied. except that it
IS coupling-pin."
WatcneIn, he SAID, i cannot see
hat the constant grind of domesticity
has sharpened your wits appreciably
Cannot you see that it is made of
,old?"
Wonderful" / calculated.
But why should any one send YOU
gold coupling-pin | asked.
Let us reason this thing out nv
he replied.
Had the sender wished me harm
lie would have sent my a dynamite
,omb or a safety razor. The fact that
lie sent me a coupiingpin can Indicate
tut one thing, and that is that be
wishes to couple up with me. You
ont have to be link's-eyed to detect
hat. But the motive? We must
earch that out. What do you maka
4 II, Watchem?"
Pm afraid I'll have to give IL IN"
ventured.
Yes. but | don't propose to-" he
eplied. IT'S not every day that some I
ne sends me gold coupling pin, and